Has Anyone Heard of an Allergy to Tomatoes?

[mjaclyn]

My DD 2 1/2 has an allergy to milk and other dairy products with milk in them (like cheese). It's not a severe allergy - she just breaks out on her face if she eats cheese but the last time I gave her milk to drink (over a year ago) she was sick all night vomiting. Now she seems to get the same type of facial rash when she eats tomato sauce, ketchup, etc. Originally I thought she'd get the rash because there is usually some kind of cheese in spaghetti sauce but then I realized it happens with ketchup as well. As far as I know ketchup has no dairy in it so I'm not sure why she'd be allergic to it. Has anyone heard of an allergy to tomatoes? I'm worried because she's very young and is unable to tell me if her tummy hurts or the inside of her mouth/throat itches after she eats certain things. As I mentioned, the allergies have never been severe - her breathing seems fine after eating any of this, but I do see a skin rash. Is it possible to have a skin reaction and not have a reaction inside the body? I'm going to call her pediatrician tomorrow to see if he can recommend a pediatric allergist. Has anyone had this kind of issue before?

[Ed]

Apparently, it's not too uncommon.

A quick Google search produced this info (http://www.common-food-allergies.net/tomato_allergy/tomato_allergy.html).

[crazypoohbear]

I have heard of people with this allergy as well.
Good luck with your DD

[J9]

Allergies to tomatoes are very common.

I'm allergic to nuts and my scratch test for that came up very strong. However, I also had a reaction to tomatoes as well. (Good thing I don't like ketchup or gravy!!!)

[Aggie97]

My grandmother is allergic to tomatoes (and a number of other food items as well!).

[MNNHFLTX]

Yes, I know at least a couple of people that are allergic to tomatoes. I think you've got the right idea in getting your daughter in to see an allergist and get some testing done to see how allergic she is to tomatoes (and if she's allergic to anything else).

[cindchan]

My mom and grandma were allergic. My mom's was mild. She could eat tomatoes, but only in a very limited quantity.

So far, I don't have any such allergy to tomatoes or anything tomato-based.

[wdw_bound]

My brother was severely allergic to just about everything as a little kid. Dairy, Wheat, tomatoes, nuts, animal dander, feathers, pollen, etc., etc.

He had eczema as a young child, and developed asthma by the time he was 3.

He was under the treatment of an allergist for a long time, had pretty significant testing, and lots of different treatments.

The good news is that as an adult, only a few of his allergies have lingered (nuts in particular). He is no longer allergic to tomatoes, but with the exception of a light red sauce, still doesn't care for them much.

A pediatric allergist is definitely a good idea. Good luck to you and your little one - I'm sure this is a scary time for both of you, and I'm hoping for the very best for you.

[LauraleeH]

I would definitely go to an allergist and get her tested for lots of different things. Allergies can come and go, remember that. My mom and my aunt would eat sunflower seeds all the time as kids. They grew up, and after having kids of their own, developed a very deadly allergy to them. It can kill them if they don't have help within, literally, a minute. So allergies can develop at any age, and they can also go away. Since they can get less intense as a child grows, I would also imagine they could get worse. Definitely find a good allergist that you can take your daughter to every couple of years to update.

[pixiesmimi]

A good friend of mine is allergic to raw tomatoes and can't eat anything that has been in contact with them. But she can eat cooked tomatoes like sauce, etc.

[jillluvsdisney]

Yes. A woman I work with is allergic to them. She says they make her lips tingle if she eats them.

[Bethanymouse]

Interestingly, I became allergic to tomatoes this summer. I love tomatoes! But for some reason, tomatoes this summer made my lips and tonge swell. I would have to take benadryl. Anthing with tomatoes, sandwiches,red gravy, etc. But then when the fall came, I now can eat tomatoes again with no problem! I asked the doctor about it and he shared it may have been a pesticide used or a treatment on the tomatoes used. This may be the case for me because it seemed to be certain tomatoes (ex: grocery ones, not ones from mom's garden or local organic garden). Good luck with your daughter. Hopefully in time, the allergy will fade!

[Mfarquar]

I've always seemed to have an allergy to tomato sauce that seems to come and go.

It started when I was about 4, and every now and then (no recognizable pattern to my family or doctor) I would get hives on my face and tummy within 30 mins. of eating tomato sauce, and they would disappear pretty quickly with no real ramifications.

It stopped when I was about 11, but for the past 7 years, once in a blue moon I will get hives along my jaw line after eating tomato sauce. It happens about 1-2 time per month right after eating tomato sauce, and a lot less severely than when I was a kid. I now only get 3 - 6 tiny hives that disappear in about 2-3 hours, but are pretty darn itchy.

It's never been enough for me to stop eating tomato sauce, and my doctors have always told me it's OK, as long as I don't see any new symptoms develop.

[mjaclyn]

Thanks for all the replies! Allergies scare me a lot because I have a few friends with severe allergies that could cause death if not treated very quickly. My fear is that something like that will happen to DD and because I don't have proper medication to administer right away, she could go into shock or worse. As of right now the extent of her 'allergy' seems to be a red rash on her face and if she drinks milk, vomiting. DH and I have no intolerance for milk and no other significant allergies. I don't think anyone in my family (with the exception of my uncle and bee stings) has any severe allergy that could kill them. That's why I'm so confused by this whole thing. I'm definitely going to make an appointment with a pediatric allergist, and I'm also going to start buying more organic foods. I have a feeling that all the chemicals we're constantly ingesting could definitely be a factor in this whole thing.

[DisneyOtaku]

My best friend's little sister used to have this allergy (tomatoes and wheat...which was not good, as her favorite food was pizza), but she seems to have outgrown them.

[PAYROLL PRINCESS]

Hopefully she'll outgrow it. Your body changes about every 7 years. That's why it's important to get retested periodically to see if you've "outgrown" your allergies. I got shots for years and when I got tested about 1 1/2 years ago, most of my allergies were so mild I no longer need shots.

Good luck to her. Let us know what the doctor says.

[MickeyMousse]

My father developed an allery to tomatoes when he was 70 y/o!! Doctor said he probably had it as a kid, grew out of it and it can return later in life. He'd break out in hives, but like the man he was, he toughed it out and refused to give up eating his favorite meal:spaghetti and meatballs. The man would pop Benadryl before and after so the hives wouldn't be so bad!!!

Wow, I miss him. :(