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happynewmom
08-04-2002, 10:42 PM
My 5mo. ds had an allergic reaction to Earth's Best rice cereal. The ER doc said it was due to the organic properties of the cereal. Anyone else heard of this?

Happynewmom

Melanie
08-06-2002, 12:50 AM
Organic Properties? I wonder what he meant by that. Lack of pesticides? How odd...He's not allergic to other Rice Cereals?


Mommy to Jonah

sntm
08-06-2002, 11:41 AM
Shouldn't have anything to do with it being organic. If he's not allergic to other rice cereals, I'd check the indredients label and see if they added anything else that may have triggered it.

shannon
not-even-pregnant-yet-overachiever

Rachels
08-06-2002, 03:31 PM
Organic just means chemical-free. Is this doctor honestly suggesting that your baby needs artificial chemicals to tolerate food? I agree with Shannon-- it's either the rice or another ingredient.

happynewmom
08-09-2002, 10:43 PM
I agree, it is absurd to think that artificial chemicals for the food to agree with his system. After talking to our pediatritian, we think it may have been the formula I mixed the cereal with. He has been breastfed only for the past 5 months, just thought I would mix w/ formula for the cereal only. Have since changed my mind. Will definitely be trying the Earth's Best organic oatmeal cereal this weekend( mixed with breastmilk this time!)

KathyO
08-10-2002, 08:32 PM
I think you're doing the right thing to try again without the formula.

Just for the record, though - I also prefer organic alternatives wherever I can find them, but one aspect of organic products is that they require much more careful processing and packaging than the more adulterated stuff. This is because they don't have the same preservatives/antioxidants/etc. which prevent growth of molds, bacteria and pests. Sometimes the damage created is unappealing but basically harmless (discolouration, etc.) and sometimes it can be harmful (e.g. carcinogenic aflatoxin and mycotoxin overgrowth in nut products, lethal toxins produced by clostridium botulinum, which is present everywhere and just needs the right conditions to grow, etc.) After my stint of proofreading research papers on food microbiology, I could bore you for AGES on the subject.

My point is NOT that organic products are unsafe per se. It's just that they require more careful handling, both by the producers and the users. Under the right conditions, once in a blue moon, they can actually cause problems.

That being said, I think that doctor was jumping the gun. The odds are very much that the formula was at fault.

Good luck!

KathyO

Garrettsmom
08-15-2002, 06:31 PM
I don't know if you'll ever see this posting as it has been awhile, but I was wondering how it turned out when you tried the cereal again with breastmilk. My son (6 1/2 mo) seems to have a reaction to Gerber rice cereal, and I don't think the pediatric advice line is really taking me seriously. As a pharmacist I have never really heard of anyone being allergic to rice; it is not exactly one of those things that people have reactions to. But I swear, my son got a rash on his face and neck and I was mixing with water at first. I switched to Barley cereal and breastmilk with no problems, then went to Barley w/formula with no problems, then tried rice again yesterday and...RASH. No way is this not the cereal!

egoldber
08-15-2002, 07:15 PM
While rice allergies are uncommon, they are not unheard of. One of the babies in my playgroup is allergic to rice. They have had a terrible time since rice is a filler in a LOT of other foods. Definitely talk to the ped ASAP.

ErinP
08-16-2002, 07:22 PM
My daughter has suffered from many allergies since birth, including milk, soy, apples, pears, and who knows what else. When we finally started cereal the same thing happened. She broke out in a rash all over her face and neck and it stumped the doctor at first, but then she had me read the ingredients. Gerber rice cereal has soy in it!! Go figure! Now we have to be extremely cautious and read EVERY ingredient before we give anything to her. Hopefully she will outgrow these allergies as she is 13 months and wanting what everyone elde is eating!