Does this look like an allergic reaction?

[kaharris83]

DS2 will be 6 months on Friday. I tried to hold off on solids but he was dive bombing my plate, intercepting foods on their way to my mouth, and trying to drink my drinks when I did so I finally broke and started with a few purees. We did banana first for 2 days with no issues, other than he wasn't really thrilled with banana. Yesterday I did sweet potatoes and noticed a little redness on his temples. It went away within 20 minutes of finishing eating. Tonight DH fed him while I showered. When I came back DS2 had red splotches on his temples and around his eyes. I made DH stop feeding him because I wasn't sure if that was an allergic reaction. DS1 used to get the red temples when eating certain things too. We brought it up to a few different pedis and they all said it wasn't an allergic reaction. It was weird because some days when eating certain foods he'd get the red splotchy temples and other days the same exact food wouldn't cause it. Within the last few months he's stopped having that happen. So he outgrew it I guess. I don't remember him ever having the splotchiness around his eyes. Anyone have a similar experience? I took a few pictures of DS2 tonight and it's kind of hard to see but does this look like an allergic reaction?

http://i655.photobucket.com/albums/uu271/kaharris83/CAM00360_zpsf6176be3.jpg

http://i655.photobucket.com/albums/uu271/kaharris83/CAM00359_zps4919d883.jpg

[wendibird22]

I think it would be enough for me to talk to the ped about it...show him/her the pics. Banana and sweet potato seem benign enough but if you are saying it only appears when eating then there's some correlation. Whether it's problematic or not I can't say. DDs would always get red around the mouth from eating ranch dressing...it was the buttermilk. Not an allergic reaction but a skin irritation from the buttermilk.

[Simon]

Yes, it could be a reaction, but some kids are just highly reactive in general without having serious allergies (per our kids' allergist). Ds3 reacted to banana with a similar red rash the first 2-3 times it was offered to him, but after a 3 month break, he was fine eating it. It wasn't a true allergy, just his skin being hyper sensitive. Now, Ds3 did turn out to have other real food allergies so I'd try to keep a close eye on adding new foods and keep his exploration of your food away from the major allergens until he is older.

[ehlana06]

I'd have it checked out. DS2 is allergic to banannas and it took us forever to figure it out because a bananna allergy is kinda uncommon. It's a PITA because it seems like banannas are in everything.

[kaharris83]

Thanks for the replies. I did send the pictures to my ped but she is out of the office until tomorrow. We'll keep the sweet potatoes out of his diet for now. We'll try something new tonight. I'm doing single foods for 2 days to see if he has any reaction. I'm so confused on the "right" way to introduce foods since that seems to keep changing.

ETA My MIL was allergic to bananas too. So when introducing bananas I am especially vigilant watching for reactions. Though I know most often allergies are completely different and it probably isn't likely the boys would be allergic to the exact same things as a family member...I don't think. I admit to being relatively clueless to allergy stuff.

[BabyBearsMom]

ETA My MIL was allergic to bananas too. So when introducing bananas I am especially vigilant watching for reactions. Though I know most often allergies are completely different and it probably isn't likely the boys would be allergic to the exact same things as a family member...I don't think. I admit to being relatively clueless to allergy stuff.

I do't know about that. I am allergic to strawberries and so was my grandfather. It would be awfully coincidental for us both to have a fairly unusual allergy and it not to be genetic.

[Simon]

Bananas are related to latex allergies and not as uncommon as one might expect, but I believe they are among those that tend to develop later. IIWY, I'd wait one extra day between adding new foods because my understanding is that any delayed reactions to foods should be present on/by day 3. You could try the kidswithfoodallergies forums for more advice from BTDT families. There is lots of conflicting advice because allergies are still so poorly understood.

[Kindra178]

conflicting advice because allergies are still so poorly understood.

Absolutely this. Ds' reactions have looked different - bright red ears, worsening dark circles under his eyes, red bumps around the mouth and hives on the forehead or cheeks. He also may throw up without any other symptoms other than a "spicy mouth."

I recommend getting tested. When ds1 was that age and I ate pb and kissed him, his cheek would get red in a very non specific way.

[WatchingThemGrow]

I have no idea (I'd bring it up with pedi and hold off) but I just wanted to say that ohmygosh your baby is so cute :love-retry:

[ShanaMama]

I recommend getting tested. When ds1 was that age and I ate pb and kissed him, his cheek would get red in a very non specific way.

I don't think most allergists will test a 6 mo in this situation. Testing young babies is controversial because there is a high rate of false positives. Testing gets more accurate closer to one year.
OP- I don't see anything in the pics that looks like a reaction, but like a pp said if its absolutely connected to food you should watch it. I've heard recently from 2 diff people who have allergic babies that redness around the eyes is taken seriously (allergy- wise) by their respective drs.

[Kindra178]

I don't think most allergists will test a 6 mo in this situation. Testing young babies is controversial because there is a high rate of false positives. Testing gets more accurate closer to one year.
OP- I don't see anything in the pics that looks like a reaction, but like a pp said if its absolutely connected to food you should watch it. I've heard recently from 2 diff people who have allergic babies that redness around the eyes is taken seriously (allergy- wise) by their respective drs.

I thought that too. My friend just had her baby tested after uncontrollable eczema. After eliminating dairy, wheat, soy and nuts, the rashes cleared up without treatment. Her allergist indicated that testing babies is helping these days.

And yes, adorable!

[kaharris83]

Thanks everyone!! The pedi suggested waiting a few weeks and trying banana and sweet potato again. She also offered to do it during his 6 month appointment which is this week(so not a few weeks between). I moved on to peas with no issues, other than we can't get them in him fast enough in his opinion. :) We'll try the other 2 again later and continue to watch him closely. And thank you for letting me know the reasoning behind the 3 day waiting between introducing things.

[MSWR0319]

Thanks everyone!! The pedi suggested waiting a few weeks and trying banana and sweet potato again. She also offered to do it during his 6 month appointment which is this week(so not a few weeks between). I moved on to peas with no issues, other than we can't get them in him fast enough in his opinion. :) We'll try the other 2 again later and continue to watch him closely. And thank you for letting me know the reasoning behind the 3 day waiting between introducing things.

DS2 had a similar reaction to green beans, only his was all over his back also. I held off for a few months and he's now eating them fine. Our allergist suggests a 5 day wait in between new things, especially if there's a history of food allergies (our case, DS1 has a PA) or a suspected reaction when introducing.