“My daughter suddenly developed a rash after eating a new chocolate. What should I do?”

I am sorry to hear about this experience and I am glad that your daughter didn't have a more serious issue. Since she is not having any issues currently, I suggest getting a formal allergy evaluation after you come back from your trip. It will be helpful to get the ingredients of the chocolate she had a reaction to - that will be helpful. In countries other than the US, tree nuts and other allergens are found more often in chocolates, however, there may be another ingredient that caused the issue. Regardless if you get the information about the ingredients or not, seeing an allergist will be helpful in evaluating her reaction, risk of future issues and determining how to proceed from here. For now, I would suggest sticking to chocolate or candy she has had before without a reaction. 

Sincerely, 

Monika Korff, MD

Allergy to chocolate is actually quite uncommon, but she could certainly be sensitive to one the ingredients in the chocolate bar itself. It is also common to see rashes with viral infections, among other things. I recommend an evaluation by an allergist to help sort out these possibilities.

True chocolate allergies are quite rare. If you experience adverse symptoms after you eat chocolate, it is more likely that you are allergic to another ingredient in the chocolate, or that you are intolerant to chocolate. Big 8 food allergens are eggs, milk, soy, wheat, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, and shellfish. Several of these ingredients are very common in chocolate bars, cakes, brownies, puddings, etc. If you react when you eat chocolate, it is probable that you are allergic to one of these major allergens.

Another type of reaction to chocolate is an intolerance. An intolerance is a reaction of your gastrointestinal system rather than your immune system, and it is a reaction to an ingredient or chemical in the chocolate, rather than the protein in the chocolate. Some examples of the chemicals in chocolate are soy lecithin, tyramine, phenylethylamine, theobromine, caffeine, flavorings, and emulsifiers.
If you are concerned about a chocolate allergy, the specialists and associates at the Allergy & Sinus Centers are here to help. We offer convenient allergy testing. You can mail to us @docts.org@gmail.com.

Start by avoiding all chocolate. Bring the list of ingredients in the chocolate that she ate to an allergist who can assist in evaluating whether this is a true allergy to chocolate or an additive.