# Three hours in emergency room after possible avocado allergic reaction



## lellian (Apr 30, 2009)

DD is 6 months and just starting to taste some solids. Yesterday afternoon I offered her some mashed avocado after nursing her. It is the first food she has absolutely tried to push out of her mouth. I offered her about 7 bites, each time she hated it, but I've also read that it takes a lot of tried to introduce baby to new foods and flavors. She has had sweet potato, peas, squash, and a little banana with no problems over the last 10 days.

Two hours after the avocado, I nursed her to sleep. She woke up 15 minutes later, throwing up. . .and kept throwing up for an hour! By the time we got her to the emergency room she was throwing up bile. DD never, ever, I mean never, ever throws up, not ever. Hasn't even had a temperature yet, so needless to say, we were freaked out, and her pedi said take her to children's emergency room asap.

They ran xrays on her belly to run out anything major. She stopped throwing up once everything was out of her belly, and returned to happy baby. So what gives? I did some research on line, and it isn't completely out of ordinary that this could be an allergic reaction to avocado! Any one else have this issue?

Also, and this didn't scare me, but pissed me off like no other. The nurse who checked us in decided to take this time to lecture us on DD's weight. She's in the 99 percentile for weight (as she is for height too), but she didn't mention her height at all. She wanted us to understand childhood obsesity! She's freaking 6 months old! She's not crawling! She's EBF except for these few tastes of foods, and this lady is going to lecture me on my daughter's weight?! As she's throwing up bile?! I'm going to send a letter to the hospital. I don't think I'm out of line. What would you do?!?!


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## astar326 (Jul 5, 2007)

so scary. my ds had a similar reaction (though not as bad) over july 4th. he had banana (which he has eaten with no problem for the past 2 months), but i put it on my breakfast plate after eating blueberry and chocolate chip buttermilk pancakes







. he developed a rash around his mouth. so we stopped feeding him. the rash went away after a quick nap. then about an hour later (at my parents 4th BBQ) he was vomiting and he like your dd has never vomited. luckily we didn't need to take him to the ER. i nursed him to sleep and woke up a little groggy, but overall back to normal.

we aren't sure what caused the allergy, but will wait and introduce the ingredients in the pancakes after he is a year or so.

we also get the obesity talk from our dr. at every visit (he doesn't blink an eye that ds is vax free which is why we continue to go to him). ds was off the charts on weight and average for height. i just point out that he was EBF and i'm sure that he will slim down when he gets moving.


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## geekgolightly (Apr 21, 2004)

I'm so sorry you have to go to the ER! I'm glad your DD feels better now.

As for the nurse, she's incompetent but well meaning. It can be a dangerous combination in a position of authority. Yes, you should point out in a letter that maybe the nurses need to be educated on *at least* breastfed vs formula fed infant weight curves as well as noting that 99% for height and weight is normal. The height is in line with the weight. If she were 99% height and 30% weight she would be malnourished but her weight % would look right on paper.

She just needs more education. The more rational and reasonable and concerned for education you can sound, the better.


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## tzs (Aug 4, 2009)

i had an adult friend who was truly allergic to avocado (throat swelling, anaphalaxis...) so it's not like it's not out there.


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## texaspeach (Jun 19, 2005)

we think ds is allergic to avocado, he refuses to eat it and gets a rash around his mouth but does not vomit. he's also allergic to wheat and possibly fish. he was milk protein intolerant until recently. that must have been very scary for you all









I'd write a letter. as you know breastfed babies tend to grow differently than their formula fed peers - they gain quickly in the first 6 months of life and then slow down and lean out as they gain height and get mobile. when you're in the ER with a sick child it is NOT the time for a lecture on obesity.


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## carmel23 (Jul 21, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *lellian* 
DD is 6 months and just starting to taste some solids. Yesterday afternoon I offered her some mashed avocado after nursing her. It is the first food she has absolutely tried to push out of her mouth. I offered her about 7 bites, each time she hated it, but I've also read that it takes a lot of tried to introduce baby to new foods and flavors. She has had sweet potato, peas, squash, and a little banana with no problems over the last 10 days.

Two hours after the avocado, I nursed her to sleep. She woke up 15 minutes later, throwing up. . .and kept throwing up for an hour! By the time we got her to the emergency room she was throwing up bile. DD never, ever, I mean never, ever throws up, not ever. Hasn't even had a temperature yet, so needless to say, we were freaked out, and her pedi said take her to children's emergency room asap.

They ran xrays on her belly to run out anything major. She stopped throwing up once everything was out of her belly, and returned to happy baby. So what gives? I did some research on line, and it isn't completely out of ordinary that this could be an allergic reaction to avocado! Any one else have this issue?

Also, and this didn't scare me, but pissed me off like no other. The nurse who checked us in decided to take this time to lecture us on DD's weight. She's in the 99 percentile for weight (as she is for height too), but she didn't mention her height at all. She wanted us to understand childhood obsesity! She's freaking 6 months old! She's not crawling! She's EBF except for these few tastes of foods, and this lady is going to lecture me on my daughter's weight?! As she's throwing up bile?! I'm going to send a letter to the hospital. I don't think I'm out of line. What would you do?!?!

Did you wash the outside of the avocado really well? Poor baby!

Also, I wouldn't waste my time with the letter. Medical professionals are trained to give this lecture these days, because there are children who are obese, and it does start in infancy. They can't come into your home and see what you eat, so all they have are the growth charts. They've recently changed the charts (at least our ped. office did) to highlight possible problems--as our dr. said, "it makes everyone look short and fat."

Don't take it personally, it is just part of our world. Just be happy that you have access to healthful foods. Because childhood obesity/ and related diseases are not something to be flip about.


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## Mawood (Dec 14, 2009)

I am very surprised that avocado is such an allergenic food. Everybody kept recommending it as the first food and I had planned on it soon but feel a little reluctant now...


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## Mawood (Dec 14, 2009)

PS About the letter. Sometimes it just helps to write it out and address it and sometimes after a couple of days it doesn't seem so important anymore.


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## dakotablue (Jun 21, 2009)

Just wanted to offer that I had a similar experience with pineapple (throwing up until nothing left then perfectly fine.) I'm not sure if it had to do with it being fresh or skin or what. I do also have a skin (mouth) reaction to avocado when the skin of the avocado has touched what I'm eating, but I can eat un'tainted' parts. Its not the 'typical' allergy response, but an allergy response none the less.

Thats really scary. I am sorry


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## PatioGardener (Aug 11, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *lellian* 
Also, and this didn't scare me, but pissed me off like no other. The nurse who checked us in decided to take this time to lecture us on DD's weight. She's in the 99 percentile for weight (as she is for height too), but she didn't mention her height at all. She wanted us to understand childhood obsesity! She's freaking 6 months old! She's not crawling! She's EBF except for these few tastes of foods, and this lady is going to lecture me on my daughter's weight?! As she's throwing up bile?! I'm going to send a letter to the hospital. I don't think I'm out of line. What would you do?!?!









glad your dd is ok!!!

as for the nurse, when you complain (i hope you will, that nurse obviously does not understand breastfed babies or stressed Mamas!), why not include the WHO chart which will, i bet show that your dd is doing just fine - and by my calculations (comparing the chart) at the ~90th percentile!

http://www.who.int/childgrowth/stand...irls_p_0_2.pdf


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## emilysmama (Jun 22, 2005)

Be careful about bananas. Also latex (gloves, tubing, medical stuff) when you go to pediatrician, hospital, or get lab work/blood draws. Also latex balloons.


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## broodymama (May 3, 2004)

I would also write a letter to the hospital, hopefully the nurse won't do it to other patients. And an ER visit is definitely not the appropriate time!

I don't know anyone who is allergic to avocados, but I have heard that people with latex allergies may also react to avocade. Just something to keep in mind.


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## cocoanib (May 14, 2009)

So sorry this happened Mama, but I'm glad LO is o.k. How scary!

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Mawood* 
I am very surprised that avocado is such an allergenic food. Everybody kept recommending it as the first food and I had planned on it soon but feel a little reluctant now...

I was planning this too. I guess you never know and just have to take your time with each food intro.

Quote:


Originally Posted by *emilysmama* 
Be careful about bananas. Also latex (gloves, tubing, medical stuff) when you go to pediatrician, hospital, or get lab work/blood draws. Also latex balloons.

Banana's too? Interesting.
DD just had the tiniest bit of banana today. It was frozen and I just let her rub it across her gums for teething. Not bite of pieces or anything.


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## Snapdragon (Aug 30, 2007)

I am very sorry you guys had to go through this. And the thing the nurse said, especially when you were there to get help for your baby, would have really made me upset too.









As for the avocado, it is just weird cause I was eating an avocado yesterday and thinking about when I will give my 4mo his first food eventually and I remember thinking, well some people suggest avocado but I can't imagine wanting to feed him that as a first food.

anyway, I hope your baby is feeling better.


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## lellian (Apr 30, 2009)

Hi mamas,

Thank you for your replies. DD is feeling perfectly herself so I'm relieved. I did read on line about an avocado allergy being linked to latex and bananas as well. It is something to discuss with her pedi at our next appointment.

The letter. . .the thing that upsets me most is that the nurse didn't ask me one question about my daughter's eating/nursing habits, she just started lecturing, and it was a lecture. . .not just an in passing comment about childhood obesity. DD IS a chunky monkey! The rolls on her legs are gorgeous! But taken as a whole because she is SO tall, well, there's nothing obese about her. She isn't being over fed, but she does nurse on demand, if you will. Maybe I'm over reacting. I just don't want this to happen to another nursing mama with this same nurse. When we were leaving the doctor gave us a hand out on baby formula and throwing up over the next 24 hours. She said she didn't have anything prepared to give a nursing mom because she so rarely sees them, and not ever at six months. Sad really.


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## fruitfulmomma (Jun 8, 2002)

Yep, bananas, pineapple, avocados... All latex cross-reactives and my daughter reacts to all of them. We haven't had a ER scare yet, but she reacted through my breastmilk so I've never fed her the stuff. She did get a hold of a piece of pineapple from one of the other kids and her face was all red within 30 minutes.


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## vulnerable (Apr 21, 2009)

My daughter had the exact same reaction to bananas and pineapples. Horrible vomiting and rash around her mouth and hives on her neck. She hasn't had avocados yet and after reading this post I will not be trying it. I know she doesn't have a latex allergry though.


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## zmom2010 (Jul 15, 2010)

I actually have an avocado allergy myself (as does my mother), which is one of the reasons I decided NOT to introduce it to my son yet. Avocado is high in fat (good fat), but it can still stress the gallbladder. I'm not a nutrition expert, however, maybe your daughter's system just hasn't gotten to the point where it can't process that yet?

As for that nurse. I would seriously consider filing a formal complaint. The ER is no place for that type of rude-ness.


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## Mama Mko (Jul 26, 2007)

The vomiting is how my son reacted to potatoes the first time he tried them.







I felt so bad! Just threw up until his stomach was empty, then he was fine. We avoided them for 4 years and then reintroduced them (carefully) and he is not allergic anymore. Yay!


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## baileyann3 (May 12, 2008)

I didnt get through all of the replies so I am just butting in here..

Avocado is part of the latex foods family. Your daughter may be allergic to latex and the other other foods in the latex group, including banana, strawberries, and mango. Heres a link

Latex-Food Syndrome

I'm sorry this happened to her








These things can be so scary!

Hugs mama


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## emilysmama (Jun 22, 2005)

OP, did the ER give you a script for an Epi-pen? If not, call your pediatrician to day and have him/her write you one right away. The pediatrician shouldn't have to see your child in an office visit in order to feel justified to write the script. (Don't wait until your next office appointment.) Just recounting what you did in the original post should be enough, or letting the ped glance at the ER discharge orders. What you described was really scary. If you are not convinced, then cross post in the Allergies sub-forum.


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## boobs4milk (Jun 25, 2006)

millie reacted to bananas at first but now does fine with them.







s


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## lellian (Apr 30, 2009)

Thanks for your feedback and hugs, mamas.

We didn't leave with a script because DD wasn't throwing up, and the doctor, no matter how many times I said we were introducing new foods, and specifically told her about avocado being the only food DD had that day, didn't seem concerned at all or think it was food related. It was only after that that I came home and did some research on line to see if there was such a thing as avocado allergies, especially since avocado is recommended as the perfect first food! I told her over and over that DD hasn't throw up until today, and today I introduced avocado, but she just wanted to xray her belly, and rule out anything serious so we could be observed and then do home.

This is all a huge learning curve, as this is our first baby. I need to trust my instincts more. I'm glad we took her to the emergency room (although I think the xrays were a bit much) because now I know it was the avocado.

Thanks again, mamas. I learn so much from YOU.


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## sunnygir1 (Oct 8, 2007)

I have read some, but not all of the responses. My niece threw up after eating avocado as an older baby. It happened two or three times before my sister made the connection. She is 7 now and still doesn't want to try avocado.

I reacted to bananas as a child; swollen, raw tongue. And now my husband and I both get heartburn if we eat bananas more than very occasionally.

For those reasons, I have always found it a little strange that avocado and banana are among the first foods people offer to their babes.

To me it seems like tropical fruits should come later in the line-up. Apples, pears, zucchini, green beans, seem much easier to digest.


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