Food allergies affect one in 20 young children and may manifest with symptoms that range from mild gastrointestinal discomfort to anaphylaxis – an emergency situation in which blood pressure drops rapidly while multiple body systems swell rapidly – or even life threatening anaphylaxis.
Food allergies often co-occur with other allergic conditions, including asthma and eczema. Some individuals may even inherit an increased susceptibility (known as “atopy”).
Symptoms
Food allergies often present as mild, yet severe reactions. Affecting skin, digestive tract and respiratory systems. Food allergens may be triggered by just small doses and occur any time after eating the food containing said allergen; symptoms include itching in mouth or throat (oral allergy syndrome), hives, eczema, wheezing and angioedema swelling of lips face tongue or body (angioedema) with difficulty breathing (anaphylaxis).
Most individuals who are allergic to eggs, milk, peanuts, fish or shellfish typically suffer from what are known as IgE-mediated food allergies – the most prevalent kind. These allergies typically begin manifesting themselves at young ages and usually persist into adulthood.
Other forms of food allergies do not rely on IgE for mediation and can be just as serious. Pollen-food allergy syndrome, which often manifests itself through hay fever symptoms, can cause symptoms like mouth and throat tingling when certain fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts or spices contain proteins similar to pollen allergy-causing pollens are consumed.
Non-IgE food allergies may present themselves with symptoms such as stomachache, vomiting and diarrhea. Certain foods – such as those containing gluten or lactose – may trigger both food intolerance and allergies; if you suspect you have either one of these conditions it would be wise to visit a physician for guidance on healthy eating practices.
Diagnosis
If you believe your child may have a food allergy, make an appointment with an allergist immediately. They will discuss symptoms, family history and any health problems before conducting a physical exam (listening to the lungs) before conducting allergy testing such as skin tests or blood analyses.
Skin prick tests are the go-to food allergy tests. A small droplet containing suspected food allergens is applied to either arm or back and then pinched; once pinched, providers watch for red, itchy bumps to form, which are an indicator that your immune system has recognized it as harmful and produced antibodies against it. Blood tests, although less reliable than skin tests, measure levels of immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies against specific foods; high IgE antibody counts indicate allergic reactions associated with those foods.
Food allergies typically manifest themselves within minutes to two hours after ingesting offending foods, with most reactions typically mild but severe or life-threatening anaphylaxis requiring medical assistance – inducing difficulty breathing, drops in blood pressure and changes to heart rate. Your physician may provide an auto-injector such as Adrenaclick, Auvi-Q or EpiPen to you or your child in order to administer epinephrine to protect against these reactions and teach how best to use it.
Treatment
If you experience symptoms related to food allergy, consult with a healthcare provider immediately. Seeking assistance early could prevent serious reactions like anaphylaxis.
An allergic reaction to food occurs when your immune system misidentifies certain proteins as harmful and produces antibodies known as immunoglobulin E (IgE). When exposed again, these IgE antibodies recognize it and bind it, leading to histamine release and subsequent allergic symptoms.
Food allergies can have severe repercussions for any part of the body, from the skin, respiratory system and digestive system to cardiovascular system and even life itself. Most reactions tend to be mild-moderate while severe reactions like anaphylaxis can be life-threatening.
Avoiding foods that trigger your allergies is the primary treatment for food allergy. Your doctor may suggest oral immunotherapy (OIT) or sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT), where small doses of the allergen are given each day until your immune system has adjusted to it over time. Furthermore, your physician may advise carrying an emergency self-injectable medication such as Epinephrine should you experience severe allergic symptoms.
Prevention
Finding out you or your child have food allergies can be intimidating, particularly if they must completely avoid certain foods or only consume those prepared by trusted individuals (like restaurants). Education yourself and your child on their allergy is key; also seeking instructions from restaurant staff or caregivers on how to prevent cross-contamination (using separate cooking pans or only clean utensils etc) will assist greatly. If prescribed an autoinjector (Adrenaclick or EpiPen), make sure you know how to use it correctly and carry it at all times.
Food allergies can produce symptoms including trouble breathing, low blood pressure, and shock; this condition is called anaphylaxis and it is potentially life-threatening. Unfortunately, its signs may come on suddenly without being easily identifiable as being related to a food allergy; failure to address such an attack quickly could prove fatal.
Some children outgrow food allergies over time; others remain affected for life. To lower the risk of food allergies in babies, some experts advise keeping cow’s milk, eggs and peanuts out until age one and then gradually introducing these items as foodstuffs to babies. Other prevention strategies include breastfeeding exclusively during the first three months of life as well as not using potentially allergenic skin products on babies.
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