food allergies- help!

[keresley]

I have just started weaning my ds who has severe excema. His excema is always flaring up and it is so difficult to tell if it is the food or other triggers. How long does it take from eating a food for skin to react?? Is it immediate or does it take hours/days?? Advice would br greatly appreciated.

usually the reaction from eating food is very fast. It isn't always but delayed reactions are far less common so if his skin flares most likely culprit - if it is food - is the thing he's most recently eaten. Its possible probiotics and flaxseed oil may help. Baby rice, pear and carrot are some of the safest weaning foods. Best of luck.

there is a weaning guide at www.hallpublications.com that has a link to starting allergic children on first foods. my ds excema is pretty much immediate when eating a food that he is allergic to, especially around his mouth and on his hands, though his excema does seem to be more a contact based version where some are not.

I was much more careful weaning dd2 than dd1, becuase of dd1's eczema. I was advised to keep breastfeeding as long as possible (not always an option, I know, and in any case, 11 month's worth didn't stop dd1 from having it!).

Then, when weaning, I was told to do just simple fruit and vegetable purees from 6-9 months, with millet or other non gluten based cereal from 7 months (you can get a good millet porridge base from Holland and Barrett if you're in the UK). I made this up with boiled water, and added things like fruit puree to make it taste nicer (date worked well).

At 8 monhts I started to introduce a very little chicken, then lamb and beef. In each case, I introduced only one thing at a time, for 3-4 days, until I was sure I had no reaction. Dairy was started at 9 months, and I also started to use a bit of gluten at around this time too.

I waited until 1 year + to try fish, and have only tried egg in the last few weeks (dd2 is now 15 months). I am still avoiding nuts of course.

It could just be genetic, but dd2 has no sign of eczema at all.

HTH - thanks for your lovely post on the other thread!