Food Allergies Essay

Food eitherergies happen when our immune systems produce antibodies in reply to a protein in forage that is normally considered harmless. Food allergies argon to a greater extent than roughhewn in people who come from families with a history of allergies, much(prenominal) as asthma, hayfever, or eczema. If your pincer has a food allergy, he pull up s jams probably rush an itchy or liquid nose, a sore throat, itchy, watery eyes, rashes (hives) and swelling, which usually come on fairly quickly later on eating the food. Food allergies be common in young barbarianren. It is estimated that amidst six per cent and eight per cent of squirtren take for a food allergy (Venter et al 2008). What is my churl most likely to be hypersensitised to?The most common food allergies in young clawren are to milk, bollock, peanuts and channelize nuts. * Milk Although this is not to be confused with milk intolerance. * Eggs nearly two per cent of small fryren under three are hyper sensitive to eggs. * around the bend Just under two per cent of children are allergic to peanuts. eggs allergies in general are on the increase (Hourihane et al 2007). What symptoms should I opinion forth for?It should be quite easy for you to tell if your child has an allergy. The symptoms include * Hives (nettle rash) around your childs mouth, nose and eyes, which gouge spread across his body. * Mild swelling of his lips, eyes and face.* A runny or blocked nose, sneezing, watery eyes. * An itchy mouth and irritated throat. * Nausea, nauseant and play. More severe reactions, involving wheezing, breathing difficulties or a drop in blood pressure may be life-threatening and are sleep together as anaphylaxis. Fortunately, severe reactions are rare in young children. If you mistrustful a child is having a severe allergic reaction, call an ambulance immediately.When your child reacts quickly to an allergen, its usually easy to spot. However, retard allergic reactions to foods are becoming more common. Your childs body will take longer to react, because different parts of his immune system are affected. Symptoms to look out for include* reflux* colic * diarrhoea * constipation * eczema, which is common in young children with a milk allergy Remember that all these symptoms are common in early childhood and an allergy is sole(prenominal) one possible explanation. How is a food allergy diagnosed?If you think your child is allergic to a food, bring down your GP and ask for a nameral to an allergy clinic. There are about 90 NHS allergy clinics in the UK, slightly of which exceptionalise in childrens allergies (paediatric allergy), but you may not have one in your area. Your child may be seen by a general paediatrician, a dermatologist, or an adult allergy particular(a)ist instead.Your child will have a skin prick test as a first step, and these are very helpful, even for diagnosing allergies in small babies. Your doc may also do blood tests. continuousl y get medical help if youre concerned. Dont be tempted to buy commercial testing kits, which are sold online, by armor order or in health food shops.If your child is having a delayed allergic reaction to a food, the allergen is likely to be track down by a process of elimination. Your doctor will refer you to a nourishmentician, who will work with you on a diet that cuts out various foods from your childs meals. The dietician will review your childs symptoms and slowly reintroduce the suspected allergen to his diet to see if the symptoms recur. incessantly talk to your doctor or a dietician before press cutting food groups out of your childs diet. Will my child senesce out of his food allergy?It depends on what hes allergic to. Up to 90 per cent of children will outgrow cows milk and egg allergies, for display case, whereas only about 10 per cent to 20 per cent outgrow nut allergies. Some children may go on to develop early(a) allergy-related, or atopic, conditions, such as a sthma or hayfever, later in life. Read our article on allergies for more information.If your child has a food allergy, its essential that he is checked frequently by an allergy specialist, and that he is retested at intervals to see if he has outgrown his allergy. What are food intolerances?Young children can sometimes develop an intolerance to accredited foods, which is different to an allergy, because it doesnt involve the immune system. The terms are a good deal confused. Your child has an intolerance if he has difficulty digesting certain food. He susceptibility have the following symptoms* tummy pain* colic * bloating * wind * diarrhoea * vomiting The most common intolerance in babies is milk, or milk sugar intolerance. This usually occurs after a tummy upset and may conk a few weeks.If you suspect that your child has a food intolerance, see your GP. Never try to diagnose your child yourself, since there are other conditions that can cause similar symptoms, such as coelia c disease, a condition where the gut reacts to the gluten in grains (Bingley et al 2004).The food that troubles your child is place in much the same way as an allergen that causes a delayed reaction. Your doctor will refer him to a dieticians, who will put him on an exclusion diet, where suspect foods are removed from his meals then slowly reintroduced. This helps to fall upon which foods are causing the problem. Living with a food allergy at one time your childs food allergy has been diagnosed, always follow your doctors or dieticians advice about avoiding trigger foods. Some children with mild allergies, for example to egg, might be able to tolerate the food in baked goods, whereas other children with severe allergies will have to avoid all traces of it.Holidays, natal day parties, eating out and days out will need more planning than usual, but you will soon get used to providing the office food and drink for your child or advising others on how to do so. ever so remember to ta ke your childs medication with you on a trip out. This may be antihistamine medicine, or if your child is at assay of a severe reaction (anaphylaxis), he may also have an adrenaline pen (Epipen or Anapen) as well. Shopping for a special dietShopping for a special diet can be a challenge at first. But once you get to know all the products that are suitable for your child, with help from your dietician or doctor, his diet will be varied, nutritious and tasty.There are now special free-from ranges in most supermarkets, and many stores provide lists of own-brand foods which are free from nuts, eggs and milk.