Could my baby really be allergic to baby food?!

[tigwig]

For those that have read my other thread on this topic you will know that my 5mth old baby had an allergic reaction and I thought it was mushrooms. I took him to docs and she told me to stop feeding him everything apart from baby rice. I chose not to follow her advice because he has been eating a varied healthy diet for weeks and weeks now and I think it would be unkind to expect him to just eat bland stuff again (he doesn't drink much formula either). Also I am pretty sure it isn't any of the other foods I have given him that caused it in the first place. So anyway I have continued feeding him my home cooking, just without the mushrooms but yesterday as I was out I gave him the powdered baby food that you mix with water. A few hours later big blotches appeared again and now when I think back, he had this food last time when it happened. The strange thing is he is fine with the other variety and I do find it unusual for a baby to be allergic to baby food! What do others think? If it is this, how long should it take for the rash to go because last time the spots never completely went but it has only been 7 days since him eating the food again. Do allergic rashes last this long?

[boxtops]

I do think you need to take him back to the doctor, and this time listen to and take their advice. It might be that he's ellergic to a constituent part of the powdered baby food. You need to get to the bottom of this to find out what foods he needs to avoid.

[tigwig]

The problem is they have told me to not give him any fresh veg but just baby rice then introduce each different veg 1 at a time over 3-4 days. Since he was weaned at 13 weeks and has had no problem until eating this packet baby food I know it isn't any of my food that has caused it and think the GP is being over cautious. It is no way practical to just give him baby rice now, he hates it and is used to 3 meals a day with yoghurt/fruit after them. I can't even up his milk intake either cos he won't drink it! Thats why he was weaned so early.

[boxtops]

I see what you mean. What about your health visitor? Perhaps you could look at the packet the powdered stuff came in, and google each ingredient to see whether there are any cautions against any of them for infants (I wouldn't think so, it would have to be on the packet, but you never know).

[tigwig]

Yes I may actually write to Heinz whose food it is. The only thing that differs with this variety of food is the dried cauli, broc, leek and spinach. All the other ingredients in the other flavour are exactly the same apart from them so it must be one of those he is allergic to!

[redcrx]

so try those veggies one at a time over 3-4 days (as the GP has suggested) to find out which it may be.
"I think it would be unkind to expect him to just eat bland stuff again " it may seem unkind but it will be the quickest way to discover what he is allergic to, so better in the long run.

[puzzled54]

Isn't he a little young to be eating so much?

[tigwig]

Yes he is young and I know it is not now advised to wean until 6 months (which he is today!) However, at the age of 13 weeks after 3 weeks of him reducing his milk intake more and more, he was only taking around 10oz in a 24hr period and no matter what I tried he would not take any more. It was this that made me wean him so young as he was not having anywhere near enough milk intake. Lets not forget that not that many years ago babies were weaned at 3 months and it didn't do them any harm. My daughter was weaned at 15 weeks as the guidelines stated 4mths then. It changes all the time and I think you have to do what it best for your baby. Maybe I have caused this allergic reaction by weaning him so young but what else could I do? Let him starve?!