7 month old with allergic reaction??

Question

Yesterday, my 2 year old son was having some homemade macaroni and cheese made with milk and cheese of course. I gave about 5 macaroni noodles to my 7 month old. The noodles hardly had any sauce on them and she only had 5 noodles. Anyway, about 2 hours later she started getting hives. She still has the hives today. It flares up and goes away throughout the day. I am 100% positive they are hives because I often get terrible hives. My question is how long could her allergic reaction continue. I have yet to give her baby benadryl I was waiting it out to see if it would clear up on its own since I try to avoid medication at all costs. Would such a small amount of milk really cause such a reaction? She eats cheese without any problems. I also get hives from milk but usually only if I drink a whole glass of it. The hives clear up after a few hours though. Could it be a virus she picked up? She seems happy and normal but the hives are still sticking around. When will it be out of her system?

Answer 1

Yes a small amount of milk can cause a serious reaction.

A small amount of any allergen can cause a serious reaction in someone who is allergic (thats the nature of allergies).

I was seriously allergic to milk as a child so I had to have soy milk (I couldn't even drink my mother's milk). It went away when I was a teenager and I drank lots of milk then but I have since developed lactose intolerance.

Milk allergies and lactose intolerance are actually different things but if it is a lactose intolerance problem you can take a dairy digestive enzyme that will help but otherwise you just have to avoid all milk products.

Answer 2

Cheese and milk are both dairy products, but apparently cheese is different. Why, I don't know. My five year old is allergic to sooooo many foods and I've learned the hard way with him since he was 10 months old. Don't be afraid to use Benadryl. I understand your hesitation with meds, especially for a 7 month old. But, try the smallest dose and if they go away you know they were indeed hives. Also, if you have some milk allergy I wouldn't feed your baby cheese. Sometimes it takes the body being overloaded by something to cause the allergic reaction. A body can only take so much of an allergen before it turns to hives, or sometimes anaphylactic response happens. I've experienced both with my boy. They will allergy test a baby at one year old. I'd hold off on feeding her anymore milk products and think about having her tested. Again, if the Benadryl clears them up, you'll know right away. It works very quickly for my son.

Answer 3

It very well could be a virus. If she eats cheese, milk is not likely the cause. Hives carn be caused by many more things than allergies. Hives alnoe are not very dangerous, as long as they dont develop in places that would block his breathing. If they have been comign and going over that long of a time I would htink it was nto food but somethign else.

Answer 4

The hives could be from a food allergy (2 hours is well within the time frame), but it also could be from something else. It is unusual to have hives from a food allergy last several days...unless you keep getting exposed to the food. Other common causes of hives include infections and medications. You should have your child evaluated by a physician. If he/she thinks it is related to a food (such as milk), ask for a referral to a board certified allergist to get evaluated further. Good luck!

Answer 5

I have a feeling that it's something else that he is being exposed to that's bringing on the hives. Do you have pets that might have dander?

Answer 6

You aren't supposed to give a child dairy until they are one year old. It can cause serious reactions and lead to lactose intolerance later in life. I suggest NOT giving her milk at all unless your doctor approves.