what are your expectations from GP when suspecting food allergies?

[movingshapes]

Hello!

I just wanted to canvas for advice re: food allergies when weaning...

My daughter had reactions on tasting egg and salmon:
Rash over face from egg - twice).... and severe all-over-chest and back rash from salmon and being out of sorts - lasted a few days... (not tried salmon again yet!).

Anyway - about the egg, HV helpline seemed quite relaxed, i.e. just try again in a few months. For the fish reaction, I contacted my GP and was prescribed piriton, and told - again - to just try again in a few months. About her egg reaction, he recommended the egg ladder.

Anyway, my daughter is now 10months, a few months have passed... and I should be trying again with these foods but I'm hesitant. Basically I'm worried she'll have a more severe reaction! I'd really like them to test her for allergies - but is it genuinely common practice to keep trying alone with these foods?

Thanks, Ali

Hi,
My son is 10 months, he has had eczema since he was tiny. His first reaction to food was an all body rash to tomatoes. The doctor prescribed piriton and suggested waiting and trying tomatoes cooked and without the skins. I waited a good couple of months and tried this, he was ok. So maybe he is allergic to the skin. I was happy to try this as his rash was not hive based, and seemed to be a worsening of his eczema.

His second reaction was to almond butter, no reaction on first taste, hives on his face the second time. The doctor referred him to the allergy team at the hospital and said no more tree nuts for the time being. He had just had the skin prick test which had confirmed allergy to almonds, no other tree nuts though I am awaiting consultant appointment to see what happens now. I wonder if it is an area lottery? Or if it was a nut allergy that my GP reacted quickly. Reading my hospital guidelines for the allergy clinic, children should be referred if the have previous allergy, including eczema and a suspected food allergy.

I understand why you are concerned about trying again, as yes, somethings repeat exposure can result in a worse reaction.

I think you should perhaps speak again to your GP.

Thanks @York28 that gives me at least a sense that I'm not being crazy by going back to GP and asking for more.... I think I get so wrapped up in people telling you not to worry about various things that sometimes I don't trust my own judgement!

I'm remembering now that my daughter developed a small rash very recently when she lay on crumbs of a friends pancake (with salmon and egg), so I'll take that as a sign that all hasn't settled down yet!

Sorry to hear about your son's allergy to almonds, and great that you've spotted and got him tested.

Mine were referred to the hospital allergy service by the GP. However they'd had several reactions not just one to each food. It might be worth trying again just to be sure - eg one of my children reacted to fish so I suspected fish allergy but it turned out to be the sauce (milk allergy). One appeared to react to apple, so we avoided that for a while, but in fact she wasn't allergic to it at all.

Even if the GP does refer you, you could have a long wait for an appointment so it would be a shame to be excluding foods unnecessarily.