Help needed with all this allergy stuff. :(

[3sofar]

I am new to this board (sort of - at least to actively participating). My ds2 has had bad skin since birth. I have only recently discovered that it may be ALL citrus foods. He is also allergic to perfumes so we're limited to what we can use for the outbreaks. I used to be able to use Aveeno but, for whatever reason, he is getting WORSE when I apply it. I also tried salve from Burt's Bees (the Dr. Burt's)...this also has made it worse.
I have been frustrated to tears as I have removed all citrus foods but he just recently had a bad outbreak on his chin. It used to happen on the back side of his hips (round red spots that would turn into scabby patches). Then it would branch out towards his upper back, legs and arms. I now see small scars where his patches were.
I've had him on an elimination diet (rice, garbanzo beans, bragg's, green leafy foods, as well as others and he did really well). I then bought some probiotics and liquid multivitamins (flora brand) for kids without thinking. Turns out they BOTH have citric acid. (((

So, here I am hoping it's just that...citric acid. Well, not HOPING but at least hoping I know what the culprit is.
I recently read about Vanicream. Does anyone know if it contains citric acid or perfumes? Can I get it in Halifax, Canada?

Thanks for reading my sob story. I'm now trying to work on Ds1 who gets red, hot cheeks. I just recently read on here that it it an allergy...after thinking FOREVER that it was just "him". ((

[WildIris]

Hi, I don't have time to look for the "hugs" icon but am sending you a big hug. I'm sorry you're having a hard time. Figuring out all this allergy stuff can be so overwhelming.

Are you aware that most citric acid is made from corn, not citrus? I have a corn and onion allergy and I have reactions to most perfumes, lotions, cosmetics, etc., because of all the corn in them. And possibly because of the onion, in a roundabout way...onion is part of the Lily family and I read that a lot of lily scents are used in perfumes/fragrances. Lucky me. :-)

Maybe there are other things your son is allergic too that you haven't uncovered yet?

[kjbrown92]

I didn't know that citric acid is usually made from corn!! Of course my DD who can't have citrus also can't have corn, so I've been avoiding it all along, but who knew? Argh.

I have support and encouragement for you, but not much else. What happens if you leave the spots alone? I put benadryl gel on my DD#2 when she gets her skin outbreak from corn, just for the itching, but it goes away on its own after a few days. Of course she stole a pear this morning (climbing up on the counters) and now has her bright red cheeks and she's guzzling rice milk to calm her tummy. If it's not one thing it's another.

K

[3sofar]

Thanks for the replies. To be honest, I only DEFINITELY know about tomatoes and oranges. Other things are a guess based on his reaction to things but rarely (and only since after a really bad outbreak at Christmas) has he actually had no rash whatsoever. Since Christmas (with the inspiration of my SIL whose family are on a corn and wheat diet) I started to try the elimination diet. Before then, I just thought it was perfumes that he would come into contact with at friends, family, etc. I had no idea that I had also been giving him the very thing that caused this...citrus-y foods, products, etc.
Ds1 has the red cheeks. Still not sure what's causing this. Today, he reacted to one or more of the following: lunch - semolina pasta, black beans, cilantro, avocado, cumin, bragg's, as well as the juices from red and green peppers, onion, and portabello mushrooms. (leftovers from fajitas the night before). So the options really are endless. He doesn't seem to be affected by the red cheeks though. No differences in his stools. Should I put HIM on an elimination diet or just make note and go from there?

Regarding corn...I did have a suspicion. I've removed that from his diet as well. The flare up he had on his chin was SO bad that I can only assume it was from the probiotics and multivitamins that contained citric acid in one form or another (the floradix had orange juice).

Still fighting this fight. Thanks for the encouragement though. It helps to keep going.

[kjbrown92]

Red and green peppers are in the same food family as tomatoes (nightshade), as well as white potato, in case it's related to that. I didn't make the connection between white potato and tomatoes at first, but when I eliminated everything in that family from DD's diet, it made sense. The red cheeks were always a precursor for an endless night of screaming with my intolerance kids (though I headed last night's off with a double dose of Gripe Water before bed). How is his sleeping?
Kathy

[nalo]

Just wanted to say...isn't aveeno an oat based product? I'm pretty sure this can cause flare ups topically, even if the kiddo is not actually intollerant to oats. I'm not totally sure but I've heard of lots of people having trouble with oat based topical "solutions".

[MamaMamaMama!]

Red cheeks sounds like it could be a phenol issue.

http://www.danasview.net/phenol.htm