Help! 6 month old breaking out in hives

[goldenmum]

I am new to allergies so please help guide me in which steps to take. My 6 month old has broken out in awful hives for the past 2 days. He has just started solids, but just tastings of sweet potato and avocado over the past week. I can't imagine it's one of these foods? Could it be environmental? I am suspecting perfume or kiwi fruit he touched. I am at a loss and just need advice on the next steps. He is EB.
Do I go to an allergist? A homeopath? Should I get an epi pen? What foods should I avoid? He did have excema on his legs but that cleared up. Rather keep that than hives
Also hives, is it instant reaction? I so, how long do they last? We got rid of the kiwi and the perfume was a guest but he still is experiencing breakouts 24/48 hours later.

[SweetSilver]

Avocado commonly triggers allergic reactions.  (And yes, so does kiwi).

Were the hives only where he had contact?  Or all over?  

Hives are not necessarily instantaneous, though more likely so with contact than with consumption.  Meaning, hives that erupt from having eaten an offending food are more likely to show up over extended periods of time than hives caused from skin contact with an allergen.  Your time frame sounds "normal".

I believe that avocado is one of the foods connected with latex cross-reactions.

[goldenmum]

The hives were all over. Day 3 they seem milder. So 3 days of hives, all over from face to feet would be from consumption?

[scsigrl]

I haven't heard of avocados being highly allergenic.  On the hippy Mama sites it always seems to be one of the first foods to introduce. 

As for the hives, three days seems pretty long to have them.  Any fever or other indicators that they may be viral in nature?

[SweetSilver]

It would be my first assumption.  I would suspect the avocado first, if you've listed all the food he's had.  

It's possible that he is reacting to something you ate, since you are still nursing.  But if he is eating solids, I would suspect that first since this is new since he's been having them.  Reactions to food through breastmilk are relatively milder than from eating the food directly.  (Meaning that reactions can be severe, but still less severe that direct contact.)

If you do confirm what this reaction came from, it would be best to remove that food from your diet as well as his.

[prone_to_wander]

If you're kid has hives that covered his whole body and last 3 days, I'd take him to the doctor right away. Hives that cover from head to toe is one sign of anaphylaxis!

[SweetSilver]

Originally Posted by scsigrl 

I haven't heard of avocados being highly allergenic.  On the hippy Mama sites it always seems to be one of the first foods to introduce. 

I don't know about "highly allergenic", but reactions to it are well-enough known.  I did a search, and in that short search wasn't able to find a really perfect site to link to, but most did echo that it seems to be connected with a latex allergy.  

I agree that a virus- based cause of the hives needs to be considered.

At the risk of sounding too casual about the whole thing (I'm not trying to brush this off, honestly), and I agree a doctor's appt. should be scheduled, I would not be worried at this point about the reaction being anaphylactic.  If this was a medical emergency, you would have known in short order.  But, if this is a food-based reaction, the next one could indeed be an acute medical emergency, so get on the phone and make an appt.

Please feel free to scold me now......

[goldenmum]

Thanks, I forgot to mention on day 2 he woke looking pretty good, then while we fed the fish he touched the kiwis and 15min later started breaking out in hives. Whether it was a coincidence or not I'm not sure. It could be avocados, but I eat alot to them and this is the first time I have seen a reaction. Also no fever. I did see doctor and got a script for an epi pen. I hope to never have to use it, but think its wise to have it around. Read that kiwi crosses with avocado, bananas and latex.

[PeacefulSeams]

I would think it is the avocadoes. I have a latex allergy and as a result, I cannot eat foods that have a cross reaction. Kiwi, avocadoes, bananas, tomatoes are all big no-no's for me.

[SweetSilver]

Originally Posted by goldenmum 

Thanks, I forgot to mention on day 2 he woke looking pretty good, then while we fed the fish he touched the kiwis and 15min later started breaking out in hives. Whether it was a coincidence or not I'm not sure. It could be avocados, but I eat alot to them and this is the first time I have seen a reaction. Also no fever. I did see doctor and got a script for an epi pen. I hope to never have to use it, but think its wise to have it around. Read that kiwi crosses with avocado, bananas and latex.

In my personal experience, people sensitive to kiwis can also be sensitive to strawberries.  I'm not sure if this experience is common, or if it just happened to be the people I know.

[bocbocboc]

Hi there,

I would take your son to the a pediatric allergist and insist on a blood allergy test covering those foods and more general foods.  Three days of hives is significant.

My son was diagnosed with severe tree nut and peanut allergies (among others) at 8 months.  We found out when he had an anaphylactic reaction to my breast milk...I had eaten some almond butter a few hours before nursing him.  My son never had consumed nuts/peanuts...only breastmilk.  We were immediately given a prescription for an EpiPen and instructions on how to administer children's Benadryl. 

He's now 17 months and doing well, but has since developed other allergies and sensitivities...including beef, dairy, fish, sweet potato, seeds (flax, sesame, etc.).  He gets some hives on this belly from most of these foods and they also trigger his eczema.  Does your son have eczema?  It is a common indicator of food allergies and sometimes environmental allergies.

Good luck!