Food Allergies in Children

In as early as 55BC the Roman philosopher Titus Lucretius Cato so eloquently represented food allergies: “What is food to one is poison to another.” Over the last 5 years, progress on our understanding of food allergies has progressed by leaps and bounds, yet despite these food allergies rates have increased tremendously.

Continuing with our aim to provide reliable nutritional information to our readers, the Good Life Dietitians will be doing a series of posts on food allergies in children. In this first post, we discuss common questions mom’s have about food allergies.

What is an allergy?

A food allergy occurs when the body’s immune system mistakes a food for being harmful. To protect the body from this supposed harm, the immune system releases antibodies called immunoglobulins E (IgE). When the same food is eaten next, the IgE antibodies sense this and signal the immune system to release histamines. It is these histamines that produce the symptoms of allergies (see below.)

What foods can cause allergies?

Any food can cause an allergy. However despite the human diet being so diverse, there are 8 main culprits in causing allergies: milk, egg, peanuts, soy, wheat, tree nuts (e.g. almonds, pecans, and Brazil nuts), fish and shellfish.

What symptoms are associated with allergies?

Allergy symptoms generally appear within a few minutes to two hours after the person has ingested the allergen, and can range from mild to severe. Symptoms may include:

• Tingling sensation of the mouth
• Swelling of the tongue and throat
• Skin: rashes, eczema, hives and swelling
• Gastrointestinal problems e.g. abdominal cramps, diarrhea, vomiting
• Wheezing and/or difficulty breathing
• Drop in blood pressure
• Loss of consciousness
• And (very rarely) death

Can you have a food allergy without ever eating that specific food?

To have an allergy you have to be in contact with a food, whether eaten of from touching through skin contact or even in utero.

Are there non-food items that may induce an allergy?

Recent evidence suggests that egg-sensitive children can receive measles immunizations safely.

However, flu vaccinations are often prepared on egg embryos, and thus may cause a reaction in children with egg allergy. Some doctors argue that the risk of allergy is outweighed by the risk of non-vaccinating, so do not avoid vaccinations. If your child has an egg allergy, tell your doctor prior to receiving any vaccinations. Egg-containing flu vaccinations vary between pharmaceutical companies and countries.

How is food allergy diagnosed?

Food allergies are diagnosed by doctors. In diagnosing the food allergy your doctor will ask several essential questions about your child’s allergy. For example, you would need to describe your child symptoms, provide a list of foods eaten prior to the allergy, how long it took for symptoms to come on and how long they lasted.

The doctor will also do tests to determine if an allergy exists. A skin prick test is done when the doctor places a drop of the substance being tested on the skin to see if an allergic reaction occurs. Blood tests can also be done and sent to laboratories to determine whether the sample has IgE antibodies to these foods.

Can food allergies be cured?

Unfortunately there is no cure for a food allergy. The best thing to do is simply avoid the potential food allergen as much as possible. Research is underway in the prevention of allergies to begin with, such as the role of breastfeeding in allergy prevention and the correct timing of introduction of allergic foods.

Can a child outgrow their allergy?

The good news is that some allergies can be outgrown. Allergies to milk, egg, wheat and soy are often outgrown though some people do sensitive to these foods. Allergies to peanuts, nuts, fish and shellfish, though, are often considered to be lifelong.

What treatment is available for food allergies?

Depending on the severity of symptoms, treatment differs Medication such as anti-histamine and adrenaline (epinephrine) maybe prescribed to control reactions. Be sure to carry all medication with your child at all times. The best treatment is strict avoidance of the allergen-causing foods.

In upcoming Mommy Monday posts the Good Life will be focusing on egg allergies. If your child is allergic to eggs we will teach you about egg allergies, foods and food products that contain eggs, as well as how to read food labels for egg and egg products. We will also feature some delicious egg-free recipes on Foodie Fridays.

References

American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. Food For Thought www.aaaai.org

The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network. Do you have a food allergy? www.foodallergy.org