Food allergies - who can we see??......

Long and rambly sorry....

Isabelle had eczema as a young baby but one lot of cortisone cream after trying lots of different organic creams and baths got rid of it...It was never very severe, a bit on her cheeks and dry patches on her shoulders. She has always seemed to have very sensitive skin, coming up red in the bath regardless of water temp etc.

Lately she has been itching and scratching her skin even though there is nothing there...I have recently changed washing powder (to sensitive) but this started before the change. She scratches her legs when we change her nappy and if she doesn't have a shirt on she will scratch her tummy and will break the skin. She often scratches the back of her neck so I have cut off tags off most of her clothes that I know bother her but even so she often scratches that spot and there is no dry skin or eczema there.

She has been coming up with a spotty rash around her mouth from time to time as well. The other day it came up after she had some quiche I had made so I told DH we wouldn't give her egg for a while even though she has had it for a while and had no issues with it.
Today she had the spotty rash around her mouth, plus a faint spotty rash all on her belly that she scratched like mad when I got her into her pj's (no egg today).

We have recently been trying to get her onto cows milk - she now has 150mL of cows milk with 100 mL formula at night before bed and occasionally has a cup of half milk and half water for lunch when she is at mums.

I just can't seem to pinpoint what it is but could it be the dairy in the milk? From memory it could have started around the time we introduced it (Maybe?? I can't remember :() Although she has been having yoghurt and cheese since she was around 7 mths?

I would like to take her to see a specialist to find out what is causing it all - who do we go to see?? An allergy specialist? Is there such a thing as a paediatric allergy specialist? If anyone can recommend somebody in Melbourne that would be grand.
TIA for reading my long rambling post!

Tan, with Genevieve's allergies we got a referral from our GP to the Allergy Unit at the Royal Children's Hospital. Although it is free there is a long wait list unless you have a life threatening response. Otherwise there are private specialists who you can see and given the increase of child allergies there are specialists in the area - unfortunately though I don't know any to recommend.

Hi there! Going through exact same thing at moment though we know it's very unlikely to be food because she doesn't eat any! Mackenzie has rash allllllll over face and body - very bad but no other symptoms so for the moment she's fine. I imagine if she has breathing difficulties it would be considered more serious! The only thing she has eaten is VERY small amount of strawberry yogurt custard but apprantely they can eat something a lot and then one day be allergic - that sucks!!!!

Anyway we live in Chadstone and are booekd into see allergy specialist in Mt Waverley - we rang on Monday and our apopintment is in Dec! So there is a wait. But doc did say today that if the rash kept coming back or it got more serious he would try and get us in earlier or to another one.

Our problem is that she needs to have solids soon and we can't not try them but it's hard if you don't knwo what they are allergic to. Mackenzie is the same as Izzy - had mild ecxsma (can't spell!!) since birth and scratches a bit but this rash is full on - worst I've seen! Hope it works out - se your doc and they can get referral for you.

Thanks ladies! Will go and see my GP next week and get a referral to see somebody, Mt Waverley woould be great, just the next suburb away. It is so frustrating not knowing what is causing it - might be a combo of things I guess. Poor Mackenzie, I know sabelle's isn't severe but enough for me to realise that something is bothering her.

Nai - what did it turn out to be for Genevieve??

Hi Tan

I hope Izzy is feeling better soon.

Oliver had some blood in his poo which would you belive can be a sign of cows milk allergy. I got a referall to a paediatric dermatologist (in Sydney) who did a skin ***** test which thankfully eliminated this.

In total it cost about $90 and I think we got a fair bit back. I can't exactly remember though. It didn't bother him, he didn't even cry and took about 40 mins in total.

He he, I just realised a word has been **** but it was innocent enough. The word I said is similar to a skin scratch test.

HTH
Spring

Genevieve has a peanut allergy and mild egg allergy (which she seems to have grown out of now).

Oscar has the same type of rash every now and then. Do you remember the other week when he had spots? They think it was from the AB's he was on but they haven't cleared up properly yet. I'm taking him back another Dr on Monday for a second opinion. He has been pulling his top up but I haven't noticed if he has been scratching them or not. We have been referred to a Ped who has an interest in Allergies. We were referrd to him because of Oscar's cough but the spots are now a concern too so I am going to get a referral from the other GP I am going to see.

Hope you find out what it is soon hun.

Hi Tan, I take Marley to see Dr Ian Humphrey in Clayton. He is a pediatric allergy specialist, but like Jordie said, the wait is long. Marley is allergic to eggs and cashews and has mild eczema. He said the Melbourne winter really flares up the eczema as the air is so dry, which I have noticed to be true. Good luck with it. :)

This is a message I was given after someone saw Mackenzie on facebook - she wrote this:

I strongly recommend she see Steven at The allergy elimination Clinic, that is if she's in Melbourne. By far the most up to date techniques for diagnosing and treating allergies and very baby friendly.

About Allergy Elimination Clinic

I have no idea what they are like but might have a look just to see. You could too!

Hey we are seeing Dr Colin Little in Mt. Waverly. Hes pretty good and I always see young kids there. The wait can be long but see if you can be put onto the cancellation list. Just get a referal from your GP. HTH. We've just found out Olivia has a yeast allergy and her rash around her mouth is almost cleared up.

That's who we are seeing! Dr Little. My doc said he would try and getus an earlier apppointment if her rash doesn't clear or it comes back because she still doesn't eat any solids.

The Allergy Elimination Clinic have a good rep in the industry.

We went to the food allergy expo or gluten free expo in Brissy and went to see one of the speakers/specialists from there.

Just a quick update. We got a referral for Joanne Smart at the Cabrini Children's Centre - waiting list for new patients is 6 months!!! Far out I can't believe it. I might do a little call around of the other names I have and see if they are significantly shorter.

Her little spotty rash that comes and goes around her mouth has today and yesterday turned into eczema like dry rash - it is really close to her mouth so I'm not sure what I can put on it while we wait - just some Paw Paw ointment maybe??

Will let everyone know how we go.

Glad you got the referral Tan. The waiting lists are ridiculous but ask them if you can go on their cancellation list and hopefully you might get in earlier. I think you will find that most of them have the same waiting times. I didn't find pawpaw cream did much good but it works well for others. Good luck and hopefully you might get an earlier appointment. :)

Hey Tan- thats great you got an appointment but its a shame it takes so long. Fortunately we got onto the cancellation list and saw the dr within 3 weeks.

Olivia is allergic to yeast. I have tried so many creams and ointments....I have a whole pharmacy in my cupboard. Pawpaw worked for a short time, so did bepanthan. She had an underlying bacterial infection as well, so after abs and hydrozole (combination antifungal/crotisone cream) its started clearing up. The only problem is it has stayed dry and cracks, so we put qv cream on as soon as we see it looking dry. Its hard to say what works...trial and error.

Good luck

Melissa

Tan, unfortunately I think 6 months is pretty standard with allergists :( I hope you have better luck with some of the others.

Thanks ladies - I do have some Cortisone cream but because it was so close to her mouth I was worried she would lick it! I caught it early though and the paw paw has helped and no rash today. I am keeping a food diary for her too so we can look back and see what could have triggered any flare ups.

just a though tan, is she still having dried apricots???? id stop as some people have allergies to sulphur, dried apricots are very high in it!