View Full Version : Allergy to chocolate?
Hi everyone,
Im just after a bit of advice. DS2 is 27 months old and for the last 6 months after eating a certain food, he breaks out in a terrible rash on his torso and back.
At first we thought it was excema, then we took him to a skin specialist who couldnt give us any answers whatsoever, except that it could be midges :confused:
Anyway, long story short, we realised that he broke out in a rash after eating Strawberries and anything straw berry realted (like museli bars or lollies etc) so we eliminated those.. but he did also eat chocolate the day that he had these. (We were on hols at the time)
Then this morning, he had a Cadbury Freddo Frog, within 30 mins, this massive rash erupts on his torso and back and he's itching like crazy....I gave him an antihistamine and he's settled down with the scratching now.
He did also have some cheese (which he has always eaten and nothing happened), some rockmelon and sultanas with a hand ful of ting teddies.
My question is, does anyone else out there have the same issue with the child eating chocolate and the same reactions? Im out of ideas :( The common preservative seems to be 471 and 476 :( I dont think it's the preservative as 476 is in bread and he's fine with bread.
It's pretty common, hence the availability of carob :) It can be the cocoa, the caffeine, the preservatives, all sorts of things. Maybe you can keep him on safe foods and trial carob as an alternative? I know plenty of people who have to avoid chocolate but most could have carob as kids. If that works then they make things like easter eggs etc in carob and you can just stick to those :)
another thing to maybe try is white chocolate, it doesn't have the cafffeine or cocoa but if it does have those preservatives in it you might be able to work out what is causing the rash.
If other rare or new foods were introduced on the same day I'd try giving him known 'safe' foods and just a bit of chocolate or the other options - cheese, rockmelon etc on their own to see which one sets him off.
Thanks heaps!!!
Ive now started a food diary. We're waiting on the rash to settle now (I actually think they are more like hives looking at them before) keeping him on a very low reactive diet and sticking to fresh foods etc, then introducing one of these foods, one a day until I get the reaction.
It's frustrating as we enquired into getting an allergy test, it's around $300, but that's not including foods, it's around $10 a food and there's about 20 different foods he could be possibly allergic to :( , which we cannot afford :(
:eek: ouch! That is so expensive! I would probably work towards that but anything you can do now will help when you do get to an allergy appointment, for sure.
JabberJaw
04-10-2010, 13:55
I have eczema and am allergic to chocolate and also oranges (or citrus fruit), i am 33 and it has affected me my whole life....These days i eat chocolate and suffer the consequences, but not as much as i would like too.
Poor thing JJ!! What happens if you eat chocolate? Do you get hives or a rash at all?
JabberJaw
04-10-2010, 13:56
Mimsie, i use to get white chocolate eggs and candy ones for easter, it sucked!
JabberJaw
04-10-2010, 13:58
Poor thing JJ!! What happens if you eat chocolate? Do you get hives or a rash at all?
:yes: as a bub i did what you bub does, same when i ate oranges.
Now, i just get itchy all over and a rash in various places which i quickly get the cortisone on to.
A food diary is an excellent idea, you will see a pattern emerge for sure.
Also be aware of your washing powder/soap/creams as they flare me too. Recently all washing powders have changed to the concentrate, which has somewhat altered them as my son is allergic to ones he previously wasnt.
:( jabber jaw I always felt sorry for the kids who had carob, lol. I like white chocolate so it was all good, and the kids don't like it so it's my indulgence that they won't badger me for! Some people really like carob though - my DH had it because he was a hippy child, not because he or anyone was allergic. He also asked for white bread on his birthday list when he turned 16 :laughing: But he likes carob!
:yes: as a bub i did what you bub does, same when i ate oranges.
Now, i just get itchy all over and a rash in various places which i quickly get the cortisone on to.
A food diary is an excellent idea, you will see a pattern emerge for sure.
Also be aware of your washing powder/soap/creams as they flare me too. Recently all washing powders have changed to the concentrate, which has somewhat altered them as my son is allergic to ones he previously wasnt.
Sounds very much like him, he does this with strawberries too. :yes: Im just going to have to be very careful for a few weeks, poor DS1 does miss out from time to time, but luckily he understands his brother's allergies and actually makes sure he does eat the foods he allergic to.
Mimsie: I tried carob as a kid, Not fond of it lol!!
JabberJaw
04-10-2010, 14:09
Mmm i dont get it from strawberries but just remembered eating mangoes doe sit to me :yes: I never had a real mango till we moved to Queensland and i get the spotty rash round my mouth, a bit down my neck and my lips get very 'Angelina Jolie' like :laughing:
LOL, apparently mango and strawberries are linked with allergies. I was just talking to a friend who's DD is allergic to Mangoes and the GP told her to keep away from Strawberries as they are linked. Something learnt! DS has never taken to mango so there could be a reason why, his body naturally knows!
He's just flared up again :( Common denominator it citrus... rockmelon this morning, then I put some tomato on his plate tonight for dinner (always put foods on there to try etc), he didnt eat it but touched it.... there's citric acid in the bubble bath he's using and his skin has been pimply and rashy for a few weeks now, not as major like this though.
It sounds like allergy testing could really be of benefit. Ask your GP if you can get the testing done publicly. You may have a decent wait on your hands but my older two kids get allergy tested every year and we've never paid a cent.
aww what a bugger :( I don't know a lot about allergies like this (I have a bunch but nothing reacts seriously at all - mine are mostly medication or so minor I barely notice the reaction and my kids so far haven't had any). It definitely gives you a much more narrow guide though.
It sounds like allergy testing could really be of benefit. Ask your GP if you can get the testing done publicly. You may have a decent wait on your hands but my older two kids get allergy tested every year and we've never paid a cent.
Thank you for that, I didnt realise that you could get it done that way. I will call the GP tomorrow and get the referral he needs :yes:
Thank you for that, I didnt realise that you could get it done that way. I will call the GP tomorrow and get the referral he needs :yes:
:yes: You sure can. I know there's a member on here who had to wait 18 months but the longest wait I've never had to wait longer than a few weeks. When we had a bad waiting list here (6 months I think it was) my GP asked for us to be bumped us and we were :D
Great! Thanks heaps! DH's client is a Pead, he happens to be seeing them tomorrow (work related) and he's going to ask them about it all. They know DS1 so Im sure they can help DS2 :fingerscrossed: As far as Im concerned now, if I have to put it on my CC or redraw on my home loan for this test if the waiting list is far too long, Im going to do it :yes:
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