Food Allergies in 6 Yr Olds..

My daughter has been allergic to dairy, wheat, egg, and nuts since birth. But we weren't for sure until she got tested at age 1. Her symptoms were red and itchy hives, large bruise like non itching hives, eczema on the back of her knees, elbows, and in the crook of her arms. When she was 2 we got more detailed testing done. By then she outgrew her allergy to egg and dairy, but still her wheat and nut allergies remained. And we found that she is also allergic to wheat gluten. She will be 4 in a few months. If she ingests wheat, her eczema breaks out within a few hours in her normal spots. If she touches wheat, her eczema will break out wherever it touched her skin for a few hours. If she eats nuts (peanuts, walnuts, cashews, or almonds) she will break out in hives all over her body. And I think with peanuts she gets a weird feeling in her mouth...maybe slight itching or swelling. So we have an Epi Pen for her...one in her to go bag, one at her preschool, one in my purse, and one in the kitchen.

But not all allergic reactions are outward. The most damaging reactions are the ones we can't see that occur within the digestive system. Many people go years without realizing that they have seriously damaged their intestines. Google celiac disease and learn how serious and damaging gluten is for many people.

I also have several food allergies since childhood:
nuts, citrus fruit, almonds, apricots, chocolate, and carrots.

Then after my daughter was born my system changed and these are my current allergies:
wheat, wheat gluten, dairy, casein (the dairy protein), nuts, shellfish, citrus fruit, salmon, blueberries, asparagus.

Then I have to avoid these foods because they create inflammation in my body that triggers my Fibromyalgia pain:
red meat, bell peppers, eggplant, onions, chives, tomatoes, and potatoes.

Did your son get the basic IgE test done or did he get the complete series (IgE, IgA, and IgG)? Getting all 3 done plus the back scratch skin test will give you the most comprehensive results. Then from there you do the Elimination-Reintroduction process.

If you need a good book to learn about wheat/gluten allergies and what to avoid or look for check out "Wheat Free, Worry Free" by Dana Korn. Her son has several food allergies and has Celiac Disease. Very easy to read, gives a good list of items to avoid and what to look for on labels, and a few recipes.

If you'd like more information on wheat free, dairy free products, and where to get them cheaper...feel free to PM me. I can send you a bunch of info to get you started. My family and I have been doing this for years and have tried lots of products and lots of recipes.....I finally found a gluten free, dairy and egg free cake icing recipe that actually tastes good :).

S.

1 mom found this helpful

My daughter is allergic to milk, wheat, soy, eggs, peanuts and treenuts. Along with environmental stuff and animals (including houseflies however that works!) Her sympton is usually a rash. Its usually raised and hot to the touch. This happens when she touches something like a cracker then touches any part of her body. If we get benedryl (we use prescription hydroxyzine) in her fast, it lessens the symptoms.

With eggs, she throws up. Everything comes up, pretty fast. If not from that end, everything will come out the other.

Worse system that happened once is a hoarse voice. She got a mouthful of cheese, never swallowed, and once we swiped it out, her voice was hoarse. We ended up taking her in for that, but it only happened once.

My daughter also has asthma. An allergic reaction was described to me as: a sudden and severe asthma attack. When this happens, albuterol won't help, only epinephrin. That's what I look for.

Check out AllergicChild.com. This is a website that puts info into plain english and she has one allergic child and one food-intolerant child.

Good luck to you. Please know that whatever the allergy is, it really isn't as hard as it seems. We are lucky to be in an age where food is available and allergies are widely accepted.

1 mom found this helpful

My son has a terrible milk allergy. We discovered it when he was 9 months old and he'll be 4 in a few months. It's still pretty bad. If he has just a minor exposure, he gets a rash around his mouth. If he has a bigger exposure, he gets hives all over his body - literally covering his whole body - and usually vomits.

Mommywood.com has a lot of good recipes & info on allergies in kids