Where to start with food allergies/intolerances?

Hi All,

Miss E is 18 months old now and it seems that she is getting regular hive like break outs. This rash has been happening since she was 9 months old and my doctor just tells me it looks fungal and give hydrozole cream. The cream does nothing and the only thing that helps is moogoo.

Lately her stools have been very loose with mucus at times.

Where do I start with identifying which foods to avoid? I did figure out that hot chips with chicken salt caused her to break out. Since then I haven't allowed chicken salt or anything with msg. I also took her off milk and she has rice milk instead. Although she does have yoghurt.

Any ideas or advice would be great.

I would be asking the GP for an allergist referral. The other option would be to see a Naturopath. Take photo's of the reaction as well to show the specialist or naturopath and keep a food diary so they can have an idea when the break outs occur.
It's hard to pin point intolerances, good luck.

Wheat maybe?

Hon hugs, Tara has just started out breaking out in hives too shes nearly 3. I cant believe it that your dr says to use that cream. my dr told me just to use antihystamine (zyrtec) and then QV bath oil to help with hives and then when they go I just put QV cream on her excema. I have allergies, and there were two ways i went about it, the first way I eliminated everything from my diet and started back on rice and vegetables, slowly adding other ingredients. So I could find out what I was allergic too, the simpliest way to to get a referal to an allergy specialist, they put about 40 little *****s on your arm and then put little stuff of everything on the arm and then measure the hives that come up to see how allergic you are, then they give you cortisone to get rid of the hives. Hope this helps hon xxx

Fia has allegies as well that we have had trouble identifying, we took her to a naturpath before xmas and the test that she did indicated that she had reactions to milk (but not lactose), chocolate, hazelnuts (goodbye nutella), peas, vegemite and potatos. We changed over to A2 milk instead of normal cows milk and eliminated the others and the rashes have started to clear up, she still has the odd flare up and I will get her properly allegy tested when she is a little older. The hyrdozole andanything else with cortozone were useless for her, moogoo didnt work (milk based), so she is back on pawpaw cream, qv wash and goats milk soap.

I'm another one who's saying get a referral to an allergy specialist. You should be able to get one through your GP. I had my DS diagnosed with dermatitis/eczema from 4mths old. I got a referral (at about 9mths) and DS was tested via the skin ***** tests. He was about 15mths old when tested. We now know to avoid sesame and keep an eye on egg white with him. We (DS & I as we're still BFing) had to do an elimination diet (cut out dairy, egg and sesame - had a slight reaction to dairy & egg) and then re-introduce dairy (lowest reaction result) and then egg later.

If it looks the same as the break outs before, and moogoo is helping, it could still be eczema. DD is having a significant skin crease flare up ATM due to the heat / humidity. It has also extended a bit beyond this to her legs and arms.

But if you want to be sure about the allergies / intolerances a referral for allergy testing is needed. I would also consider a dermatologist review too to assess the skin appropriately rather than a GP.

My advise is to see the GP, get a referral to the allergist and in the meantime see a dietician and a naturopath.

I agree an allergist will be the best bet but if you know it's msg look at food acid too. There are two types, citric acid is the natural one but they also make an artificial version that is closely related to msg. It makes dd1 go crazy and it's in a lot of foods including yoghurt, juices, ice cream, lollies and even things that are supposed to be healthy.

Thanks everyone for your advice.

Michelle - The rash is the same as I posted on fb a while back. However she is getting 2 types of rashes now. One looks like eczema (which is on the creases of her feet and knees) and the other more welts like and they are round (these are on her legs and face).

Blackrose - Interesting re the citric acid.

Do a google search for Failsafe diet (not sure what the policy is on links here anymore) and the book Fed up by Sue Dengate. It is an elimination diet that will exclude some of the common and some of the less common intolerances (rather than allergies). You can do it under the supervision of a dietian although we did it alone as I couldn't find one where we were. The Royal Prince Alfred (I think) hospital also runs the same program and they have a book called Friendly Foods.

They talk about symptoms of intollerance that most people and dr wouldn't think of as a reaction, includes eczema, rashes, bowel problems, hyperactivity, lethergy, depression, dark circles under eyes. there are so many! We started a few years ago and it has been amazing the difference it has made to our whole family!

I was surprised about the food acid, at first i thought it was the food colours as I know reactions are common to them but we avoided them and she would still go nuts - all hyper, running around, spinning, talking fast. Finally realized with yogurt, she had a different brand to normal and it had food acid. Now I have to check labels carefully.

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I was surprised about the food acid, at first i thought it was the food colours as I know reactions are common to them but we avoided them and she would still go nuts - all hyper, running around, spinning, talking fast. Finally realized with yogurt, she had a different brand to normal and it had food acid. Now I have to check labels carefully.

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yep and 'natural' colour 160b or annenetto is another one linked to hyperactivity and behavioural problems in kids yet it can be used with the little slogan 'no artifical colours'

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yep and 'natural' colour 160b or annenetto is another one linked to hyperactivity and behavioural problems in kids yet it can be used with the little slogan 'no artifical colours'

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That's the next one I am looking at, it just sounds nasty and it's not always listed is it?