Allergic Face

Updated on June 23, 2010
S.S. asks from Stratford, CT
10 answers

I have an almost 8 month old son that recently has had allergic reactions to "something". It only happens when he eats solid foods. He will get red, streaky, and puffed eyes. He does not get a reaction anywhere else. No diarrhea, rash or hives on the other parts of his body. Only his face gets red and irritated. This does not happen after every meal, only sometimes. There is nothing similar in the meals that he ate and had a reaction. He was started on baby food at 5months and did not have any reaction until the last few weeks. Since he started getting a reaction each one seems to get progressively worse. The MD said it is not a reaction once the food is in the body it has something to do with what is touching the skin and eyes on his face. Any ideas what the cause could be?

We thought papertowel...stopped using and still got red. I am not using a new laundry soap- All free and clear. MD told me to stop ALL foods for the next week and only bottle/breast feed. My son is going to be so angry. He LOVES his food. He is already a poor sleeper and I imagine he will now wake up more often because he is hungry. I frustrated by not knowing what to do. He was allergy tested on June 2nd and came out negative for all allergies. Please help with any ideas...thank you!

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L.D.

answers from New York on

My son has had skin reactions to certain foods only upon contact. The acidic foods were typically the culprits. What you can do is use something like Aquaphor or Vaseline as a skin protectant before you feed him. You can also use it to treat the rash. Apply multiple times throughout the day. My son is almost 2 and he still gets it sometimes.

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T.S.

answers from Chicago on

S.,

This may sound strange but I have to ask... Since it only happens when he eats solid foods and I imagine he is feeding himself, what are you using to wipe down his highchair or table where he is eating from? If you are using any type of wipes, like Clorox or Lysol, the chlorine or pesticides in them are extremely caustic and could be causing the reaction. Even cleaners like 409 or Mr. Clean can be pretty harsh on his little immune system. Try just wiping these surfaces down with plain ole soap and water and rinse thoroughly before letting him eat off of them.

From one mom to another, I never realized how many chemicals were in the products in our home until it started effecting my children.

Good luck and let me know if that helps. If you have any other questions or need suggestions, send me a note.
Have a blessed day,
T. S.

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A.F.

answers from New York on

my kids get that from ranch dressing or hard margarine. it goes away after about a half hour, and as they get older it does not seem to happen anymore. i thought it might be a preservative in one of the foods. good luck

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J.S.

answers from Dallas on

Go back to the basics with his food. Start with cereal and then move on from there again.

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D.M.

answers from Denver on

Hmmmm - these are tough to figure out as all allergies don't always show so early. It's the "elimininate all then reintroduce foods to see what triggers it...) If he didnt' have this issue when on cereal, can you at least give him cereal to eat w/ the bottle/breast? maybe that will make him happier.

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A.H.

answers from New York on

New dishwashing liquid? Perhaps he is reacting to a chemical on his plate / spoon.

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A.D.

answers from New York on

If you don't know what is causing it, my guess it the MD wants you to stop everything until it clears up and then you can start reintroducing again. My daughter's skin would get red and irritated if certain fruits like strawberries or watermelon touched it or if hard cheese like romano or parmesan did. I think it could be acids from the fruit or salt or fat from the cheese. The cheese was the weirdest one, one little piece fell down her onsie and there was a big red blotch where it had landed. She has red hair and very sensitive skin. She can eat any of the items with no reaction, it is purely a reaction to them touching her skin. Good luck!

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L.S.

answers from New London on

My son would get a red face from ranch dressing, but now he is fine. Also sweet and sour sauce and anything too spicey or orange like carrots or sweet pototoes. Could be a reaction to salt, too or parmasan cheese. Just give him one thing at a time again for a couple of days and make it bland. Chicken and pasta with butter tonight... etc. Then add to it. Hopefully you'll find it soon.

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P.C.

answers from New York on

Hi S.,

What about the cleaners you used to clean his highchair and tray with? May be he touched the residue on it with his hands and then he touched his face after. May be he is allergic to the chemical residues since he tested all negative with food allergies. Try using more natural and safe cleaners if you are not already using them or try different ones if you are already using natural cleaners. If you like a recommendation, let me know. There is a great company with safe products and much more that's a one-stop shop for your home & family. ____@____.com you figure out what it is real soon.

P.

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C.O.

answers from New York on

Have you considered organic baby food? I don't know, you didn't mention if you were using it, but perhaps there is something in the food that is irritating his skin? I have never heard of this before.

Also consider keeping a food journal and documenting what and how much food you are giving him. Perhaps the reaction is related to a specific brand, a particularly acidic food...A journal will better help you identify any patterns.

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