Haha...2 children and 2 questions in a row! Thank goodness for this site!
Anyhoo...here is my question. My daugter (now 2) had a bad reaction to her 1 yr vaccines (hives and fever- I was told it was a virus not the vaccine) and since then ANYTIME she eats ranch dressing wherever it touches her skin it becomes red. She doesn't seem bothered by it. Again the pediatrician told me a while back that it was contact and not to worry. The other night she had both ranch and ketchup and not only was she red around her mouth but then she also had a few hives under her chin.
Now I'm noticing that she keeps getting red and irrataed from "something" behind her knees....almost seems like irration from her clothes....Is this just skin sensitivity or should I take her to an allergist? Nobody else in our family really has anything like this. Thanks again!
I would opt to take her to a naturopathic(sp?) doctor. There could be a definite connection between the vaccination and this allergic reaction....especially if it came up sudden shortly after the vaccine.
You can find a naturopathic doctor in your area from here:
http://www.naturopathic.org/findannd.php
Allergies do appear at joints(such as knees, elbows). Definitely go with your "gut" feeling.
Irritations behind the knees is usually eczema. Renew works great for skin irritations of any kind. Seems kind of odd to be allergic to a dressing.... but do you notice that it might be with any milk products?
I think an allergist is probably not a bad idea. Food allergies are tricky and sometimes they remain fairly benign and sometimes they evolve into fairly serious reactions. Tomato is a very acidic fruit and is a member of the deadly nightshade family - sensitivity to it is fairly common. However, you don't really don't want to make that assumption since she has had redness around her mouth and hives under her chin (although these could just be contact reactions). Occasionally an allergist will put a child on an elimination diet. I went on one as a child and it really needs to be supervised and monitored by someone looking for specific outcomes and who can make recommendations based on that information. I'm not sure if she's old enough for skin testing or the blood testing for allergic reactions. I can't remember if it is 2 or 4 years old but in any event stay away from the foods that you know she is reacting to - no more ranch and no more tomato products. Constant exposure to these is not going to boost her immune system (as in very low dose homeopathy theory)rather is will more likely than not stress it. This stress will often increase the risk for a pretty good size allergic reaction. If at any time she complains of any reaction that causes her lips or the inside of her mouth to feel funny or different in any way you need to consider that a potential emergency and have her seen right away. So, my recommendation is and if this were my child: tell your pedi. that you would like a referral and let the allergist (one that is a pediatric allergist)determine
the best plan of care for your daughter. Good luck!!
When the liver is overworked from clearing the body of an allergen, it will send the toxins out the skin. The skin is thinnest behind the knees and at the crook of the elbows. My guess is that your daughter always had this allergen, but after the vaccine her body just couldn't handle it the same.
I'm an allergy sufferer too, and it has taken me years to figure out the food connection. Ranch dressings are tough, because they are usually filled with preservatives (I have major issues with calcium disodium EDTA). IF the ketchup is also an allergen, I would tend to say that the common denominator is probably high fructose corn syrup. You could do allergy testing with the doctor, but your best bet at this point is also going to be an elimination diet to really figure out what the culprit is.
People allergic to eggs shouldnt get the mmr vaccine. My one yr old alos had a terrible reaction to his 1 yr vaccines and the er dr said the same thing it was just a virus and wasnt related to the shots well here we are going to the allergist bc ever since his skin hasnt cleared up
I would avoid the ranch dressing and ketchup, as well as all things tomato for a while. Just take note of when and if you notice any other reactions. Also, READ the labels. Did you use a different brand for instance? My second child, now 2, has multiple food allergies. Our family doctor was just as clueless about the food skin connection as I was. I have learned A LOT on my own researching these past two years however. We were both against allergy testing however as it is rather invasive. We also have to use "free" detergents which are allergen friendly and make sure to keep the skin from getting too dry.
If you are just now noticing the problem, it is probably something she will outgrow. My oldest child couldn't eat tomatoes until he was 4 or 5. They are very acidic, as are citrus fruits, and cause problems for a lot of little digestive tracts.
Most important, go with your gut feeling. You know your child best!:)
Good luck!
I def. would if she's getting the reaction around her mouth with the foods. My niece has an allergy to tomatoes and has to carry and epi pen. Consult your ped. first though. My son is very sensative to detergents and soaps so with this in mind using mild detergents may help. for a long time he couldn't have anything with any type of perfumes touching his skin including lotions. this went away after time.
