Raised, red area around mouth after eating

[ENMS]

My DD is 3.5 years old and has never had any allergy / intolerance issues. I've read up a lot on them though and their symptoms since my DS has lots of intolerances.

In the past 2 weeks I've noticed moments after dinner where DD is really over-excited, not herself, jumping around, kind of out of control. Started to make me wonder about intolerances since this is so unlike her.

Tonight right after dinner the area around her mouth, and the outer edge of her lips was all raised and red. She complained that it hurt. I'm positive it was fine before dinner.

She had pasta with a creamy sauce, veggies, chicken and cheese on top. Then a very special treat for desert, some Jell-o. She also ate a slice of ham.

Would that look like an allergy / intolerance is developping?

As a side note, DD has never had any digestive issues at all, but this summer she had to take an iron supplement and it constipated her badly. We're still struggling to regain a balance in her bowel movements but mostly she is fine lately. We used a mild laxative and prune juice on a regular basis to get her to poop more often.

[Buntybear]

That would say something like a contact allergy to me tbh was looking for something like strawberries or pineapple in her menu but not there!

Not sure on behaviour, could be food related but surely not at 3.5 years and for just 2 weeks? She hasn't started drinking a new juice with sugars and colours on?

Only other thing j can think if it us a half year developmental leap or regression?

[ENMS]

Thanks Buntybear

The thing I didn't mention is that the odd behavior doesn't happen every night - maybe once every 2-3 nights might made me wonder about diet. I haven't introduced anything new but I guess it would be worth it to keep a food journal to see if something stands out maybe. Maybe I have read way too much on food intolerances and behavioral symptoms though.

The mouth is still all irritated - is it normal that it would last that long (almost 24h now)? No 'new' irritation though and I have tried to give her Jell-o again at lunch to see if it would make it worse, but it didn't.

[~inbalance~]

I'm curious as well.  My good friend is experiencing many of the same things you've described with her 3 year old, and I am certain it is an allergy or intolerance though my friend has dismissed my suggestions and will not pursue it further.  I think her DS has a dairy allergy tbh.  He has had so many suspicious symptoms and I have put the all together but she is getting them looked at and treated separately, and none of them are getting better.  But her DS has the same rash you have described around his mouth and it has been there for weeks already, probably over a month even.  When she first brought up her concerns and I suspected an allergy, a quick google came up with this link:  http://voices.yahoo.com/dairy-allergy-children-its-not-lactose-intolerance-338392.html?cat=25 which described so much of what she has experienced with her DS (of course I realize this is just google and that not all resources are reliable, so I would suggest looking into it further)

"Symptoms of a dairy allergy can include: rash, eczema, black circles around eyes, or even swelling around lips, mouth, or throat. Digestive upsets occur in the form of gas, bloating or cramping. The respiratory system can be affected and manifest itself as wheezing, itchy eyes, nasal congestion, and shortness of breath or coughing. Some children even show symptoms of inattentiveness, lethargy, hyperactivity or bedwetting as a result of dairy allergy."

My friend's DS has experienced pretty much ALL of these.     But she will not listen to me and I know is in denial, which is hard because I see how her DS is being affected but I don't feel like there is anything else I can do. 

[ENMS]

Thanks Em!

The area around the mouth is still the same - at least it is not getting worse. For the behavior, I will keep a food journal but something that pops when I take a step back seems to be sugar... she's had way too much since Halloween and I'm wondering if that should be causing the issue.

*sigh* and I thought she was all figured out re: eating and allergies and intolerances.

[jennandsophie]

Some kids have an intolerance to food colouring, particularly red.  I wonder if she may have reacted to the colouring in the jello.

[ENMS]

Would it make sense that she would not have reacted the next day though Jenn? I gave her some Jello again yesterday at lunch and it didn't make it worse. The area's sort of irritated now but it's not as bad as it was on Friday.

You're right though, I've heard that before. Definitely worth checking out.

[~inbalance~]

I have heard about food colouring too.  TBH there are SO many things in foods these days that LOs can react too, it's so hard to figure it all out.  I am trying to become more aware of what affects my children's behaviour.  I know I have some friends whose kids are on SUCH restricted diets because they react to everything it seems.  And I also know so many things like artifical flavours/chemicals/colours/preservatives can affect LOs in so many ways.  Hugs!  It's so overwhelming to think about.

[ENMS]

artifical flavours/chemicals/colours/preservatives can affect LOs in so many ways

Yeah you're so right. I'm trying to cut that junk out but I find it's so hard as I don't have that much time! I guess one thing at a time and eventually I'll get there.

[~inbalance~]

We just went on a huge anti-junkfood raid and stopped buying almost anything processed.  We were *pretty* good before, but still relied a lot on boxed/packaged snacks, etc.  We decided all cereal bars, chips, crackers and cookies had to go.  The only thing we buy now is a bit of cereal, and we try to stick to the most natural and organic brands.  We've starting making a lot more of our own stuff.  Time consuming for sure!  Hopefully we can keep it up, I really do think I see a positive effect on all of us already, but I am still always paranoid about things that may be affecting my kids. 

Then today my dad shows up with bags of junk food for the kids!   

[ENMS]

Are you making your own snacks Em?  What do you make? I'd be willing to make a few recipes during the holidays and freeze them.

[MasynSpencerElliotte]

I was thinking contact allergy too, my kids have finally outgrown contact allergy to ketchup or any tomato based sauces. Used to leave them both with sore red mouths.  Red food colouring is also a big no no for Spencer, makes her go completely crazy!

[abbysmomma]

The classic food allergy that exhibits itself as rash around the mouth would go away after a few hours. Ds1 also has a rash around the mouth that never really goes away, and often gets angrier looking after eating certain foods. This rash isn't really food allergy related but is a form of excema. Acidic foods will often give that kind of rash - like tomato based sauces. A good slathering of vaseline around the mouth before eating might help, and a thick cream like spectro kids before bed. We get both kinds of rashes, so it easy for me to tell the difference. A way that might differentiate would be to give some Benedryl after you see the rash, and see if if it goes away. If the Benedryl helps, then you might want to go see an allergist. Definitely keep up with the food journal.  I'm not sure about the behavior, though i do have a niece that gets all crazy when she eats non-organic foods.

[~inbalance~]

We make a lot of muffins, and just last week I tried a no bake recipe for 'energy bites' that worked amazing and was so easy.  I think it was 1 cup oats, 1/2 cup peanut butter, 1/2 chocolate chips, 1/4 flaxseed, 1/3 cup honey, and 1 tsp vanilla.  I also added some molasses and coconut.  Rolled them into little balls and threw them in the fridge, and they were great!  I'm going to try variations on those ingredients and try pressing them into a pan to make squares/bars.  They held up really well and didn't crumble so I think it will work well in bar form, and I'm going to try adding other seeds and nuts and maybe try brown rice puffs too.

[jennandsophie]

Elise, I'm not sure, but I think certain combinations of foods worsen the reaction.  So, she may have had some the day before but if she ate it alone, it might not have been too bad a reaction so you didn't notice.  Maybe this time it came right after dinner, so something in the dinner might have triggered a worse case.

Unfortunately, I'm not an expert but these are just some things I've heard before.  In terms of processed junk, I totally agree with all of you.  I kept S away from it until she was 18 months.  Of course, as soon as she went to Montessori school, they gave her processed snacks like cookies and chips.  Aarggh...I was so mad.  At least at home I try to give her homemade stuff as much as I can.  Or if I do need to buy something because I don't have time, I try to get it at a good bakery rather than the processed stuff with preservatives.