Red Dye #40

We have finally figured out one of the reasons for L's hives. Red Dye #40! It's everywhere...in toothpaste, juice (or I should say "juice"), hand soap, shampoo, vitamins, candy, everywhere! Avoiding it for a child with peanut, tree nut, milk, and egg allergies is hard because ....that means no skittles, starbursts and other go to treats. Halloween is shaping up to be an all out trade if for a Rice Milk Chocolate Bar. The Candy Bar is good....but we shall see how it goes:) I read somewhere technically you can't be "allergic" to Red Dye #40 (which is made from Coal Tar, yuck!). It is technically an "intolerance". But, you can have hives, breathing trouble and possibly anaphylaxis. This is serious business. So we were planning to skip our annual trip to the allergist. But, in light of this and also the gelatin allergy. As well as possible seasonal allergies and reactive airway business, which means nightly breathing treatments.....I think we will take Luke back to the Allergist for a little follow up, some testing and a good plan to keep L safe, happy and healthy!