[angelachristin]

<p>I have been thinking about this a lot the past few days and wanted to throw this out here and see what others' opinions are.  I am wondering if there is truly any rhyme or reason to why some kids get food allergies and some don't. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>I have 2 kiddos, DS is just about 4 years old and DD is 14 months.  We do have some FA's in our family history--my mom is allergic to shellfish, MIL is allergic to shellfish, BIL was apparently allergic to eggs and peanuts as a child and also had asthma, but outgrew all.  DH has no food allergies or asthma.  I have no food allergies, had asthma as a child, but outgrew that. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>DS, 4 years old, was vaccinated at birth.  Vaccinated on schedule up to 4 month vaccinations--none since 4 months.  He was given IV antibiotics for 7 days after birth for a suspected blood infection.  He was supplemented with formula until he was 2 months old, then EBF after that.  Was on oral antibiotics constantly for his first year--tons of ear infections, etc.  He had severe eczema as an infant.  These are all things that I have read/seen as either possible causes of FA's.  I ate peanut butter while pregnant with him and while breastfeeding him.  He did nurse until age 3-1/2.<br>
 </p>
<p>He has NO food allergies.  He can eat everything and anything, he's had peanuts, shellfish, you name it.  He does have a tendency to get viral-induced asthma with upper respiratory infections.  But he is fine 99% of the time.</p>
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<p>DD is 14 months.  She was the one I was going to do everything right--she is 100% unvaxed.  She has never had even a drop of formula.  Never even a bottle of BM.  Never a bottle EVER, all BM straight from me.  Never a drop of solids until she was 7 months.  Started with avocado and egg yolk (MIL didn't inform me about BIL's food allergies until after her reaction happened).  She has never been on antibiotics, never even had Tylenol.  I didn't even give her so much as a homeopathic teething tablet until 7 months.  Nothing, and I mean NOTHING, entered this kid's system until she was 7 months old other than breast milk.  I was never on antibiotics while pregnant with her.  I did eat PB while pregnant with her and nursing because FA's weren't even on my radar, my first kid didn't have them, they didn't even cross my mind.  She has never had a spot of eczema, always has had perfect skin. My nutrition while pregnant with her and before conception with her was vastly better than with my DS--vastly.  But I was still nursing him and nursing him throughout the pregnancy--maybe that contributed something negatively for her?  IDK.</p>
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<p>She is IgE allergic to eggs (level 3 on RAST) and peanuts (level 1).  I know the levels don't really mean much and that even a level 1 on RAST she could have an ana reaction if she ever had peanuts.  we thought to get her tested after she had a reaction to a pancake containing eggs that put her in the hospital.  She also got a couple of hives once after I had a bunch of peanut butter pretzels (I ate them, she has never directly had peanut anything.  This was before her allergy testing, we are a peanut free house now).  She does not react to eggs when I eat them, though, not even the slightest bit.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It just...boggles my mind that she is the one I tried to do everything right for her gut and her immune system and she is the one who ends up with this.  How do you figure?  Is it really just luck of the draw?</p>

 

[changingseasons]

<p>Have you had your DS tested for food allergies as well?  I would say with his symptoms that you described, that he DOES (or at least did) have food allergies too.   Eczema, constant ear infections, asthma- all of those things scream food allergies to me.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sometimes food allergies can be related to nutritional deficiencies, past along over generations.  So as your body's nutrients are depleted, each subsequent child starts out with less nutrient stores and can be more susceptible to food allergies.  That's just one of a million things that could be a "cause" of the allergies.</p>

 

[angelachristin]

<p><br><br>
 </p>
<div class="quote-container"><span>Quote:</span>
<div class="quote-block">Originally Posted by <strong>changingseasons</strong> <a href="/community/forum/thread/1281456/the-mystery-of-why-allergies-happen#post_16069522"><img alt="View Post" class="inlineimg" src="/community/img/forum/go_quote.gif" style="border-right:0px solid;border-top:0px solid;border-left:0px solid;border-bottom:0px solid;"></a><br><br><p>Have you had your DS tested for food allergies as well?  I would say with his symptoms that you described, that he DOES (or at least did) have food allergies too.   Eczema, constant ear infections, asthma- all of those things scream food allergies to me.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Sometimes food allergies can be related to nutritional deficiencies, past along over generations.  So as your body's nutrients are depleted, each subsequent child starts out with less nutrient stores and can be more susceptible to food allergies.  That's just one of a million things that could be a "cause" of the allergies.</p>
</div>
</div>
<p><br>
No, he has never been tested.  His eczema cleared up when he was about 3 months old, and he hasn't had an ear infection in years, probably since he was 8 months old.  He was in daycare from the time he was 3 months until 7-1/2 months, so he got sick a lot and upper respiratory infection always turned into ear infection for him as a baby.  He was a hot mess there for a while, LOL, but he is really a very healthy and sturdy kid now with generally no problems except once a year around the first of May when the pollen here goes bananas and he ends up on a nebulizer for a week because of that and then he was on the neb again a few weeks ago because he caught a cold that morphed into an asthma-like cough that wouldn't quit.  So he's been on the neb 3 times (twice around the first of May, 2009 and 2010, and then a few weeks ago) in 2-1/2 years.  Interestingly, DD has never had an ear infection, either, and when everyone else in the family gets sick, she gets maybe a hint of a sniffle for 2 days, max.  She is super healthy aside from her FA's.  It is quite strange.<br>
 </p>