Red 40?

RedDDD

After a very long weekend with my 2 year old who has contracted Hand Foot Mouth for the 2nd time I am left wondering about Red 40.  Unfortunately for him this second round of HFM is in his mouth and throat.  Yesterday I gave him a red popsicle.  Within an hour of him eating the popsicle he lips, tongue, and face began swelling.  Naturally we thought it was related to the HFM and we took him to the ER at which time the Dr told us he thought it was unrelated to the HFM and asked us if we had introduced anything into his diet.  I immediately thought of the red popsicle.  Everything else he had that day was so bland....crackers, soft pasta, water, some apple juice....anything that felt good on his mouth that he could get down.  After leaving the ER we went to my in-laws....while I was doing something else I look up and notice Grandpa had given him a RED popsicle.  My husband and I immediately were like oh great, guess we will see what happens.  This time he was up until 10pm acting odd.  Jittery, hyper, jumping around.....not what you would expect of a kid with a bad case of HFM and little to no sleep.  Fast forward to middle of the night...got up to screaming and went to give him advil for his mouth....right after I gave it to him I realized it was bubble gum flavored and its pink and has red 40.  His lips, tongue and face swelled up again.  

He has had Red 40 before in candy or snacks or nutrigrane bars etc so this is not new.  Im wondering if because of the open sores in his mouth he was more sensitive to it?  or maybe he is developing a sensitivity to it.  Needless to say I plan to contact our pediatrician and not give him anything with red 40 in it until we can figure out what is going on.  Just wondering if anyone has had any experience they can share.  Thanks!!

Salemkitty13

@RedDDD‌ I hope he's better I have a sensitivity to red 40 it makes me hyper and my heart race. I do not have a swelling reaction to it. Was his dr any help?

RedDDD

She did say to totally avoid it which we are.  She said it is possible he has a sensitivity to it and due to the HFM and open sores in his mouth it just became a heightened sensitivity.  Along with the swelling he also was very jittery and hyper and not himself.  We have informed day care that they are not to give him anything with Red 40 and we are planing to avoid Red 40 along with Yellow 5 &6 just to be sure.  But he is much better now thank god!