Food Allergies In Children
The true food allergies in children are not as common as most people seem to think. Only about 2% of children are affected. Most children will outgrow the allergies by the age of three years old. The most common of the food allergies is the intolerances to the food. These reactions may be skin rashes, spitting up, vomiting and/ or diarrhea. One example of this will be the children with lactose intolerances. This reaction occurs because of the lack of or a deficiency or the enzyme lactase. This is what normally breaks down the sugar lactose. The children with a decreased amount of or with out the enzyme lactase will develop symptoms after drinking foods such as cow milk that contains lactose. This is not considered a real food allergy because it does not contain a reaction of the immune system.
If your child develops any type symptoms after ingesting certain foods, it is important to avoid these foods in the future. Some of the common foods to cause an allergic reaction is the nuts, including the peanut, walnut, tree nuts, and pecans. Fish and shellfish are another food groups to cause allergic reactions in some children. The milk, soy, eggs, especially the egg whites, and wheat can cause reactions also.
It is recommended, if you think the child might be having some of the reactions, but are having a hard time trying to pin it down, try keeping a food diary. Record the foods and any symptoms if they occur. Trying this for a few weeks will help to see a pattern as symptoms develop. Do not just suspect foods that have never been eaten. Older foods could be the cause and it has just been overlooked and sometimes it takes a while for the immune system to build up a reaction that the body is allergic to. Hard to believe but it may take more then days,weeks and months for a allergic reaction to happen. It has been know to take years for the system to develop symptoms.
It is important to avoid foods the child may be allergic to. Learning how to read the food labels can help to prevent exposing the child to the items that cause the reactions. It is possible for that food to be an ingredient in another food. Also avoid using the equipment that has been used to prepare any food the child is allergic to. Children with the more severe reactions may need to be tested and evaluated by their Pediatrician or an allergist. A skin test or a RAST, radioallergosorbent test, which is a blood test that checks for antibodies against certain items the child may be allergic to. Also the child may be issued or prescribed a epinephrine autoinjection device, such as the EpiPen, or EpiPen JR. It is also a good idea to have the child wear a medical alert bracelet that will notify others to the allergies.