Blisters on arms after scrambled egg in highchair - egg allergy?

[mrsmeeps]

My 7 mo DD got blisters on her forearms today after eating scrambled egg on toast. Her egg was smeared around her tray and her arms had been in direct contact with it. She has had omlette and boiled egg before with no obvious adverse reaction, but these were 'drier' and didn't stick to her skin like the scrambled egg did today.

She also gets a rash around her mouth when eating tomatoes and tomato based sauces, although I have now removed these from her diet.

My questions are:

1. Does it sound like she has an egg allergy?
   
2. If so, what are the implications...?
   
3. Are the tomato and the egg allergy related?
   
4. Is there anything else that I should be wary of?
   
5. Is she likely to grow out of these allergies? How will I know?
   
   She also has dry skin that I treat with oilatum baths and cream.
   
   I would be grateful for any advice that anyone may have....Thanks

[TheJen]

Hi I may not be the best to answer but if nothing else will bump your questions. My DS (not 2.5) has had a severe egg allergy which he is now growing out of (big cheers!). The blisters or hives do sound like a reaction. It can take a few exposures to a food for a allergy to show itself which may explain why your DD tolerated egg initially. Also, with egg it's the protein which they are allergic to which is destroyed by cooking and that may explain why the well cooked boiled egg didn't cause a problem and the wetter/lesser cooked scrambled did. Did she have any hives or redness/swelling around mouth? She may be able to tolerate cooked egg but not uncooked or even pasturised egg (mayonaise and icecream). Basically if you think she might be allergic you need to see GP (who may advise you to carry piriton) and get referral to specialist for testing. In mean time avoid the food groups that concern you and make sure you avoid all nuts. I think it's a massive 80% of children with egg allergies grow out of them and that's certainly my experience. My son can now eat cake but not ice cream and although it was difficult it was not as bad as I imagined it would be. Hope that helps and I hope that someone with more knowledge/experience scoops up the questions to help you. It's an anxious time for you.

[TheJen]

sorry about typo's- very sleep deprived at the moment

[kitkatqueen]

Hi my dd1 sounds very similar, ( she is now nearly 6) I had an incident when she was about the same age that is vertually identical - scrambled egg on face & arms massive blisters red, very frightening for me She also used to react to tomato if it got onto her skin - red rash. I also used to have to smother her in diprobase and oilatum baths were the norm.

I avoided egg after the incident and gp refered her to be tested, my daughter would also bizzarrly become very (VERY) aggressive and hyperactive if she ate cannelini beans - and it was definatly the beans and not the sauce.

The hospital finally tested her about 18 mnths after she had been referred and she came back ok, we gradually reintroduced the foods and she has been fine with them so not sure why she reacted as she did at the time. Its a positive story tho because at 6 her only allergy is milk and that is also improving. Speak with your gp and take thejen's advice Good Luck Hope your lo is ok.

[mrsmeeps]

Thanks thejen and kitkat queen.

Interesting about the canneleni beans - these aren't something that my lo has tried yet, although did have a similar reaction from calpol, so now use 'own brand' paracetemol suspension as less E numbers and sugar.

Will make an appointment to see GP next week and will avoid eggy foods till then.

[bellabeauts]

Very similar experience with my DD at about the same age (now 2.6) and she has just been diagnosed with egg (raw and cooked) and peanut allergies and we carry an epi-pen so absolutely avoid and get her tested asap. Some Drs take it really seriously others appear misinformed so be persistent. My DD reacted at 9months and has only just been diagnosed after one Dr was very relaxed, issuing piriton said avoid 'if you want to or expose her gradually' so I didn't take the incident very seriously. Luckily I avoided it as began to notice reactions to egg, mayo, fairy cakes, pasta and then she tasted peanut butter for the 1st time aged 2 and reacted more severely. Her second reaction to egg was after I touched her after eating a boiled egg myself! Then, she vomited after eating homemade chicken strips with an egg coating and I assumed she didn't like chicken for months . With regards the tomato reaction this is very common and I have been told by paed allergists that it is not an allergy but if child has sensitive skin this may happen, my DD was tested for toms and is fine with them. She also had dry skin as a baby and I thought oh no eczema but actually she has very smooth skin now with very occasional dry patches - i bathed her daily as a baby but now only every three days with infacare.
I am very new to the allergy and avoidance myself so follow advice of more experienced people but I think there is a link between egg and peanut, so do avoid that too. Good luck.

[mrsmeeps]

I've got an appointment with the GP tomorrow. Will make sure I'm taken seriously and will refer to my 'friends' with egg and nut allergies.

[TheJen]

Children with any allergy (e.g egg) are more at risk to having a nut allergy so since it's difficult to test for nut allergies (so many different kinds of nuts that require first exposure to, then testing to if that makes sense) the advice is to avoid ALL nuts until age 5. Hope that helps! Good luck tomorrow at the GPs Mrsmeeps, will be thinking of you. Allergies can be very frightening so I do hope you get the right support (mumsnet is great for that in my experience). But be reassured, after 2 difficult years of avoiding eggs because of a severe allergy (my son also reacted when I kissed him after eating a cake!) we can now happily let him tuck into birthday cakes and run free at parties a HUGE relief. Most children grow out of these allergies and in my experience all the associated problems like eczema. Good luck x

[mrsmeeps]

A quick update - the GP has referred me to a pediatric allergy clinic on the 6th Nov as DD has exhibited allergies to 2 different foods. She wouldn't prescribe piriton (or anything else for the moment) as it is not proven that is safe for babies under 1 year and she would rather leave it to the specialist to make that decision.
Thanks again for your help and advice.

[kitkatqueen]

Good, glad doc took you seriously and sorted the referral, good luck.

[tatt]

In a severe reaction you have little time to get help so while it is not sensible to give piriton for just a rash it may be wise to use it in a reaction affecting breathing.

Egg allergies are usually outgrown. Your child is likely to have skin prick tests that show egg allergy. If so hopefully the consultant will retest at intervals and then you can reintroduce when the skin prick wheal goes below the worrying level.

[TheJen]

Glad it went well and you don;t have to wait to long. Good luck

[mrsmeeps]

I'm pleased its only a month away, as was worried that it would be a lot longer, just hoping that we manage to avoid anything dodgy until then.....[hopeful emoticon]