wholemeal flour allergy

[zikreetdreaming]

Is this a thing? DD (3) has just come up in hives after eating her breakfast pancakes. The only thing different is I decided use wholemeal flour for theses. She's never had a reaction to any other form of flour though so is that possible?

[ppeatfruit]

Yes zikreet I've got a book called Wheat Belly by William Davis MN and he reckons that most people are intolerant of even organic wholewheat. I know dh and I are.

[ppeatfruit]

No he's not a mumsnetter! he's an American doctor a M.D.

[zikreetdreaming]

OK she's just reacted to the pie I made for dinner (obviously with normal flour not wholemeal). Hives on face and rash on trunk. What's the normal thing to do now? Do we get her allergy tested? I'm reading that it's a fairly common allergy in young kids but she seems a bit on the old side to have started. Obviously wheat's in a lot of things so if there's a risk of it turning anaphylactic I need to know

[ppeatfruit]

IIWY I'd check her blood type ,if you don't know it, and look up the Blood Type Diet which is by Peter D"damo. It is a science based way of eating which tests each food against each blood type (the chemicals in the foods and blood types are either a good match or neutral or not).

I've followed this for many years and it works. (I have no eczema or IBS, which I used to have but DO get symptoms if I eat the wrong food for m type which is A).

[eragon]

go to your gp ask to be reffered to an allergy clinic nearest to you.
ring the anaphylaxis campaign or allergyuk for advice.

hives is an ige response, not intolerance and needs a professional medical person to advise.

you need to confirm that your instinct about wheat is correct or it may be another food allergy. Other more common foods are in a pie or pancake. So you need to be certain what you need to avoid.

keep a record of meals that cause a reaction and list of ingredients.

in the meantime get some piriton/ antihistatamine and go to your gp.

[zikreetdreaming]

Thanks. We're not in the UK but will go to paediatrician today. She's just reacted to the breakfast cereal (I know I need to get smarter on this). Noted that it might not be wheat so will bear that in mind. Pie and pancakes were cooked from scratched so that's the only common ingredient I can think of (although there was pancake syrup on the pancakes and bisto and stock cubes in the pie so there could be a common additive in those and the cereal this morning which would have been cochablock full of crap)

[ppeatfruit]

Maybe it's dairy or one of the oils in the non - dairy spreads.

[eragon]

it could me anything, keep the ingredient lists from packets/cooking

I read your post and for me it pointed to egg rather than wheat. (although both are well known ige allergies) egg can be eaten by some in small amounts when cooked to a high heat, for instance, cake, but not eaten in pancakes as that counts as partially cooked.

That said I could (more than likely ) be totally wrong. which is why a doctor needs to check this out.

does your child have other conditions such as eczema or asthma or environmental allergies? Do you or child's father have these conditions?

If so, they need to be mentioned to the doctor as it gives an indication of the higher chance of a child developing a food allergy and being an allergic person.

good luck with the pead. which country are you from?

[ppeatfruit]

But there aren't usually eggs in breakfast cereals are there eragon?

[ClaireOB]

I'm with Eragon in contacting your doctor as soon as you can to arrange further investigation and diagnosis. Potential IgE mediated food allergy needs to be investigated by appropriately qualified medical people. As Eragon mentioned above, keep a record of what your DD has eaten, what the reaction was and if possible bring any packets with ingredients listed. Milk and egg allergies often show up in early infancy but they and other food allergies can develop at any time. Brief explanation here. Also, contacting the relevant patient organisation for allergy in your country for advice would be a good idea.

[zikreetdreaming]

Thanks everyone. No egg in the pie at all. Been to the doc (we're in Qatar but she's a British paediatrician) who says she suspects a wheat allergy but there's always the possibility its a virus. She's recommended a wheat elimination diet for a week (or two for holiday related reasons!) and then reintroduction of wheat in a safe environment ie at the docs. Does that make sense?

[zikreetdreaming]

Oh and no other conditions. Doc checked that. Apparently rash actually looks like measles but she's vaccinated and has no fever and no issues with eyes, throat etc.

[eragon]

so the doctor really suspects viral hives?
its quite common in young children,so this is very good news!!!


if problem persists your next step is to ask for a refferal to an allergy clinic or blood test (RAST) for suspected allergens.

If you still think wheat is an issue, I would ask a few questions of your pead doc before wheat food challenge.
as a parent of an two allergic children I would ask:

food challenge in hospital setting ?
what medications needed if reaction starts?
how to give wheat in a food without any other possibly suspect ingredients?

hope this is helpful.

[ppeatfruit]

But even with vaccines there can be other illnesses\reactions . In fact ds had more allergies\reactions to foods etc. later on in his childhood than our 2 dds who weren't vaccinated strangely.

[zikreetdreaming]

Well I'm reasonable certain that dinner had no wheat in it and she still has a blotchy face. Hopeful for a virus.

I know technically it could be measles but doctor thought unlikely. Doctor thinks it could be pityriasis rosea.

This whole thing has given me a (very tiny) glimpse into what some families go through so even if it (hopefully) turns out yo be nothing I've learnt a lesson.

[ppeatfruit]

Could it be an allergy to your soap powder or shampoo or anything like that? I remember DD1 was allergic to Jxxxsons baby oil (it bought her out in blotches)

[ClaireOB]

Glad you've seen your paediatrician and your DD is being followed up. Fingers crossed they will turn out to be viral hives. DD had a couple of episodes of hives which we feared might be food allergies (family history of severe allergy/asthma) but diagnosis found were most likely viral. Huge relief. Great advice from eragon as ever.