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Anyone have kids with reactions to red dye?


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I was wondering if this was what happened to us today. My ds drank a big red Powerade this morning while we were waiting at the car dealer. By the time we left, he was getting grumpy. Then, when we got home, he exploded over nothing! He raged for a bit and was very upset that he didn't even know why he was so crazed. The one thing that I was thinking was that red Powerade!

 

What have yours had happen as a response to red dyes? How long did it take to kick in and how long did the episodes last?

 

Boy, he was crazy! He is much better now. I got him to calm down and eat some lunch. Whew! Don't want that to happen again.

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We noticed this early in his life. There is a direct correlation with his consuming red (including cheesies, slushies, etc. etc.) and his behaviour. Fortunately he's old enough to even notice it himself . . . he says it makes him feel funny.

 

We notice it fairly quickly. I'm not completely sure how long the whole thing lasts but I'd say a couple hours anyway.

 

I know all these "allegations" come with some controversy but this is how it plays out in our child.

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My dd is! Though she doesn't rage, she throws up. It doesn't take long! She throws up till its all out then sleeps for a bit and then wakes up fine. We haven't had to deal with it in a long time, though, because she knows about it and avoids it. It is only in it's liquid form for her. But we watch it in all things, just in case.

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My dd is! Though she doesn't rage, she throws up. It doesn't take long! She throws up till its all out then sleeps for a bit and then wakes up fine. We haven't had to deal with it in a long time, though, because she knows about it and avoids it. It is only in it's liquid form for her. But we watch it in all things, just in case.

 

Her son vomits when ingesting too much red food dye foods.

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Yes, my oldest ds used to be like this, although he seems to have outgrown it. We noticed it the first time he took liquid antibiotics. I think he was around 2.5yo. He would get agitated very easily and was generally grouchy--definitely not himself. At first we thought it was the meds, but then we tried some Kook-aid and that really set him off.

 

You are not imagining things.

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Yup. My son will go from mellow and helpful child to completely unbearable and wired. He is like a spinning top that doesn't stop or a bouncy ball that zooms through the room... it is awful. It happens within 1 hr of consuming colors (so far as I know it is any colors but definitely red) and doesn't stop until he goes to bed at night- so we have had it last 12-15 hours.

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WOW! So I wasn't too far off in thinking that might be the culprit. He always gets grumpy on antibiotics too! Hmm, I need to take note of this and really watch what that boy puts in his mouth. It was an awful crazed moment that he had. He hated it while it was happening and couldn't understand why he was so insanely mad over nothing. He was trying to hit himself in the head because he thought that would help! It is so hard to see something like that. Thankfully, he seems calm now. No more red for that kid, ever! Geesh! I cannot imagine what he felt like in his head in order to have that kind of experience.

 

Thanks for the info.! (Glad he didn't throw up in the brand new car on the way home:tongue_smilie: -- red powerade in a brand new car would have been way too much to handle)

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My oldest ds acted the way you described. He is 19 now and chooses to stay away from it because he says it makes his stomach hurt. The funny thing is that when he got a tattoo - the red dye made him really sick! I am keeping an eye on my 3 year old now because I think he may have a problem with it too. It is odd which foods can set him off though. It doesn't seem to be just red dye in general.

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He has always had intolerances and sensitivities -- from birth. He is much better with dairy now. He couldn't have anything at all for a long time. We did soy and he was always grumpy on soy. I read about how it isn't all that great for some, so we quit soy too. I started buying organic milk and he can use that! I also have many sensitivities and intolerances. Guess the apple came from my tree on that one.

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Melissa,

 

I am SO glad he didn't throw up all over the new car!! We found out about dd's reaction to red 40 when she was about 3. She had Hawaiian Punch before heading out to evening church. They came and got me in service when she threw up ALL over the pastor's wife's yellow outfit in the nursery.:eek: She is the one who suggested that she might have an allergy to it. It took a few more times of her throwing up after drinking different red 40 drinks (even V8 Splash) before I got the picture.

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Mine get edgey/cranky/hyper too. Each of them react in varying degrees. But I can always tell that they are 'off'. Something just isn't right with them. Then it clicks...the red dye I can point out in something they had earlier.

My Eldest loses his brain, mostly. He gets cranky/edgey too. Nugget gets even more hyper than usual, uncontrollably so, as in...I can't even talk to him, he doesn't 'hear' a thing I say.

Those are our common reactions.

 

And as someone else mentioned...it generally lasts a few hours until it's out of their systems.

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