Stickers And Bandages

[mom-to-claire]

I have a question about stickers and bandages or anything really with a "glue". I've been reading the site and other sites to find out if the self adhesive stickers that kids love to play with are gluten-free. My one year old daughter is in daycare and they do some "crafts" once in awhile. Today, I went to get her and her teacher said "Oh Claire loved playing with the stickers". I had totally forgotten to mention that it might not be OK. Is it OK? She assured me she didn't put any in her mouth. Basically they put it on her finger and guide her to put it on a piece of paper.

The other question I have revolves around some sort of reaction my daughter seemed to have from a bandage. She had her 12 month immunizations last week and all of a sudden after taking off her bandaids I noticed a really red, scaley type patch where one end of the bandaid was. She had 2 bandaids on her legs and there is only one part that is affected. It looks almost like when I took the bandaid off, it took some skin off and it got infected! The only other thing I can think that happened is that all the "glue" didn't come off when I took it off and that night she had a very explosive loose bowel movement that went everywhere. It is possible that the BM stuck to the glue and caused a reaction. I really have no idea but wondered if the sticky stuff in bandaids could contain gluten.

We are still very new at this and still learning what she can and can't have.

[Ursa Major]

I know that the stickers you lick might have gluten in them, but I don't know about the self-sticking ones.

I don't know if bandaids have gluten. But I know that I am very intolerant to them. I can only use bandaids for sensitive skin (other than my fingers, the skin is thicker there), otherwise I get a horribly itchy rash (in the shape of the bandaid) that will last a long time, and will eventually become what looks like psoriasis, and might last for years. And I think there are others here with the same problem.

So, you might want to buy some bandaids for sensitive skin, just to be safe.

[tarnalberry]

The bandaid thing isn't a gluten reaction - it's almost certainly a sensitivity to the adhesive. Some adhesives cause this sort of reaction on skin (and it doesn't even always happen). Switching brands may help. (Sensitive skin ones may help - I've reacted to a brand of those while not reacting to regular brands before. Also depends on how long the bandaid's on, and other factors...)

[Ursa Major]

With me, having any brand of bandaid on (other than the ones for sensitive skin) for more than ten minutes will result in a horrible rash that lasts weeks at the very least. When I have my blood taken, I always have to bring my own bandaid with me, as the doctor's offices NEVER have anything but the cheap plastic bandaids, which are the worst of them all.

[Juliet]

Both of my kids got a reaction from the band aids used by their doctor when they had their last shots, but the tape doesn't seem to bother them nor the actual Band Aid brand bandages. My DS also doesn't seem to be bothered by the self-adhesive stickers.

[lovegrov]

Every time I've read of somebody checking the self-adhesive stickers they have been gluten-free. This is just not the type of adhesive that would have gluten. Same with band-aids, although MANY people get rashes or reactions.

richard

[Juliebove]

I have the problem with bandages and medical tape too and I don't have a problem with gluten. Alas I have medical problems that require frequent blood draws. I've found that I can leave that tape or bandage on there for a few minutes and no more. Otherwise I get the rash that takes forever to go away.