Momofnerds I agree with you. There are times sensitivities are called allergies. I don't think this is necessarily the parents fault but the doctors / allergists. One of my old doctors explained to me that there is a difference between an allergy, hyper sensitivity, and sensitivity to foods. Doc explained that a food allergy the person will go into anaphylaxis shock if exposed / ingested. Hyper sensitivity is when the person who is exposed to the food has a rash or hives and vomiting/runs but doesn't have anaphylaxis. But my other doc says any type of reaction means an allergy. Which is right, I don't know. I gave up trying to research the answer, and just differentiated it for my families allergies. I think if there is a difference than people with hyper sensitivities and sensitivities should be better educated. I think labelling every type of reaction an allergy will send some into a panic where panic may not be needed. But, truthfully, I found the same thing when it came to my daughters asthma, I did my research, attended asthma workshops and such, and it seemed that I was more knowledgeable than some doctors. With years experience I have come to realize that doctors are general practitioners, they know the basics and that is why they send us to specialists.

My daughters are allergic to penicillin too They broke out in full body rashes their first exposure. I remember begging my doctor to let me try penicillin a second time with them just to ensure that they were allergic to it. The chances are high seeing the allergy runs in both my family and my husband's, so they have never had penicillin again. Not by my choice but because the doctor wouldn't allow it. Though, my oldest has been accidently given eye drops that had penicillin in them and else than her complaining that her eyes burned when they were put in, nothing more severe happened. So I'm not convinced they have an allergy, maybe just a sensitivity.

My daughter is allergic to red food dye, she has never thrown up as a result. The first exposure was head to toe rash/hives. She was only 6 months when we discovered the allergy, so we eliminated it from her diet/medicines, and I have to admit, it became 2nd nature so early in the game. Every now and then we will try out red food dye and it has never gone away, she still gets rashes, but now she has swelling of the tongue and throat I haven't done much research of dye allergies, but you are the first person I've met who also has a child with one. It's nice to know that there are others, I think food dyes are common allergies though.