Not all bad reactions to food are serious, but allergies can be a worry. Here are some tips for spotting food allergies in your child
Although some pregnant women avoid things like nuts for fear this may cause an allergy in their baby (a practice no longer recommended by the Food Standards Agency), no one knows why food allergies appear to have risen over recent years.
However, whilst advice is to hold off giving solids to babies until they are six months old, and offering no nuts to any child until they are three years old (with no whole peanuts until a child is five because of the risk of choking), is there a more reliable way than just ‘playing safe’? After all, if we simply cut out the most common allergens from our diet, many of us are missing out on nutritious foods that might not do us any harm at all.
What is an allergy?
An allergy is a body’s reaction to a particular food component, usually a protein) which triggers an over-reaction of our immune system, a system designed to protect our bodies from illness. This can cause anything from mild unwanted symptoms usually skin, respiratory or gastro-intestinally related – itchy eye, skin rash, nausea, sneezing and runny nose, to severe and potentially fatal reactions - anaphylactic shock (symptoms can include vomiting, swelling, restricted breathing and a sudden drop in blood pressure).
There is a lot of dispute over the incidence of real allergy in the UK, although the perception is that they have been on the rise. Some are related to exposure to new foods, others unknown.
It is important to note that usually the first exposure does not cause a reaction as the severe reactions are a result of the body recognising a component it had met before as a threat and over reacting to it.
What foods cause allergic reactions?
Different people can have unexpected reactions to all kinds of different foods, but the most common are dairy products like milk and eggs. Although nuts are often seen as a common allergen they are in fact less common, and some people suffer an allergy with certain fruits.
Not all allergies are developed early on in life so a person may develop a reaction or sensitivity later for a food they previously enjoyed.
What are the symptoms to look for?
Unexpectedly serious reactions to food might be instant coughing and choking, swelling of the hands or face and a spread of redness across the skin. These kinds of symptoms require immediate emergency help and will demand a complete future avoidance of a particular food.
In less serious but still unpleasant cases, reactions might include: sneezing, coughing, itchiness to various parts such as nose, face, ears, eyes or throat, shortness of breath or wheezing, and sinus problems.
Who is most likely to have an allergy?
Although no-one can pin down one specific reason why allergies appear to be on the rise, there are some people who may inherit the tendency towards allergy.
If anyone in your immediate family has a history of asthma, eczema, suffers badly from hayfever, or has an existing known allergy, then this may increase the chances of an inherited predisposition. It is not guaranteed that this predisposition will have been inherited but caution with common allergens is advised.
What can you do about a suspected allergy?
In emergency cases, the hospital will be able to refer the patient for further testing to confirm any specific problem. A person who is found to have a serious allergic reaction to a food will be issued with an emergency treatment they can carry with them. An ‘Epi-Pen’ is a small injection that can be carried at all times and self-administered as soon as serious symptoms appear, this enables the sufferer to alleviate the worst symptoms and gives him or her time to seek emergency medical help.
If your child suffers less serious symptoms, note down the kinds of symptoms your child experiences and what food they have been eating, then speak to your GP about possible referral to a specialist.
For useful support, advice and more information, go to
http://www.allergyuk.org/