Hives - Spinach most likely! Down the line, do you try to reintroduce?

[MummaSomething]

Hi!
Basically what the subject asks :)
DD (1 year, just) seems to have come up in hives after I’d completely disregarded Spinach to even be an allergen!
She’d had pasta containing it and more included in her pasta… So big exposure!
She’s absolutely fine in herself, started noticing them appear a few hours after and it was a slow spread on her as after another few hours that’s when they ramped but we then gave her piriton! Which worked a treat but still have some coming up 24 hours after.

Assuming we are going to have them until the food is out of her system?

How would we then go about a reintroduction down the line?

TIA

Any help would be greatly appreciated, as it has really made me quite anxious as to what to do next…

Spinach is a new one one too. How are they now?

You can be allergic to anything! I know I child that was highly allergic to rice, my daughter is allergic to more vegetables than she is top 14 allergens!

I'd keep spinach out of their diet for now and be careful with other veg in the same family. It's probably worth speaking to your GP for advice on managing the potential allergy

Hives can also follow a viral infection - my son had whole body hives that we thought were a food reaction and don’t appear to be. We did go down the GP / allergy referral route though to be safe.

Did she have any vomiting or throat or tongue swelling soon after? Or funny voice/cough?
I would see the GP either way, we had issues with our son and we got referred to the hospital who did a skin prick allergy test (or an arm full of them to be precise) and pretty much gave us an epi pen on the spot based on the results.
They said don't reintroduce any foods and they will see us in 18 months, as allergies can get worse as well as better.
Either way it's worth an enquiry with the GP.

Hi All!
@BunnyRuddington @Superscientist @johnd2 @Leaf86
Thanks for your response!
@Leaf86 Funny you should say this… As she is off the back off croup + virus! I’m assuming it was Spinach because it was the only food I hadn’t really tested alone and she’d had quite a lot and it had started after her lunch with it…
Could obviously still be this but I’m thinking Drs and private allergy testing just to be on safe side!

Did you keep up with anti histamines or leave them, how long did they last? Just want them gone 🫠

Though @johnd2 @BunnyRuddington absolutely nothing else with it, she was happy as they come playing on the floor. Literally wasn’t until she crawled, I noticed a huge red angry patch under knee/leg and instantly knew it were hives and then they appeared in front of me and I was straight in with the piriteze.

So day two and another reason to assume the spinach, we had a loose green poop and a good size rash on her bum today and the hives are still appearing, small.. Coming and going. I have another dose of piriteze this evening around 7pm, just checked her and again still some appearing… It’s really unsettling me but genuinely nothing else, no breathing changes and will keep a very close eye.

@Superscientist Shes been fine with all other usual veg. Only thing I worry now is that she may start showing additional allergies to food she was used to 😞 and the fear of a worse reaction!

I’ve not dealt with hives before, so any advise on how to manage?

If it was the first time she had spinach then don’t assume it was the spinach, look at what else was in there that she’s had before. Very often the allergic reaction doesn’t happen the first time, it’s the second time. First time my child had pesto - no reaction whatsoever. It was the second time he had it that he had an allergic reaction to it - due to cashew - hives and coughing. Straight to A&E. Allergy specialist says it’s very common not to have allergic reactions the first time they eat something, as it’s multiple exposures that cause the body to become sensitised.

this doesn’t mean it’s NOT the spinach, just also consider what else was in the pasta that might have had multiple exposures. Get to the doctor’s and get an allergy screening. Took less than 2 weeks to get our appointment after his initial reaction.

Hopefully it is just due to the croup. we’ve had a lot of croup in this house and never had hives after it, although they can’t even sneeze without getting a viral rash. Hives after virus not unusual though so screening to rule it out and will keep my fingers crossed for you that it’s viral induced

Thanks @OldGothsFadeToGrey It was simply a cheese pasta and things she’d literally had numerous times within a week since she started weaning 7months back. I know reactions can occur with familiar foods also but to me that makes it feel like a needle in a hay stack and I guess I’m leaning toward the most obvious conclusion.

I think an allergy screening is a no brainer and will certainly be sorting that if anything just to ease my own anxieties!

She’s still showing signs of patches of hives showing up but it does seem the anti-histamines are doing their job, as the rashes are ‘dissolving’, I have called 111 anyway due to them still appearing but I guess that’s the advise I’m after… How long do hives usually last when due to an allergen consumed, as I’m assuming given digestion they will appear until the culprit is expelled? I’ve nooo clue, just want to know when I can somewhat relax 😬

We’ve had 2 reactions with hives. Both times antihistamines were given late evening, 8pm ish and the hives were gone the next day. They didn’t come back though.

I would be tempted to get an out of hours GP appointment tomorrow if they’re coming back. It might be viral rather than allergy, but if it is an allergic reaction and she’s having a repeated reaction 24 hours later that’s a red flag in our action plan

We went to A&E because the reaction was spectacular in my son (although no other symptoms, just hives over whole body) but were told by the A&E consultant to expect them to come and go over a period of about seven days. They did come back and go again but never as bad as the initial rash.