Kids Food Allergies Blog

Purple Mommy has done it again. Made me laugh out loud. Not a ha-ha laugh, mind you. Rather an “isn’t the world a sad, strange place” laugh.

Her post about peanut oil appearing in eczema remedies made me think. So many babies and toddlers suffer from eczema. Mine did terribly. And I slathered on her whatever prescription cream(s) her doctor(s) prescribed, hoping it would bring her a little relief. I wonder whether those remedies also contained peanut oil. It never occurred to me to check.

Eczema is an allergic disorder. Food allergies are an allergic disorder. One would think drug manufacturers would take every caution to make eczema medicines hypo-allergenic. Or at least to wave huge red flags for potential patients about the risks of introducing one allergen to combat another.

A London study is examining the correlation of peanut allergies and eczema remedies.

New theories have linked (peanut allergies) to the use of eczema creams containing arachis oil, a medical name for peanut oil. Scientists have found that 90% of children with peanut allergy had previously suffered from eczema, raising concerns that exposing broken skin to peanut oil could trigger the allergy.

The research is part of a 10 year study in the Bristol area called Children of the 90s, following 12,000 children and their parents. Dr Gideon Lack, a paediatric allergy specialist based at St Mary’s Hospital, London, carried out the study into eczema. His initial findings suggest that the breakdown of the top layer of skin in eczema can expose the immune system cells to peanut allergens present in emollients. This could make the cells abnormally sensitive to these allergens.

It is already known that there is a genetic link between eczema, asthma and other allergic conditions, but Dr Lack’s research indicates that emollients could be a key factor in triggering peanut allergy. Children with the condition were eight times more likely to have had their eczema treated with creams containing arachis.

So thanks to Purple Mommy for the reminder to check ingredients in medicines before taking them or administering them to your children. And, as someone who has suffered several bouts of eczema in recent months — my heart goes out to Purple Mommy. And I hope her ear gets better soon.

If anyone told me this story, I would think they were a little loopy. But since it’s happening to me right now, how can I question it. Right?

I was a milk-allergic baby. Outgrew it by age 1. Diagnosed with a penicillin allergy as a baby. Not sure whether that’s still true or not. Other than that — no signs of allergies (seasonal or food) until my late 20s, when I would have mild discomfort from time to time during the fall.

Fast forward to pregnancy one. Out of nowhere — spring allergy season was just terrible. I was completely non-functional. Ringing ears, scratchy throat, sinus headaches, and sinus infections. Since I had never experienced this before, I was completely unprepared. In retrospect, I feel I should have known that I was carrying a highly allergic child.

In the five years between pregnancies one and two, seasonal allergies have continued (both fall and spring) — but in a much milder form.

Fast forward to pregnancy two. Spring allergy season has not been particularly kind. But I have had less trouble. (And more Zyrtec.) But allergies have manifested themselves in a new way: eczema. I have never had eczema before — but I have had two severe bouts of eczema since this pregnancy began, both of which seem to be triggered by eating dairy. This seems very strange to me — since I have only been dairy-free for 3 1/2 years. Before that, I was a total dairy-junkie/addict.

I was concerned when my daughter had eczema as a baby. Now that I have lived through it (and have been trying to crawl out of my skin for about a week) and know how horrible it feels — I desperately want to shield baby 2 from this discomfort. So, I’m eliminating dairy from my diet. Even outside the house when my daughter is in school. I must admit, I feel a little sad. And worried, that it won’t be enough.

If any of you have had experiences with eczema during pregnancy, please drop a comment. Did your babies turn out to have seasonal or food allergies? Would love to know whether I’m alone in this.