What is a food allergy?
When someone has a food allergy, their body actually believes that a particular food is harming them. As a response, the body tries to attack the food by setting off an allergic response. Responses can be mild, from a rash to an upset stomach, or severe, which is actually called an anaphylactic reaction and can be deadly.
What causes food allergies?
It is hard to tell exactly what causes food allergies, but we do know that they tend to run in families. Parents that have any form of allergy are at higher risk for having children with food allergies.
What are the symptoms of food allergies?
There are a wide variety of symptoms related to food allergies ranging from mild to severe.
Some examples are:
• cramps, upset stomach
• nausea or diarrea
• itchy skin
• rash or hives
• tingling or swelling in the lips
• stuffy/runny nose
Symptoms usually begin within a couple of hours of eating the problem food. As a rule of thumb, the sooner the symptoms appear, the more severe the reaction.
The most serious symptoms are those related to anaphylaxis.
These symptoms include:
• throat and tongue that swell quickly
• wheezing and difficulty breathing
• vomiting
• fainting
If your child begins to experience these symptoms, call immediately for medical help.
What are the most common foods that children are allergic to?
The most common causes of food allergies in children are:
• eggs
• milk
• wheat
• soy
• peanuts
The good news is that many kids outgrow food allergies before the age of five. An estimated 80 percent of children with allergies to egg, milk, wheat, and soy will outgrow them. However, only 20 percent of children outgrow a peanut allergy.
What is the difference between a food allergy and food intolerance?
Many people confuse food intolerance with food allergies. Food intolerances are actually very common and can cause some of the same symptoms as a mild food allergy, such as upset stomach and diarrhea. A food intolerance is much less serious and does not involve the immune system like an allergy does. The symptoms of a food intolerance are digestive only and generally don't appear until several hours after a food is eaten.
How are food allergies diagnosed?
Your pediatrician will probably start with a simple history. He or she may have you keep a log of what the child eats and when certain symptoms occur to determine what food may be causing problems.
If your child has a serious food allergy, the pediatrician will probably do an allergy skin test. The doctor puts a little drop of liquid on the skin and then pricks the skin to see if the area swells and reacts to the liquid. The doctor may also do a blood test to look at chemicals in the blood that are triggering the allergic reaction.
How are food allergies treated?
The best and most common treatment is to quit eating foods that cause the allergic reaction. However, this can be difficult for parents who have to start reading food labels and readjust their family meals to accommodate the child. If the food is eaten, some children benefit from an over-the-counter antihistamine like Benadryl.
If your child has a severe food allergy, the pediatrician will often prescribe an allergy kit that contains an EpiPen. The pen gives the child a shot of epinepherine, which can slow down or stop the severe allergic reaction from happening. Children with serious food allergies should wear a medical alert bracelet and have the pen available to them to all times.
Can food allergies be prevented?
Research is showing that the only possible prevention is to hold off on introducing all solid foods until your baby is at least 4 to 6 months old. Your pediatrician can give you a schedule on when and how to introduce solid foods into your baby's diet, but it is important to remember to introduce foods one at a time, so that you are able to recognize if there are any foods that may cause problems.
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