# Is Salmon okay for a 14-month old?



## China (Oct 8, 2005)

My DS is 14 months old and a very picky eater. He has been exclusively breastfed for 1 year because he had food allergies and refused everything; fruit, water, cereal, etc. At 1 they found him to be anemic. Now, he doesn't eat much of a breastfast, maybe 3 pieces of organic wheat cereal and 1/2 slice of whole grain bread.

He likes to snack on bread alot is this good? Also, we recently tried him with salmon and he loved it. I'm not sure if it is okay to give salmon to a 14-month old, is it?

He doesn't like anything mashed. If he can't pick it up, he won't eat it. He drinks water now with a little bit of lemon squeezed in, beans, legumes, chicken, beef and now fish.

He usually wakes up 2x to 3x a night scratching himself (eczema) and wanting the breast to calm him down, then he goes back to sleep. Yesterday, after eating the fish, he stayed up later 10:30pm, usually goes to sleep about 7:30-8pm. He was fine, but then around midnight he woke up and kept itching and crying, my husband finally took him out of our bed and walked him up and the hall singing to him and he finally went to sleep. He ket waking up, but when I gave him the breast he went back to sleep. This morning he ended my sleep about 9am which is normal for him.

Do you think he had a bad reaction to the salmon, or maybe he had a new found energy that he had to adjust to? We ate about 6:30 and he wasn't cranky at all before he went to sleep.


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## boatbaby (Aug 30, 2004)

nak

I can'y say what he reacted to, but my DS has been happily eating salmon since 13 months old on a regular basis. In general my pediatrician said it was ok. But you just need to keep doing what you're doing and watching your child's reactions to foods.

good luck


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## DaryLLL (Aug 12, 2002)

China, welcome to mdc.

Do you yourself eat dairy and drink milk? Dairy allergy is quite common--the most common allergen. Those proteins will end up in your milk and passed to your ds causing eczema.

here are the most common allergens (they account for 90% of all allergic reactions):

Milk
Eggs
Peanuts
Tree nuts (walnut, cashew, etc.)
Fish
Shellfish
Soy
Wheat

In general, fish is a good protein source for kids, but if your ds is highly allergic to many foods, salmon and all fish may not be good for him. He might outgrow many of his allergies in the next year or two! Keep breastfeeding often to nourish him.


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## lioralourie (Aug 22, 2004)

I haven't heard anything about bad reactions to salmon, as long as it was cooked thoroughly.

My dd was also sensitive to lots of foods but has been eating salmon since about 1 yr. of age.

If your lil one has excema, I'd have him formally allergy tested for sure. I know it seems an impossibility, but it might just be that wheat is exacerbating his excema?


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## Frigga (Oct 5, 2005)

My youngest was a picky eater too, but only had a slight milk allergy which was fixed with soy. But he also loved salmon, especially smoked! I wouldn't think it would be bad for him, just keep the amount low, like no more than 1 or twice a week as salmon, depending on where it was grown and raised, can have a high mercury content. You could try him on trout or other small white fish to see if he likes them too. They are just as good for him, with less heavy metal content!


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## DaryLLL (Aug 12, 2002)

No, you posters are incorrect. Fish allergy is quite common and this child, by his low intake of solids and eczema, has shown a tendency to be allergic. I would err on the side of caution. If a meal of salmon made him have such a bad night, it (and probably all fish)should be avoided for now.


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## LukesMommy (Feb 8, 2005)

As someone allergic to seafood and some fish, I can tell you that salmon is, for me, among the "bad fish". Meaning, those that are more likely to give me a reaction. I think it may have to do with how "strong" the fish is.

If your DS likes fish in general and you feel confident that it's not harming him, I'd start him on a milder fish, like haddock or something white like that.


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## lilyka (Nov 20, 2001)

I think salmon would be fine for most kids. Just make sure it is wild caught and doesn't have artificial color (you don't expect it so yuomay not notice. all salmon at albertsons has artificial color.)

another good firm fish is Talapia. yuo may want to try that,. it is very mild and easy to cut into bite sized cubes without it falling apart.


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## Jade2561 (Jun 12, 2005)

My 15 year old eats salmon all the time. I always make sure that it's wild salmon and not farm raised. Farm raised has high levels of carcinogens in them. It's hard to find fresh wild salmon where we live so I always wind up buying frozen. I enclosed the link about farm raised salmon:

http://www.healthcastle.com/wildsalm...edsalmon.shtml


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## DaryLLL (Aug 12, 2002)

Why is everybody ignoring the horribly itchy night this child had after eating fish???

Quote:


Originally Posted by *OP*
*He usually wakes up 2x to 3x a night scratching himself (eczema) and wanting the breast to calm him down, then he goes back to sleep. Yesterday, after eating the fish, he stayed up later 10:30pm, usually goes to sleep about 7:30-8pm. He was fine, but then around midnight he woke up and kept itching and crying, my husband finally took him out of our bed and walked him up and the hall singing to him and he finally went to sleep. He ket waking up, but when I gave him the breast he went back to sleep. This morning he ended my sleep about 9am which is normal for him.*

Most kids can eat salmon. This child is highly allergic to many things! Fish is a common allergen.


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

darylll: it seems unclear to me from the original post if this child is waking ONLY on those nights when he eats the salmon or on most nights, regardless of it he ate salmon or not. the original poster mama mentioned that he eats wheat bread, with wheat being another common allergen, so it could possibly be the wheat or perhaps something else he is eating.

if there is a family history of any allergies to any of those common foods darylll listed, it is wise to closely watch your child when methodically introducing any new foods from the allergen list.

for most children, salmon is a great food to eat if a non-farmed, wild-caught variety is readily available. it is full of omega-3 fatty acids, which are great brain and neurological food for young and old alike. limiting the number of times it is consumed to once or twice weekly is wise considering that mercury can build up in larger fish like salmon.

and to another previous poster who recommended tilapia, it is often hard to find tilapia that is caught in a sustainable way and although it may be easier to eat because of its chunky flaking, i wouldn't recommend buying it often enough to support the current way it is fished.

warmly,
claudia


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## loraxc (Aug 14, 2003)

Quote:

i wouldn't recommend buying it often enough to support the current way it is fished.
Hmmm...my understanding is that farmed tilapia is one of the most ecologically sustainable seafood choices there is.


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## TurboClaudia (Nov 18, 2003)

oops... my bad... mama brain in full effect... got confused with another fish, probably chilean sea bass...

tilapia:







although not high in omega-3s

~claudia


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## santina (Jun 4, 2005)

You said your DS wakes up every night with eczema? I would think that he is allergic to something he is eating every day. My first thought would be wheat. Maybe you should try eliminating all wheat from his diet and see if he gets better. It is very common to crave the food you are allergic to and since he eats alot of wheat I would start there. About the fish... Did he have a worse reaction(eczema) that night than normal?


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## DaryLLL (Aug 12, 2002)

Yes, he did. he went to sleep at 10:30 instead of 7:30, as she said. She also said normally the breast gets him back to sleep, but this time her dh had to walk him for part of the night.


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