Milk allergy - can you develop it at 4 years old?

[LargeLatte]

Ds2 (4y 8m) woke up this morning covered in huge raised blotchy rash. Saw dr. Said it was an allergic reaction to something but that it would be near impossible to work out what unless it happened again. Had a little chit chat. Narrowed it down to almond cake because although he has had almonds before apparently you can just develop the allergy anyway and almonds are something that lots of people are allergic to. Just for fun he was also found to have an ear infection. So taking antibiotics and piriton.

Rash settling down today, totally fine in himself. Getting near bedtime, has his regular hot choc before bed. Face has gone all blotchy and he feels sick.

Please tell me he cannot have suddenly developed an allergy to milk? He has a hot choc every night before bed so my hunch is that it has caused the reactions both times, and maybe just because his immune system was already stressed by ear infection?

What the bottoms do I do now? Keep him off dairy until drs opens on Monday then take him back? I can't just write off a whole food group on a hunch but he can't be chugging down bottles of piriton either.

Aaaahhhh.

Too soon to bump I know but please don't leave me hanging ladies, I need you.

Oh you must be very worried. My DS has an epi-pen due to nut allergies. By my understanding he's old enough not to have any more milk at the moment. So don't give it to him, get soya, they come in chocolate form and heat them up just in case - my son love his dairy but also loves these too.

Go back to doctors and he will have to undergo a blood and skin test.

writing off a food group isn't that hard OP. He's not a baby and there are substitutes.

Thanks for replying.

Was your DS always allergic to nuts? And was it always anaphylactic reaction or did it develop slowly (not sure I want to know the answer really).

Guess I can just not give him any dairy for the weekend - he's hardly going to develop rickets in 2 days and I'll see what the Dr says.

Just had another look athis skin post-3rd dose of Piriton and although the swelling and itching has gone there are still very distinctive spots and hives.

I am sooo stressed. He has had so many health problems including life threatening asthma attacks so I am really paranoid about this flaring up.

OP, poor you. DS has a squillion allegies too. He also has athsma (all part of the same family). Just make sure his lips are normal. If it's constricting his breathing they will double in size.

The weird thing is that DS1 had an allergic reaction 2 weeks ago - we think to antibiotics, but that reaction was much stronger, he was really ill straight away and his lips were swollen and he said his throat went funny. Neither of them have ever been allergic to anything before and then both in within a fortnight - very strange. At least I know what I am looking for I guess.

My dd developed a peanut allergy at 4. She had had peanuts from age one and then one day she had a reaction.

Yes, its all mad huh. If it's any consolation the hospital is fab. They will get them in pretty quick and test them. Just keep whichever one away from what you THINK is the problem and get referred.

Are they ok now? Shove loads of piriton down them, its a wonder drug.

Went to hospital when my DS became unable to breath and they gave him nearly half a bottle of piriton.

"OP, poor you. DS has a squillion allegies too. He also has athsma (all part of the same family). Just make sure his lips are normal. If it's constricting his breathing they will double in size."
I don't think swelling of the lips is indicative of breathing problems. DS has had nut reaction when there has been noticeable swelling of the lip, and no breathing problems, yet the last reaction he had where his breathing was affected for the first time, there was no swelling of the lips at all.

Incidently I would say DS was exactly the same age as OP's son when his nut and seed allergies appeared.

Thanks all - helpful, if a little disappointing, to hear that he could just develop an allergy like that. We had my friend and her kids over this week and her baby is allergic to milk - I shall have great fun winding her up that he caught it from her ;)

He just told me he feels really ill so will keep him away from nuts and dairy (milk and nutella are his two favourite things in the world) all weekend, and book in to see GP again on Monday. Oh bugger.

Sorry op im going to get a bit cross with bruffin here.

IF the breathing has been restricted dangerously for a while the lips swell. If its a bit of a breathing problem and not major the lips don't swell. Let's not alarm the op.

Fuzzynavel - you were the one saying that swelling of the lips indicates breathing problems and being alarming.

As I said ds has had swelling of the whole face and lips and not had breathing problems.

The last time he did have breathing problems and was laid out on the floor unable to walk, he had no swelling of the lips.

Sorry fuzzynavel, but bruffin IS right. My DD id anaphylactic to a number of allergens. The last time her breathing was compromised/full blown anaphylactic episode there was no swelling, no hives, nothing.

Apologies OP. I hope you can get a good paediatric allergist to test your son.
Is there a possibility the hot chocolate contains nuts? Some brands are not nut free...?

oh nellymoo - good point that I had not considered.

Yes he can get tested at the hospital about 20 miles away after a referal (offered it for other son years ago). I will ask for it when we go back to GPs. Still really hoping it is just almonds, but doesnt seem likely now.