Baby seems to be allergic to food

[Mooshkelini]

My daughter is six months old, exclusively breastfed.  I have been trying to introduce new foods, she has gotten hives from every item I have tried to introduce.  So far I have given her the following:  Enfamil formula, rice cereal, oat cereal, pears, peas, carrots and sweet potatoes.  With all foods mentioned, she developed severe hives within a ten minute time frame, with the exception of sweet potatoes which I tried today and it took two hours for her to get hives.  I have waited until her hives disappear, usually giving her Benadryl, and waited two days before giving her a new food (though not every time), but she consistently gets hives.  They always coincide with her having eaten.  I tried a glass bowl and metal spoon as opposed to plastic, she still got hives.  We are not using new soap, we have always had a dog, and the timing is just too coincidental (at least I think so) for it to be anything else besides food.  

Her doctor says it could be months before she can get into a specialist.  He also provided no suggestions other than to give her a few days between reactions and then try another food.  I am really scared there is something majorly wrong with her, as I have also read that allergic reactions usually only happen on second exposure to food, whereas hers are now occurring on the first exposure to a food.  And how could she possibly be allergic to everything?  She otherwise appears healthy, happy, is gaining weight etc..  

Any information you could give me would be appreciated, I'm very worried about my daughter.

[BhumikaMD]

Hi,

What does your pediatrician say about this? Do antiallergic medications offer any relief in her symptoms?

You should ask your doctor if a course of steroid medications would help in her case.

Also, it would be alright to reconsult with your allergy specialist for her persistent symptoms again.

Let us know about what your doctor's advise.

Regards.

[Mooshkelini]

I got in with an allergy specialist, my doctor rushed it through.  The allergist took my daughter's history, stating she could find no link to what was causing the hives, other than food.  She said a blood test was unnecessary.  She gave me about six other foods to try with the baby.  She said if my daughter keeps getting hives every day that I could feel free to come back.  She said she is too young to have diseases which I can not remember the names of that are associated with hives.  She said most children outgrow allergies.  She also said she had never seen anything like it before.  I left there feeling no better, and possibly a little worse.  I got no answers, not that I expect a miracle, but I feel like I did nothing but waste my time.  My daughter continues to get hives, sometimes with food and sometimes days after she has eaten anything at all.  Can you tell me, doctor, if this is something that I should continue to pursue?  I can't even express the stress this is causing, I can't feed my baby.  (Actually, she seems able to eat applesauce....)

[BhumikaMD]

Hi,

Let us know what the doctor advises when you see him /her tomo. Also let the doctor know about the diaper rash and he would probably prescribe a medicated cream for it.

If the symptoms are still persistent and you are not convinced , it would be advisable to ask your doctor to refeer you to a pediatrician and ask him if there is some way that you can get an earlier appointment.

Hope this helps.

Regards.

[Mooshkelini]

Thank you for responding.  Other than hives, which she will now sometimes get up to five hours after eating, she has at times had worse diaper rash, tummy seems more upset, but not always.  Unfortunately I am in a small town where we don't have a pediatrician, and would probably have to wait the several months for a referral for that.  If my doctor has nothing to offer when I see him tomorrow, I am going to take her to the Children's Hospital in the city and wait in emergency there (as they will do tests etc. right away).  Maybe I am overreacting but it is becoming very distressing.

[BhumikaMD]

Hi,

It would be advisable to reconsult with her pediatrician or to consult anoter child specialist if you are not convinced.

Any comments or suggestions in the case of a small child would be difficult without a proper clinical evaluation and blood investigations.

Let us know what the pediatrician tells you.

Does she have any other symptoms apart from the hives?

Till then you can continue giving her milk.

Regards.