Just had lunch at Carluccio's. Zac had the GF pasta and a dairy free sauce, but within minutes of leaving he was scratching all over. No noticeable rash, no redness at least. Slight pin pricks and lumpiness under the skin, particularly on his face and arms.
Tummy didn't bloat though which is his usual reaction.
Zac has not been diagnosed with CD but this kind of reaction seems a bit extreme and immediate for an intolerance. If it was dairy he would have been sick, I tasted the sauce, and am very sensitive myself and couldn't detect any.
Only other thing I can think of is the fruit salad! He has never eaten mango and melon before. He has had all the other fruits that were in, but with no side effects.
Am thinking cross contamination? Any ideas? Similar experiences?
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Feedingmyintolerantchild
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Well I do know mango is a tricky one for a lot of people. But he spat it out before swallowing it. He does have skin irritation from time to time and is so sensitive to gluten. Just not sure. Need to get him checked out again I think.
This maybe worth considering - certain foods + pollens can cause a reaction on the skin + mouth. Mention to your Dr and ask for allergy testing see: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oral_...
Some Coeliacs also get DH a skin reaction to gluten - also worth discussing this - however it normally forms clear bumps and causes itchyness:
I agree with the above - but remember that although a pasta and pasta sauce may be gluten free they may have Codex wheat starch (especially the sauce). Have you eaten there before and without any reactions?
The only other thing could be one or more of the fruits in the fruit salad. As Fiona suggests it is worth talking over with your GP (perhaps you could list everything that he ate and if possible take a picture of the rash to show to the doctor) - there is a short explanation on the link attached:
Sounds from your description more like an allergic reaction (if you can definitively link it to that meal) - the key being the speed of reaction as food intolerances and CD tend to have a longer reaction time in most people. Typical traits of an allergic reaction will be itching, rash, swelling, etc.
It is very important that you get this sorted if it is an allergy as they tend to get worse (i.e. reactions get more severe, ultimately leading to anaphylaxis in many cases) with repeated exposure.
Would recommend keeping a food diary but seeing a doc asap - they can do skin-prick tests which will indicate if there is an allergic reaction.
If he is not sure a simple test for a food which may help is to rub a small amount onto his face (cheek, for example) before eating and see if itchiness/rash develops. Not completely foolproof but a reaction will indicate that this is a food that you should keep him away from.
My son, who is allergic to several foods, used to have this reaction. His, however, developed into severe eczema. Just be careful when you try him with different foods-as we all do already, I am sure!!
i'm allergic to gluten an itching is one of the common things that happens to me
Hello - its sounds to me like DH - dermatitis herpetiformis - linked to CD. It is extremely itchy and can be very painful. Some sufferers have the blisters (like me) which burst and then leave scabs, some just have the all over itching and leave maybe a scratch mark - worth getting a dermatologist to take a look!
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Is there any other option, other than blood tests and endoscopy, that anyone knows of, that would lead to a diagnosis of CD?
Banging my head off a brick wall.