Rice can cause allergies in babies

Rice is often thought to settle a child's stomach, and as such is considered a "hypoallergenic" food.

But a group of Australian researchers have found that this dietary staple - per capita consumption Down Under doubled between 1994 and 2004 - can actually trigger a severe allergic reaction.

The study was small: just 31 infants, less than 12 months old with severe gut imflammation, induced by their dietary intake of protein.

This "protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome" can be a major problem, not the least because the symptoms, which include vomiting and diarrhea, often prompt a misdiagnosis of blood poisoning or even an acute problem requiring emergency surgery.

Common triggers were thought to be cow's milk or soy milk. Lately, researchers have found that a range of meats, vegetables and grains also cause the syndrome.

Now, researchers at The Children's Hospital at Westmead in New South Wales have found that among the infants they studied, rice was by far the most common cause. It accounted for 26 episodes in 14 children.

The results of their study are being published this week on an online edition of the Archives of Disease in Childhood.

Children who reacted to rice were also more likely to have reactions caused by other foods, and their reactions were likely to be more severe.

Contact staff writer Sandy Bauers at 215-854-5147 or sbauers@phillynews.com.