Baby with Rice Allergy

Updated on November 02, 2013
B.Z. asks from Lake Orion, MI
11 answers

When my daughter was 4 mths old I started her on rice cereal (mixed w/soy formula b/c she couldn't tolerate milk proteins even when i was nursing.) She was on it for a week and did fine, however she wasn't sleeping better at night (an old wives' tale probably!) and she stopped going #2 so I took her off it. A week later i was working so my husband gave her the rice/formula again. Within 2 hrs. she was vomiting and we ended up at the hospital with her. I thought she just got backed up and it upset her tummy and that was the result. However, when she turned 6 mths. old I was working again and left her w/my mom who fed her rice with water. Again, vomiting for HOURS!! So, my conclusion is, that it is obviously the rice. She's 6 1/2 mths. now and I've nursed her exclusively (with those 2 above mentioned exceptions.) I'm trying to wait until she's about 8 mths. to try fruit/veggies just to give her system for time to mature since she's already had the milk protein/rice issues. Has anyone else's baby had a rice allergy? If so, what did you do next? Did they outgrow it? if so, by how old? I have been reading labels and rice flour is in Puffs and several baby foods so I'm not planning to use those. Thanks in advance for your help!
B.

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C.M.

answers from Detroit on

If she has issues with rice, she could have issues with other things. She is still so young...just nurse her til she's a year old....nothing else. Babies under 12 months don't need any food until a year or they start grabbing your fork. Your breastmilk has everything she needs.

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K.V.

answers from Detroit on

Bring this up to your pediatrician. Food allergies and sensitivities are common now. I second the note on keeping Benadryl around - and only introduce one food at a time in order to determine what might be the culprit. My son was tested at 9 mos due to my insisting that he was having a reaction to dairy. He is actually allergic to dairy, eggs, peanuts (which we've never given him egg or any type of nuts, anyways....). Kids can grow out of their food allergies - but some don't. I would certainly keep an eye on this and see what your ped has to say. If you notice a redness around the mouth after eating something (looks almost chapped), or hives, that is an indication of some sensitivity. Of course, if breathing/swelling is an issue, get her to the ER right away. I think if you notice any reactions, discontinue that food (the next reaction may end up much worse) - talk to your ped, and encourage you to have her tested for allergies so you know and can be educated on it all. Best wishes....

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C.P.

answers from Detroit on

My son is for now so it's been awhile since Ive dealt with a baby, but I couldn't feed my baby solids for a while they say i think like between 3 and 5 months, but I couldn't feed my son solids untill about 6 months. Anyways Food allergies are common for the little ones, but once you find out they are allergic just don't give it to the anymore. But don't be afraid to try somthing else. My son was on soy formula because reg formula didn't seem to agree with him. He was colicy untill 6 months. And he didn't sleep a complete night till he was two years old. now i don't have any problems with him and sleeping. And trust me food had nothing to do with that. If you still haven't given her and foods just try gentlefoods also mabey the wheat cereal, My son didn't like the rice I think it was too pasty for him. I tasted all his foods if I didn't like them I didn't give them to him. Oh try giving her mashed bannan's they are gental and i don't think they have alot of allergies associated with them.. Hope I could help.

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A.L.

answers from Detroit on

I don't believe in the old wives tales myself. And I haven't had the experience with the allergic reaction to rice. Have you checked with you Doctor? My baby is on soy with a little rice cereal in it for his spitting up problem. He's only 7 weeks old and haven't had a problem with the rice.

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E.M.

answers from Detroit on

I had a similar instance, son got so constipated we went to emergency. I began making my own barley cereal for my son, which is super easy. Super Baby Foods is a great book for healthy food for your child that you make.

All I did was purchase whole barley from Whole Foods. I ground a 1/2 cup in the coffee grinder. When you are ready to feed, boil water, add barley and cook for 2 minutes. Simple and you know what your child is getting. My son LOVED it. Eventually you add fruit.

I am a full time working mom and this took 5 minutes out of my day, but gave me a world of satisfaction.

I would talk to your ped about the episodes; something is irritating her tummy.

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R.W.

answers from Jackson on

Yep my oldest can not digest rice. It's not an "allergy" exactly but an inability to digest, he would vomit it up as well. When he got older and I'd serve rice with dinner I'd find completely undigested grains of rice in his diaper. I don't know if he still has that issue because he's been out of diapers for awhile now, but I imagine he's either outgrown it or he hasn't LOL.

We had better luck with barley and oatmeal.

In reality no baby "needs" cereal, it's just a filler, with virtually no nutritional benefit to it at all. Food is just for play in the first year anyway so I don't even sweat it anymore.

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S.R.

answers from Detroit on

I would definately keep benadryl on hand when trying foods with her. My son had an allergic reaction to a biter biscuit, his lower lip swelled, his face turned red, and he broke out in hives. It was very scary!! I noticed when I first started the cereal, his eczema seemed to get worse (it was rice cereal that I started with). He just couldn't tolerate it so I stopped and a few weeks later I tried oatmeal cereal. His eczema flared up real bad after eating that so I quit that. I mainly stuck with fruits/vegtables until he was 6 months and I decided to give him the biscuit. Within 2 minutes he was reacting to the food. I was told by the pharmacist to give him 1/4 to 1/2 tsp benadryl (since his breathing wasn't affected) and if that didn't start working quickly or if things got worse to go to emergency. My ped sent us to an allergist and he is allergic to wheat and oat. He was tested for a rice allergy, but he doesn't have one. She said it is possible that he just can't tolerate it. Good Luck and follow your gut instinct. Feeding these little ones can be very challenging. BTW my little one is 7 months now and I have to look for wheat free foods - that is an interesting thing to look for. S.

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L.C.

answers from Saginaw on

You will notice when you read the side of the box that it is not made out of 'rice' and nothing else. There are a variety of brands made with a variety of ingredients, any of which she may be reacting to.

But vomiting is not the 'normal' reaction to food allergies. It seems much more likely that you have inadvertently purchased a box of contaminated cereal -- or that it has become contaminated at your house somehow.

Rice cereal was created for babies when they were dying of malnutrition and kidney failure as a result of dangerously inappropriate 'formula' which was badly made to replace breastmilk. Formulas today are far closer (although still a long, long way off) to real human milk, so are safer and the addition of other modified foods for infants is totally unnecessary, from cereal right through 'toddler' jarred foods.

She can go directly from formula to regular human food, while following the introduction cautions (no honey under a year, avoid egg whites until about a year, etc.), not a piece of information you'll get from the folks who sell the jars, though...

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B.W.

answers from Lexington on

I would like to know how this all turned out for you? The answers everyone have given you are so unhelpful. My daughter is currently going through the exact same thing. Di dyour daughter outgrow the rice allergy?? Please ge tback with me. My email is ____@____.com

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R.B.

answers from Detroit on

I have been giving my son breastmilk only and at about month 2 he began having diarhea. He has always had horrible gas pains and even struggled to pass gas. He is almost 4 months old now and I am sorting out what he is sensitive and one major culprit is RICE!!!! I learned this by eating a meal that was made only with rice and nothing else. I had NEVER seen him in so much pain. Today I tried eggs and I have to cut that out of my diet too. I have a doctors appointment the 1st of March and plan to ask for a referral to a specialist for and allergy test for him. He doesn't sleep well at night and I am nervous to try what so many doctors and nurses have suggested, which is to thicken his milk with rice or oat or cereal of some sort.

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L.O.

answers from Detroit on

It could be the soy formula... can you mix the rice cereal with breast milk?

I only use 1 box of rice cereal then I switch to baby oatmeal. Rice cereal is very constipating.

I would try her on baby oatmeal mixed with breastmilk.

My son is 8 months and I have always mixed his cereal with breast milk. He has never had any formula.

It would be quite unusual for your baby to be allergic to simple baby food such as applesauce or bananas..

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