I am exclusively breastfeeding my daughter, who is 5 1/2 months old. She has been breaking out in hives over the last couple of days and I'm trying to figure out what is causing it. We went to the pediatrician this morning and she thinks it's something environmental, that it's unlikely to be something in my milk. I have noticed that anytime it happens she has just eaten before she breaks out (generally 10-15 minutes after she eats and then it fades within an hour or so). It does not happen every time she eats, but I would say 60-80% of the time. The other reason I don't think it's environmental is that it's happened both at daycare and at home, after being fed both by a bottle and directly from the breast. Has anyone else had a similar experience? I think the most likely culprit is walnuts, which I never eat, but we made baklava with walnuts on Monday and I ate quite a bit of it. I eat lots of other nuts, but not walnuts usually. Is it possible for walnuts to cause it and not other nuts (like almonds or cashews)? We need to make an appointment with an allergist, so I'm still going to get other medical advice, but I was wondering what other parents had experienced. TIA!
I should clarify-I started eating the baklava on Monday, had a piece on Tuesday and Wednesday and her hives started Wednesday night. Since I suspected it could be the cause I stopped eating it, but I'm not sure how long it takes to get out of your system.
This link to Mayo Clinic may be helpful.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hives-and-angioedema/DS0...
I break out in hives after eating things I'm allergic to. I've had this reaction all my life. My mother discovered some of my food allergies while I was stil nursing. The time frame you describe is exactly what I experience...10 -15 minutes after ingesting the foods. I can take benadryl and the hives will subside somewhat, then return as the benadryl wears off. I suspect your daughter has a food allergy.
I am not recommending or suggesting that you give her benadryl. Consult your doctor about any drugs.
It might be good to consult an allergist about this. Till then, stay off the nuts and see what happens. btw- hives are not my only allergic reaction. That's part of the reason I recommend seeing a specialist in allergies.
My daughter got hives earlier this year. They came off and on for five weeks. Our doctor said they will probably never know what caused them.
Thing is if it was the nuts she would have reacted right away, she would have a more severe reaction right after you ate them and lesser throughout the day and it would have been every time. Just like anything else you eat it is out of your system (converted) within hours, out of your blood stream within 12 hours.
My daughter was diagnosed with chronic hives...no idea what causes them.
i say to be on the safe side cut the nuts out. especially if you have been eating it since monday, and she has been having a reaction to it. i say cut them out and see what happens
It could be the walnuts. It is possible to be allergic to one nut and not the other, although some are closely related. For example, one of my sons is allergic to peanuts, cashews, and pistachios, but not allergic to almonds and other tree nuts.
Also, it is not necessarily true that the reaction will happen immediately. If it is a nut allergy, the reaction may change (get worse) each time it is encountered.
My son was a toddler when we found out he was allergic. He had had tastes of peanut butter without any noticeable issues. One day we gave him half a peanut butter sandwich. Then 3 hours later (after nap), he was coughing and wheezing. Even after taking him to the doctor, we weren't sure if it was just viral (as he showed signs of a cold beforehand) or if it was the sandwich. The doctor thought it was more likely it was viral. We got him tested for food allergies and he tested positive for nut allergies.
Also it is possible for some allergic reactions (or intolerances) to be delayed for up to a couple of days. Things like wheat and dairy are more common as a delayed reaction but it's not limited to those foods.
What about your laundry detergent or something you bathe her with? Try eliminating all lotions, etc. and NEVER use fabric softener sheets in the dryer. When my older son broke out with a rash as an infant we suspected the dryer sheets and it helped to stop using them. He also had an issue with dairy for awhile. I'm not an expert on allergies, but I think some allergies require repeated exposure before a severe reaction.
Hi, S.:
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ELISA-ACT blood test.
D.
