Delayed reaction to food?

[strmis]

DD, 10 mos, has had eczema for a while, tho she's looked enter these past few days. Today however, as soon as Dh came home from work today and picked her up her eyes got really itchy and started to hive up., according to Dh anyways. I wasn't home so didn't see.

Could it be food? I've had lots of coconut oil today (she is nearly EBF still). I've also been giving her a little spirulina the last few days. She had some a few hours prior to her itch attack. I'd given her some a couple months ago and she was fine, then started again maybe 3 days ago. My sister was also over all afternoon with her dog, but she never seemed to have problems with the dog before.

It's such a mystery! She'd been doing so good and then all of a sudden, soon as Dh comes home, this happens. Could it be that she reacted to something on dh, but what would be different? Or Could her itching just be a coincidence of him coming home and related to something from earlier? Such a mystery.

[sbgrace]

She got red, itchy eyes and hives as soon as he picked her up? I'd be more inclined to think something he brought in on him.

Hives are, in my experience, an immediate allergic reaction (if they are allergic hives and your description seems to indicate this). So I would suspect what she had been exposed to within that hour alone.

As far as eczema related food dairy would be your top suspect (and soy, egg, maybe wheat). I'd start with dairy and maybe dairy/soy since they often go together. The other thing is a fragrance type contact allergy. Balsam of Peru is common and in so much with various names. It also crosses with some foods. That might correspond to what hubby could have brought in on him possibly.

[strmis]

Thanks for the info. Should I be concerned if she "hived" up?

I didn't actually see it myself but dh said her eyes werestarting to poof up.
I wish I knew what it was. I can't even think of anything within the hour. I know she grabbed a baby fistfull of dog hair. Perhaps she rubbed her eyes at some point after that? It was more than an hour prior though and she's beeen around that dog before.

I've eliminated diary, soy, gluten, berries, oranges, chocolate, shellfish, eggs, and nuts. Her eczema has had small flare ups lately but nothing horrible like it used to be (knock on wood).

[sbgrace]

Well only concerned in that it would indicate an allergy and you want to know to what ideally! Could hubby have had something on him he doesn't contact at home (a fragrance, animal contact, cleaner contact, anything?) It happened as he picked her up or is he thinking maybe it was already there and he didn't notice until he picked her up? That answer might narrow it. Is she usually in contact with dog?

I probably wouldn't pull any other foods. That's a lot already, the eczema is getting better, and it's terribly difficult to track down food causes with eczema in many cases especially with young ones.

[anj_rn]

I think it is most likely that your DH had an allergen on him, pollen, animal dander, the list is endless.  We used to keep a journal for my allergic reactions - If I had a reaction, we would write down the type of reaction, and then what I was exposed to.  There are tons of allergens that simply are not tested for.  For the eczema, moisturize, moisturize, moisturize.  I personally find olive oil works best for me.

[strmis]

Well, according to dh, he put her down for a second. When he went to pick her upthe dog was. Right in front of her and then he picked her up and she got super itchy. She's been around that dog quite a bit, but perhaps he's never licked her face? Its all a guess, but I think the most likely explanation.

Thanks for the advice! I hope this all passes really soon!

[cmmst87]

My son had "delayed" hives at this age--that is, they didn't happen immediately as a reaction to something he had just come into contact with. Our allergist explained that it was basically his system signaling that there was an overload. (He was allergic/intolerant to most food proteins and has no known environmental or other allergies.) He's had hives quite a few times when his body has been on overload--due to antibiotics, for instance, or lingering food triggers. I feel for you...I know how exhausting and exasperating it can be, trying to figure out what in the world caused an allergic reaction!!! Hope you figure it out quickly.