Reaction to Baked Beans

[MetalMummy]

DS1 (4yrs) is allergic to wheat and milk and has asthma, eczema and hayfever, we've got all of these under control but just lately he seems to be reacting to other things. His eyes become very red and swollen and have gunk in them, within a couple of hours of bathing them and giving him antihistamine they are back to normal. I'm assuming that it is an environmental cause but I haven't got a clue what.
Then there is his reaction to baked beans, he's eaten beans since he was about 18mths with no problems. In the past we've always had Heinz beans but last week I gave him Branston beans, after having them his lips were very red and he said his mouth was itching, because he has had Heinz beans many times before I assumed it was a reaction to just Branston beans. Yesterday I gave him Heinz beans and within minutes his lips were very swollen and he was crying because his mouth was so itchy and sore. I gave him antihistamine and it was at least 4 hrs before the swelling started to go down, even this morning his lips were still very red

How can he be reacting now to something he's been eating for a couple of years? If the second reaction is worse than the first does that mean a third reaction would be even worse? Is there a danger of anaphylactic shock from this even though it is something he's eaten before.
Sorry I know these may seem like stupid questions but he's never had reactions like these before, his wheat and milk allergy affects his eczema and asthma so I've not dealt with this before.
Any advice will be gratefully received.

[wangle99]

My friend's child started reacting to baked beans, she rang her allergy consultant and they took a baked bean in to hospital and he was properly tested for it and yes he is allergic to them now although hadn't been and had been eating them for ages!

Not sure why it happens just wanted to say you aren't alone.

[Bouncingturtleskulls]

It might be the particular brand of beans is not suitable for a wheat free diet. An ex of mine had Coeliac Disease, and he could only eatr certain brands of baked beans, as some used wheat flour as a thickening agent. As I remeber, Heinz was a safe brand, but there were a lot of others that weren't.

[MetalMummy]

I thought it was just the branston beans that he was reacting to but it was heinz beans (that he'd always had before) that he had the worse reaction to. He hasn't got an allergy consultant, it was the GP who had the blood tests done. I've made an appointment with the GP on Friday to see if we can get him referred.

[tatt]

Unfortunately you ca develop allergies to foods you have eaten for years.

My child reacts to Branston Beans too - but not to Heinz or Sainsburys. She has a severe nut allergy and also tests positive for lupine flour and soy (although she eats soy in cooked foods with no problem). I'm afraid its very difficult to find out what the problem is as it could be trace contamination. However I'd suggest you get tests for beans, soy, tomato, peanut and lupin flour as a minimum and consider lentil as a possible contaminant.

It is potentially anaphylactic - if the lips are swelling then his throat probably is too. Sorry but you need to see someone who knows what they are doing, and that is unlikely to include your gp. You need that referral, don't let them fob you off and go to a&e/call an ambulance if ever his breathing is affected. Obviously keep him off beans.