Author Topic: What are the obvious symptoms of food allergies  (Read 1870 times)

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Offline corrina01

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What are the obvious symptoms of food allergies
« on: December 16, 2005, 12:10:00 pm »
What are the obvious signs that a baby is allergic to some foods.

My DD has been on solids for 3 weeks, but her BM's are becoming runnier and runnier,  or is this normal?

I know she is teething at the moment, so maybe this is something to do with it.

I don't want to give my DD anything she is allergic to, but she is always willing to gobble up food that I give her.

DP has ezcema, asthma and I have ezcema (since DD was born) and hayfever.   DD has no signs of any of those.

Any advice appreciated.
Corrina
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A very spirited toddler with a touch of angel



Offline Kayna

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What are the obvious symptoms of food allergies
« Reply #1 on: December 16, 2005, 16:01:46 pm »
Each allergy can have a different reaction so it's hard to say what all the symptoms are.

Does she seem fussier as well?

Both my kiddos got/get runny poos along with teething. So that definitely could be making a difference.

I would watch for rashes, mucous/blood in stool, fussiness, disrupted sleep, and mostly irregular breathing. :wink:

PS: since eczema and asthma does run in the family I would be a little more careful and make sure to only try new things every 3-5 days so you're completely positive which food is causing the problem.
Kayna
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Offline corrina01

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What are the obvious symptoms of food allergies
« Reply #2 on: December 16, 2005, 16:08:57 pm »
Thanks for that. 

She is making a fuss, and disrupted sleeps, but I put it down to her teething.  She hasn't had irregular breathing.  Her stools are all different colours from green right to yellow, sometimes both green and yellow.

I will keep an eye on her though.

Thanks for the advice
Corrina
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A very spirited toddler with a touch of angel



Offline crazycanuck

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Re: What are the obvious symptoms of food allergies
« Reply #3 on: February 17, 2006, 00:51:41 am »
HHMMMMM
I was wondering about allergy and ds's sleep has been disrupted, and he is more fussy, as well as has some little red spots of what appear to be rash on his cheeks.  I too decided it was the teething, I think anyways (you think you know something and then it just doesn't fly with these little ones!!!)
I also have been adding some foods like yoghurt and pears.......yoghurt is supposed to be a good starter as well as pears.....
I am interested in following your sstory to compare....hubby and I both have allergies whiich is why I am more suspect....Keep us posted!!

Logan's Mom



breastfed for 6 months and exclusively pumping now!!!

Offline crazycanuck

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this is long.......ecerpt from Dr Sears' "Baby Book"
« Reply #4 on: February 17, 2006, 11:36:20 am »
Infant Food Allergies

Once babies are ready to eat solid foods, parents often become concerned about food allergies. A food allergy is an allergic reaction to a particular food. In addition to food allergies, your baby may also experience food intolerance. Food intolerance is not an allergic reaction, but it is any other undesirable effect experienced as a result of eating a particular food. Allergies may manifest from something in the air, something that touches the skin, or from a certain kind of foodi.

Common questions asked by parents such as, what symptoms will my baby show if he/she has food allergies, what precautionary measures should be taken and how can I track down food allergies, will be addressed in the section below.

The Signs & Symptoms of Food Allergies

The following is a list of signs and symptoms often caused by food allergies or intolerance:

 Runny nose (with clear secretions), watery eyes, seasonal sneezing and wheezing
 Chronic cough
 Circles under eyes
 Frequent colds and/or ear infections
 Frequent skin rashes, such as eczema or hives
 Night coughs and a stuffy nose in the morning
 Diarrhea, abdominal pain and bloating
 Lots of intestinal gas
 Fatigue, behavior problems, headaches

Please note that the above symptoms may be attributed to other causes and should be diagnosed by a medical professional.

The following are a list of the most common food allergens and those that seldom cause allergies.

Most Common Food Allergens Least Common Allergenic Foods
Egg Whites
Citrus Fruits
Tomatoes
Yeast
Wheat
Berries
Nuts
Chocolate
Shellfish
 Carrots
Squash
Pears
Apricots
Apples
Peaches
Barley
Oats
Rice
Plums
 

Preventing Food Allergies

Preventing the development of food allergies in your child is possible. The following suggestions may help prohibit the development of allergies:

 Breast-feed your infant for at least one year.
 Delay introducing solid foods until your infant shows definite signs of readiness for them, usually around six months.
 Begin with less allergenic foods when starting solid foods.
 Introduce foods individually, in order to see if there is a reaction.
 Withhold potentially allergenic foods until your child is more than one year old.

Tracking Down Food Allergies

An elimination diet is key to tracking down your child's food allergies. By eliminating certain possible allergens systematically, you will be able to see if the symptoms clear up.

The first step is eliminating the most common food allergens such as milk and dairy products, wheat, eggs and citrus fruits. In order to eliminate these foods from your baby's diet, it is necessary to read labels carefully, watching for dairy and wheat products.

After a week of elimination, you should see some improvement in your child's symptoms. If you don't, it may be necessary to eliminate more foods the next week. Once you do see an improvement, reintroduce the eliminated foods back into your child's diet slowly, one food at a time. If any allergic symptoms reappear, this food is the probable cause and should be forbidden from your child's diet.

Some children may tolerate allergenic foods as long as they are not eaten too frequently. These children may be placed on a rotation diet, meaning certain foods are not eaten more than once every two to four days.

Some people find it helpful to track down food allergies by keeping a detailed diary of what their child eats and their reaction to it. This can be particularly helpful as new foods are introduced into their diet.

Tracking down your child's food allergies is not an exact science. It may take several weeks or months to pinpoint exactly how much of a certain food your child can eat without a reaction.



Hope that helps a little......I am going to cut out the yoghurt for now, but I am suspect it's teeth!!

Logan's Mom ;D



breastfed for 6 months and exclusively pumping now!!!

Offline ~tess~

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Re: What are the obvious symptoms of food allergies
« Reply #5 on: February 17, 2006, 13:13:01 pm »
the list above is great but i wanted to add our story.  at 4 months my son had horrible dark circles under his eyes.  people constantly commented on how tired he was....even if he just had a nap!  i suspected an allergy then...the eyes, the runny poops, the exzema, poor weight gain....i was breastfeeding so the dr said too early for allergies.  fast forward to 9 months and eating eggs, yogurts, cheese...major welts and redness when he touched dairy and eggs!  ped again said too early but got me in with a top ped alelrgist to kinda prove me wrong.  well we showed them, lol!  after skin testing to dairy, egg, dog, cat we had positive reaction.  i got an apology from the dr who said he and the ped were just testing to pacify me and totally were shocked.  the dog thing especially b/c my comments about that were when we went out of town his runny nose stopped.  the dr was impressed i knew my son's symptoms so well. 

point is..you know your child. if you think they are allergic do the elimination diet.  record all food and reaction....and poops too.  be proactive.  your dr will mostly blow you off in this young age.  but keep at it.  heck, ask for skin testing to prove you wrong ;-)

my son had the same symptons at 4 months that he had at 9 months (minus the welts when touching food).  i knew then but didn't get serious at the dr office until 9 months and i wish i had not been so passive as a first time mom and gotten an early diagnosis. 

my son had negative skin tests last summer(age 3.5 yrs).  but only this week did he eat his first egg!  so far no runny poop either.  he does eat dairy but too much gives him the runs and dry skin comes back. red itchy eyes.  and says his tummy hurts.  so much for negative tests!

always follow your instincts.  set up your own plan if the drs won't help!!!
~Tess~
DS, 13
DD, 12

Offline Carter'sMama

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Re: What are the obvious symptoms of food allergies
« Reply #6 on: February 17, 2006, 13:34:56 pm »
Tess - my story is somewhat similar to yours!  We found out about DS's allergies when he was only 4 months old.  He had some bloodwork done for a completely other problem and when it came back they told me that DS was allergic to milk and eggs.  The specialist told me to make sure that I didn't eat either of those in any form as long as I was bf'ing.  My ped said not to worry and that I could still eat whatever I wanted because we had never seen a reaction.  Fast forward to a month or so ago when I was trying to find daycare for him and no one would take him because of his "allergies".  I  begged and pleaded with my ped to book me an allergy skin test to determine for sure if there were any allergies (both DH and I have no allergies, asthma, or excema).  It took them a month to get me an appt and we went yesterday.  I had started noticing hives around Carter's mouth but we didn't know if it was from the dog or some milk/egg he had come into contact with. 

Anyway ... the tests showed positive for milk and that's it.  The specialist said that because DS had never had a reaction to my breastmilk that I should feed only very hypoallergenic foods for 3 weeks and then intro yogurt and see what happens.  I have to go back and see him in a month.

It is nice to hear that your lo had a negative test eventually .. I am hoping that these allergies will go away although I know that they don't really "go away"  I am glad that eggs showed up negative.  Although I am still supposed to wait on giving him eggs until he is a year and a half.  I have to wait on other high allergens such as peanut butter until he is old enough to spell it!!!

Logans' Mom - I would definitely cut out the yogurt for now and see what happens.  Hopefully it is just teeth though!!
Cathy - Mama to:
Carter Luke - March 29, 2005
Mason Henry - April 7, 2007
Daphne Catherine Grace - May 30, 2010