Mumsnet Talk

DD (aged 3) had a bag of penny sweets this morning. You know the kind of thing: sherbet shoelaces, gelatin strawberry shaped chews etc. Shes never had sweets before.

After a few minutes I noticed her face was all mottled. No swelling or hives but lots of red and white patches across her face. I also wonder if her Tongue reacted as she started crying saying that sweets were stuck to it.

I gave her piriton and within 15 mins she was back to normal.

She has never had any allergic reactions before.

What ingredient of sweets can cause an allergic reaction?

Perhaps cross contaminated with nut sweets? Has she had nuts before?

Could it be some of the colourings in them?

I suppose it could be colouring. She has had nuts before without problems. I'm not sure that she's has every nut but most.

Is this the kind of thing I should see a GP about or is a rash that clears with piriton too mild to worry a doctor about?

kiwi? Haribo contains kiwi

If it happens again and you still don't know what it is then I would speak to your gp. Reaction like that do seem to get worse.

DD2 had an almost identical sounding reaction to eggs when starting solids, which was easy to avoid, She has grown out of it and is now fine age two.

Sweet laces often contain wheat but I assume you'd know if she was allergic to wheat.

lots of kids sweets are made from natural foods now, i would go with the cross contamintion idea.

carry some antihistamine around, and if this happens again mention it to yr gp. take a photo with yr phone, to show.

it severe call for medical help.

does yr kid have other allergic problems, asthma for eg? because that really changes things, if so go straight to gp and get sorted.

ezcema? hay fever etc? makes it more likely to be an allergic person.

good luck, hope this is just a one off!

viral infections can cause hives, health good at time of eating sweets?