Is a minor Food Allergy really an allergy?

[kirstywursty012]

Hi all,

My DD is 7mo and had a minor reaction to a hard boiled egg a couple of weeks ago. Little red blotches appeared around her mouth. By the time I got her to the pharmacist, they had already gone away. I tried again today with some omelette fingers and the blotches came up again.

Is this a food allergy? Do I stop giving her egg even though she only has a very minor reaction? It just seems a bit of a shame because egg is so easy to prepare and it has lots of protein. Not to mention that she LOVED the omelette - broke my heart to take it away!

Of course her health comes first so just wanted to know if anyone else had experienced this?

No such thing as a minor allergy I'm afraid, just minor reactions. I'd definitely stop giving her anymore egg, because the reactions could get more severe.

You need to see your GP for a referral for allergy testing. You may also want to familiar yourself with the top 14 allergens and be cautious when introducing them.

Thanks PeopleMover - I'll get her booked in x

Reactions from eggs are so common in babies. DS had a reaction at about 7mo too and was already under care of paediatrician for something else. She told me to give him just the egg yolks for a few weeks as the reaction is from the white, then to try him with small amounts of white and he was fine. He eats tonnes of eggs now. Not advising you to do this though! Just giving you our experience!

The paediatrician also said something like the protein builds up if you give it a few days in a row so you might get a reaction on the third day if you give it three days in a row or it could happen twice

Good luck! I hope she out grows it quickly

Actually managed to get an appointment for Friday!

Thanks both! Hopefully she'll grow out of it quickly - can you imagine life without eggs?! Poor little Squidge

@kirstywursty012 my daughter has this too. Hives around the mouth after eating scrambled egg / omelette / hard boiled egg etc. Weirdly not with lemon curd, pancake, biscuits etc seems it just undiluted egg.
We have an allergy referral for December so will find out more then.

Take her for an allergy test.
My DS 3 used to have blotchy red mouth after eating fish during the weaning stage and once dropped salmon down his bare chest and came out in hives.
I was positive he had a fish allergy and avoided it like the plague but once tested found he wasn't allergic to it and didn't have any of the other common food allergies.

The test gave me reassurance so started back with little amounts of fish and now he can eat it without any effects.
I believe babies can be sensitive to certain foods, an intolerance but it doesn't always mean an allergy.

DS had blotchy rashes and hives with lots of fruit and veg, he grew out of them all by the time he was 1 or 18m. Hopefully your DD will too.

In our case the peadiatrician told us to wait a few months and then reintroduce them by rubbing them on his skin, then lips, and then letting him eat them. I can't remember if it was an hours wait between the 'rubbing' or if it was a different day.

I don't know about what is wrong with your DC, but I do agree there is a difference between food allergy and food intolerance and I wish it was more clearly discussed.
For example my DS is intolerant to loads of things, it makes him have diarrhea and all delayed vomiting. I make sure on school trips etc that I make them aware of what he can't have but equally make them aware that really bad things won't happen in he accidently consumes it.
My DN is allergic, contact requires an epi pen and a trip to hospital.

Just an update in case anyone stumbles across this thread with the same problem. I took DD to the GP who said oral allergic reactions to egg were very common and to not try them again until she’s a year old. I mentioned that she has had food with egg as well with no reaction but because it’s baked in, it doesn’t have the same effect.

My friend who is a paediatrician also recommended something called the “egg ladder” which I will try nearer to her 1st birthday.

Thanks for updating

My niece grew out of her egg allergy but you do need to see your GP as allergies can also get worse. Also, do some research into immunisations as some were not suitable for people allergic to the egg but I don't know if this is still the case.