What do you do if you suspect a food allergy, but don't know to what?

[lactatinggirl]

A few months ago my 2 year old tested very positive for a peanut allergy and since they we've been avoiding all nuts. Thus far she's only reacted gastro-intestinally and the doctor said we're basically lucky because she's just as likely to react in a much more scary way. 

Anyway, I'm thinking she must have another food allergy. Every week or so, just for a couple of hours (TMI) she'll poop uncontrollably and where ever it touches her she gets really sore. She's potty training so it doesn't touch much of her, but it's obviously irritating her even though I'm wiping it off of her within seconds. The peanuts used to do the same thing, but she wasn't potty trained so it would leave big open sores on her bum and the doctor had no idea why, but just kept prescribing us creams that didn't help. Anyway, this poop is different. Her peanut reactions were kind of yellowish and smelled sour. These ones are more brownish and just smell like diarrhea. Either way, it just seems like a reaction more than an illness. 

So I have an appointment for her to go in tomorrow. I just don't know even how to narrow it down. When we went in before they just tested her for 10 types of nuts and 20 types of hayfever causers (because I thought she possibly had hayfever, but it turns out she doesn't). They didn't test for anything else. I know there are so many possibilities and I have no idea what to tell them to test for. It's not like we eat anything unusual just once a week or so. Any ideas on how I can narrow this down within the next 24 hours?

[changingseasons]

The only way to figure it out is with a food journal.

[flightgoddess]

Peanuts and tree nuts are NOT related. If she is not allergic to the tree nuts, then there is no reason to avoid them. (as long as they are peanut free of course) Peanuts ARE legumes, so they are related to all other beans and peas, soy, etc. Suspect those first!

[scsigrl]

Originally Posted by flightgoddess 

Peanuts and tree nuts are NOT related. If she is not allergic to the tree nuts, then there is no reason to avoid them. (as long as they are peanut free of course) Peanuts ARE legumes, so they are related to all other beans and peas, soy, etc. Suspect those first!

"The tree nut includes nuts such as cashews, almonds, pecans and walnuts among others.  The peanut is actually a legume.  However, some children do have an allergy to both peanuts and tree nuts. There is a 30 to 60% chance of a child with a peanut allergy to develop a tree nut allergy according to research by Scott H. Sicherer, M.D., associate professor of pediatrics at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City and a researcher in the Jaffe Food Allergy Institute. "

I would not include any nuts till they are tested and then you need to be sure they are a PURE and clean source.  As mentioned, they possibility of cross contamination is high with nuts!  Manufactures can't afford to process just one nut in most cases so they do many, including peanuts.  So while it is true that peanut are not a "nut", proceed with caution!

[SweetSilver]

At this early age, allergists commonly recommend elimination of all tree nuts and peanuts, not because they are related botanically, but because they have a high incidence of anaphylactic reactions and young children commonly will develop more food allergies as they grow.

The type of reaction you are seeing can also be caused by fruits, vegetables, anything that can cause a sensitivity as well as allergies.  I know any more than tiny amounts of olive oil will do a number on me!  

This might be too late for your 24 hr window, but testing on the skin can sometimes be a good indicator for some kids.  My oldest has very sensitive skin like this.  Test a bit on the soft inner forearm and wrist areas to see if it causes redness or hives.  Redness can be caused by sensitivities which won't show up on an allergy test, but this doesn't mean that they shouldn't be eliminated or severely reduced because they can cause severe discomfort.  

   Redness alone could be caused by an allergy as well.  If you are putting on, say, sesame or sunflower butter and see redness but no hives I would suspect an allergy.  (BTW, I used sesame just as an example, but sesame can also have severe anaphylactic responses, and Israel is having the same rise in severe sesame allergies as we are seeing with peanuts.  Don't discount seeds or other less common allergies!)