Baby has allergic reaction to food

Food Allergies in Children | Johns Hopkins Medicine

What is food allergy?

A food allergy is an abnormal response of the body to a certain food. It is important to know that this is different than a food intolerance, which does not affect the immune system, although some of the same symptoms may be present.

What causes food allergy?

Before having a food allergy reaction, a sensitive child must have been exposed to the food at least once before, or could also be sensitized through breast milk. It is the second time your child eats the food that the allergic symptoms happen. At that time, when IgE antibodies react with the food, histamines are released, which can cause your child to experience hives, asthma, itching in the mouth, trouble breathing, stomach pains, vomiting, and/or diarrhea.

What is the difference between food allergy and food intolerance?

Food allergy causes an immune system response, causing symptoms in your child that range from uncomfortable to life-threatening. Food intolerance does not affect the immune system, although some symptoms may be the same as in food allergy.

What foods most often cause food allergy?

Approximately 90 percent of all food allergies are caused by the following eight foods:

Milk
Eggs
Wheat
Soy
Tree nuts
Peanuts
Fish
Shellfish

Eggs, milk, and peanuts are the most common causes of food allergies in children, with wheat, soy, and tree nuts also included. Peanuts, tree nuts, fish, and shellfish commonly cause the most severe reactions. Nearly 5 percent of children under the age of five years have food allergies. From 1997 to 2007, the prevalence of reported food allergy increased 18 percent among children under age 18 years. Although most children "outgrow" their allergies, allergy to peanuts, tree nuts, fish, and shellfish may be lifelong.

What are the symptoms of food allergy?

Allergic symptoms may begin within minutes to an hour after ingesting the food. The following are the most common symptoms of food allergy. However, each child may experience symptoms differently. Symptoms may include:

Vomiting
Diarrhea
Cramps
Hives
Swelling
Eczema
Itching or swelling of the lips, tongue, or mouth
Itching or tightness in the throat
Difficulty breathing
Wheezing
Lowered blood pressure

According to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, it does not take much of the food to cause a severe reaction in highly allergic people. In fact, as little as 1/44,000 of a peanut kernel can cause an allergic reaction for severely allergic individuals.

The symptoms of food allergy may resemble other problems or medical conditions. Always consult your child's doctor for a diagnosis.

Treatment for food allergy

There is no medication to prevent food allergy. The goal of treatment is to avoid the foods that cause the symptoms. After seeing your child's doctor and finding foods to which your child is allergic, it is very important to avoid these foods and other similar foods in that food group. If you are breastfeeding your child, it is important to avoid foods in your diet to which your child is allergic. Small amounts of the food allergen may be transmitted to your child through your breast milk and cause a reaction.

It is also important to give vitamins and minerals to your child if he or she is unable to eat certain foods. Discuss this with your child's doctor.

For children who have had a severe food reaction, your child's health care provider may prescribe an emergency kit that contains epinephrine, which helps stop the symptoms of severe reactions. Consult your child's doctor for further information.

Some children, under the direction of his or her health care provider, may be given certain foods again after three to six months to see if he or she has outgrown the allergy. Many allergies may be short-term in children and the food may be tolerated after the age of 3 or 4.

Milk and soy allergy

Allergies to milk and soy are usually seen in infants and young children. Often, these symptoms are unlike the symptoms of other allergies, but, rather, may include the following:

Often, your child's doctor will change your baby's formula to a soy formula or breast milk if it is thought he or she is allergic to milk. If your child has problems with soy formula, your child's health care provider might change him or her to an easily digested hypoallergenic formula.

The symptoms of a milk or soy allergy may resemble other problems or medical conditions. Always consult your child's doctor for a diagnosis.

Prevention of food allergies

The development of food allergies cannot be prevented, but can often be delayed in infants by following these recommendations:

If possible, breastfeed your infant for the first six months.
Do not give solid foods until your child is 6 months of age or older.
Avoid cow's milk, wheat, eggs, peanuts, and fish during your child's first year of life.

Dining out with food allergies

If your child has one or more food allergies, dining out can be a challenge. However, it is possible to have a healthy and satisfying dining-out experience; it just takes some preparation and persistence on your part.

The American Dietetics Association offers these tips for dealing with food allergies when your family is eating away from home:

Know what ingredients are in the foods at the restaurant where you plan to eat. When possible, obtain a menu from the restaurant ahead of time and review the menu items.
Let your server know from the beginning about your child's food allergy. He or she should know how each dish is prepared and what ingredients are used. Ask about preparation and ingredients before you order. If your server does not know this information or seems unsure of it, ask to speak to the manager or the chef.
Avoid buffet-style or family-style service, as there may be cross-contamination of foods from using the same utensils for different dishes.
Avoid fried foods, as the same oil may be used to fry several different foods.

Another strategy for dining out with food allergies is to give your server or the manager a food allergy card. A food allergy card contains information about the specific items your child is allergic to, along with additional information, such as a reminder to make sure all utensils and equipment used to prepare your meal is thoroughly cleaned prior to use. You can easily print these cards yourself using a computer and printer. If your child is eating out with friends and you are not going to be present, give your child a food allergy card (or make sure the adult in charge has one) to give to the server.

Alternately, there are several types of allergy cards available on the internet that can be customized with your child's personal information. One example is the Food Allergy Buddy Dining Card, promoted by the National Restaurant Association.

The Food Allergy Initiative, in conjunction with the National Restaurant Association and the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network, has developed the Food Allergy Training Program for Restaurants and Food Services. This training program was developed to help restaurants and other food service outlets to ensure their customers, including those with food allergies, will receive a safe meal prepared to customer specifications.

Babies and Food Allergies | Children’s Hospital Los Angeles

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Health and Safety Tips

Experts agree: Feeding infants peanuts, eggs and other common allergens makes them less likely to develop sensitivities to these foods.

By Stephanie Cajigal

A lot has changed when it comes to caring for babies, including how to feed them. It used to be that parents were told to wait until their child was 3 to give him or her foods many people are allergic to, like peanuts. Not anymore.

Experts now recommend feeding babies common allergens before they turn 1 to reduce their chances of developing allergies to these foods.

Jill Madison, MS, RD, a Clinical Dietitian at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, and Jonathan Tam, MD, Medical Director of the Gores Family Allergy Center at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, offer these tips for feeding your little one.

Feed solids at around 4 months

Your baby is likely ready to start eating food when he or she has good head control, can sit up unassisted, and shows interest in foods, Madison says. At the baby’s 4-month checkup, your pediatrician will tell you whether it’s time to introduce solids. This means giving your baby a single-item food, like steamed carrots, not a combination of foods, like steamed carrots blended with potatoes.

“Historically, we started with purees. Now we know you can give a baby a whole food as long as it’s soft enough to chew, like a slice of ripe peach,” Madison says. To prevent choking, make sure that chunks of food are not round and hard, and can be mashed with a fork.

The first foods babies typically eat are single-grain cereals, vegetables, fruits and meat. Once your baby has gotten comfortable with these foods, you can start feeding him or her common allergens, introducing them one by one.

Safely introduce allergens

The most common allergens are eggs, milk, wheat, soy, sesame, tree nuts, peanuts, fish and shellfish. It’s a good idea to feed these foods to your baby before he or she turns 1, with the exception of milk in liquid form. That’s because cow’s milk has more calcium than breast milk and could interfere with the way your baby absorbs iron. Give your baby cottage cheese, yogurt or other forms of dairy, but wait until 12 months to give a cup of milk, Madison says.

As for nuts, babies can choke on these when they’re whole, so opt instead for nut butters that are creamy and smooth as opposed to chunky. You can make the nut butter less sticky by mixing it with water or breast milk or even blending it with apple sauce, Madison says. Another option is to stir a nut flour such as almond flour into a food your baby has already eaten many times before.

Pay attention to texture when feeding your baby, making sure food is soft enough to chew. Dip whole wheat bread in breast milk or water, for example, and mush shellfish and fish with a fork. You can mash a hardboiled egg and serve it as is or blend it with breast milk. Yogurt is an easy one to introduce since you don’t need to do anything to it. Start with plain yogurt made with whole milk, Madison says. You can also stir the yogurt into a fruit puree to change things up.

Ask your doctor about your baby’s allergy risk

Talk to your pediatrician if your baby has eczema, because this can put your baby at higher risk for developing a food allergy. And children with one food allergy may develop other food allergies. Children with an egg allergy, for example, are at higher risk of developing a peanut allergy, Dr. Tam says. If your child already has a food allergy, your pediatrician can give you advice on when to introduce other potential allergens.

Keep in mind that you should not avoid giving your baby a food just because someone in your family has an allergy to it.

“Since we know that in some context giving food early can prevent food allergy, then it would be even more important for an at-risk child to have it introduced early and purposefully,” Dr. Tams says.

Follow the 3-day rule

Your pediatrician may have told you to give your child a new food for three days in a row before introducing another new food. The same goes for common allergens.

“We want to give the child enough time to actually ingest the food and see how their body does with it,” Madison says.

While you’re doing this, remember to keep offering your baby foods you’ve already introduced.

Prepare foods at home

With all the jars, pouches and puffs available at stores, the options for feeding your baby may seem endless—and overwhelming. But Madison says making meals for your infant can be really simple.

As you’re cooking foods for the rest of your family, you can set aside a portion that doesn’t have salt or other seasoning. Say you’re cooking cod and asparagus, for example. You can cook the cod on the stove with some olive oil and mush it up with a fork for your baby. You can also cook the asparagus with olive oil on the stove top or in the oven and then puree or slice into half-moon pieces for your little one.

Madison says that while store-bought baby foods can be a good option for parents in a pinch, it’s best not to depend on them too much since studies show they can have unsafe levels of lead, mercury and other metals.

Looks for signs of a food allergy

How do you know if your baby is having an allergic reaction? Look for changes that begin within minutes to two hours after he or she ate the food. Hives and vomiting are the most common symptoms in infants, Dr. Tam says. Shortness of breath, coughing or wheezing can also happen, but are more common reactions in older children. If your baby develops a rash, take photos to track whether it’s getting worse, he says.

Seek medical attention for serious symptoms

If your baby is acting normally but has a mild rash or some hives, you could give your baby an antihistamine. Diphenhydramine (Benadryl) can provide comfort, but second-generation antihistamines like cetirizine (Zyrtec) and loratadine (Claritin) last longer and are less likely to make your baby sleepy, Dr. Tam says.

If your baby is vomiting, coughing, having difficulty swallowing (pay attention to new, suspicious drooling), or acting very sleepy, seek immediate medical attention. Try to get a doctor on the phone or go to the emergency department, Dr. Tam says.

Focus on variety over the long term

As your baby grows up, remember to keep feeding your child a variety of flavors and textures to help him or her develop a taste for different types of foods.

“Children eat what their parents eat,” says Madison. “If parents eat vegetables and try new foods readily, babies and kids will too.”

Click here to learn more about raising a happy, healthy baby.

Food allergy in children. How is it manifested and how to treat?

According to WHO, approximately 40% of the world's population has allergies in the 21st century. Mankind suffers from skin allergies, allergies to insect bites, to sunlight and cold. However, the “leader” of the rating is food allergies. And most of all, she worries children - both babies and older kids, and teenagers.

The disease only seems insignificant. She learned to "disguise" herself as other ailments, so not every parent is able to recognize her. How to get rid of allergies, we have already told. Today we will talk about food allergies. Why can one child eat everything without harm to health, while another completely harmless chocolate causes allergies?

What is a food allergy?

A child's food allergy is when the body reacts to one or more foods. During an allergy, the immune system accepts protein or other substances in food not as useful, but as very dangerous and harmful. Against the "enemy" immunity immediately builds protection by producing antibodies.

Each organism and immunity is individual, so it is very difficult to predict the child's reaction to the product. But some foods still cause a reaction more often than others.

From citrus fruits to dried apricots and plums - high allergenic and low allergenic foods

Foods that cause allergies in a child are divided into highly allergenic, moderately allergenic and low allergenic foods. However, doctors remind: it is not at all necessary that oranges will cause a reaction, but pears will not. Each situation is purely individual.

How does food allergy manifest itself in children? 3 main symptoms

Food allergy manifests itself differently in children of different ages. But parents should know the general symptoms of the disease: the child does not want anything, is naughty, sleeps poorly and anxiously at night, and suffers from lack of sleep during the day.

At the same time, the disease also has its own characteristic alarming "signals". Some appear more frequently, others less frequently. What are the 3 main signs of food allergies in children.

Skin reaction

Most food allergies in children are indicated by redness. Pink dots, bubbles and red spots appear. The rash may continue with itching - from this the child sleeps and eats poorly.

Respiratory system

Food allergy in children manifests itself in the respiratory system through a runny nose and nasal congestion, pain and sore throat, cough. With a strong reaction, edema appears. This is a reason to urgently call an ambulance.

Gastrointestinal

Allergy disrupts the child's stomach and intestines. The baby is worried about colic, bloating. Older children feel sick and vomit, there is pain in the abdomen.

Food allergy in children. Looking for causes

Why do children develop food allergies? There are several reasons for the appearance of allergic reactions.

1. Immaturity of the child's digestive system

In babies, everything is just starting to work, so it is difficult for the body to cope with digesting proteins. Even small amounts of allergens can lead to a serious reaction.

2. Irrational introduction of complementary foods

Incorrect or early introduction of new foods into the baby's diet can cause allergies. Too much food can also cause an adverse reaction in the body. Therefore, everything new should be given to the baby one at a time, starting with one teaspoon.

An allergy in an infant can manifest itself due to breast milk - if the mother has eaten a new or allergenic product the day before. But here, too, everything is individual.

3. Heredity

Food allergies in children sometimes manifest themselves due to unfavorable heredity. Parents suffer from allergies, and not necessarily food. The risk of developing this disease in a child increases significantly.

4. Ecology

Poor environmental ecology can also affect a child's allergies. These are air and air pollution, climate change, lack of landscaping in cities, the emergence of unnatural food and substitute products.

5. Bad habits

The risk of allergic reactions increases the presence of bad habits. We are talking about smoking, the use of alcohol or drugs, both by the child and the mother during gestation.

Treating food allergies

How to treat food allergies in a child? There are two types of therapy - diet and medication. The treatment program for each child is individual, it will be helped by a pediatrician and narrow specialists - a nutritionist and an allergist.

Diet

Diet is very important in treating a child's food allergy. First, it is necessary, of course, to limit the child from the use of products that cause allergic reactions. Parents should not forget that the diet should be balanced. No need to give up foods rich in vitamins and nutrients.

If we are talking about a child who is breastfed, the mother needs to think over the diet.

Complementary foods, as we mentioned earlier, should be started gradually. If a child suffers from allergies, then highly allergenic foods - cow's milk, nuts, chicken eggs - doctors advise giving the baby only when he is two years old.

Medications

Doctors usually prescribe antihistamines and adsorbents to relieve food allergy symptoms in children. Creams and ointments will help get rid of redness and skin itching. Parents of the baby should strictly monitor the timely intake of medications and prevent an overdose of the drug.

Allergies can also be cured within the walls of a sanatorium. In the sanatorium "Mashuk Aqua-Therm" there is a special children's program Treatment of food allergies.

January 13, 2020 | allergy | children's programs

Food allergies in children - symptoms, treatment, diet

Food allergies in children or its individual components. What are its causes, what are the risk factors, and what food to choose in case of an allergic reaction - read in this material.

Food allergy symptoms

The causes of food intolerance are related to the fact that the immune system "incorrectly" recognizes them as potentially dangerous, and produces protective antibodies in excess. Excessively violent reaction leads to the fact that the child develops an allergy to certain types of food. ^1.3

Symptoms of food allergy in children are different. But most often, food allergies manifest themselves on the part of the skin - itching, a feeling of tightness and dryness. Local swelling may occur on the skin, a rash (urticaria), redness, blisters may appear. In second place in terms of frequency of manifestation - reactions from the respiratory system. Runny nose, nasal congestion, sore throat, cough of varying intensity. Also, reactions from the organs of the gastrointestinal tract can indicate food allergies. A very young child begins to be disturbed by colic, dyspepsia, stool disorders from diarrhea to constipation. Older children complain of nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, a feeling of scratching in the throat, behind the sternum.

Do not forget about the general symptoms of food allergies: the child becomes lethargic, capricious, sleeps poorly, does worse in school (or psycho-emotional development), is prone to daytime sleepiness. ^2.3

Causes of food allergies

Newborns and young children, if predisposed, may suffer from allergies due to their physiological characteristics. The fact is that a child is born with an immature gastrointestinal tract, the intestinal walls are permeable to many substances, the enzyme system is still imperfect. Therefore, it is difficult for the body to cope with the digestion of proteins. The body seems to be in a state of constant "combat readiness" and the ingestion of even a small amount of allergens leads to a response from the immune system and the development of a violent allergic reaction. ^1.2

In older children, many internal and external conditions become risk factors. For example, heredity - after all, if one of the child's parents suffered from an allergic disease, then with a high degree of probability the child will also be given a tendency to it. Unfavorable environmental factors influence - polluted atmosphere, car exhausts, lack of green plants in cities. Very often, a violation of the immune system in the form of an allergic reaction occurs in children with a labile, mobile psyche, with sharp transitions from friendliness and calmness to crying and back. Finally, bad habits, both in children and mothers during pregnancy, become an important factor. This is incorrectly introduced complementary foods and early introduction of potentially allergenic foods into the child's diet: citrus fruits, nuts, chocolate, berries, honey, and, of course, the habit of children to eat only something tasty (usually unhealthy; chocolate, carbonated drinks, fast food ) ^2,3,4

List of products that provoke allergies

Due to the extreme individuality of the immune system, it is almost impossible to predict its reaction. However, there is a rough list of foods classified into groups depending on their allergenicity - that is, the ability to cause a sharp reaction from the immune system and allergy symptoms. It is important to remember that it is not necessary that any product from the first column will cause a reaction. Like any low allergenic product, in some cases, it can cause an overreaction to it. ^2,3,4

Examples of the most typical exoallergens

Highly allergenic products	Foods of average allergenicity	Low Allergy Products
all citrus fruits, strawberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, pineapples.	peaches, cranberries, lingonberries, cherries, blueberries, black currants.	pears, gooseberries, dried apricots, plums, white currants, apples and pears.
carrots, tomatoes, bell peppers, radishes.	potatoes, beets, peppers, peas, corn.	broccoli, green peas, zucchini, squash, white and cauliflower, cucumbers, pumpkin.
eggs, sausages and sausages, chicken, sea fish.	beef, rabbit, pork.	lamb.
whole cow's milk, cheeses, yoghurts with additives.		fermented milk products.
wheat, rye.	buckwheat, oats, rice, peas, beans.	barley, millet.
coffee, cocoa, chocolate, nuts, honey.		xylitol, fructose
mushrooms, carbonated drinks, packaged juices.		vegetable oil.

Diagnosis established

The diagnosis of this allergy, as well as the search for the causes that caused it, requires a careful and serious approach on the part of parents. The younger the child, the easier it is to find foods that cause illness. For this, two conditions must be met.

The first thing is to put a child or mother on a hypoallergenic diet if she is breastfeeding - a detailed nutrition plan will be helped by an allergist together with a pediatrician. Please note that during an exacerbation, the diet will be extremely strict, the so-called elimination diet - aimed at removing the allergen and reaction products to it with the complete elimination of potential and cross allergens. The duration of such a diet is determined by the doctor. When the exacerbation fades, the diet gradually expands due to safe foods. ^3.4

And the second thing is to start keeping a special food diary in which to record everything that was eaten and drunk by the child during the day, as well as what was prepared and how. At the first sign of an allergic reaction, suspicious foods should be eliminated one at a time (or from the mother's diet if the baby is breastfed). After elimination, within a few days, it is worth observing the reaction, if the manifestations of allergies decrease, then the product is really not suitable for the child - it should be avoided. If the child is very small, then the diary is kept according to the opposite principle: all foods that are introduced as complementary foods are recorded in it. The name of the product, the quantity, the time of eating and the reactions of the body are recorded over the next few days (the attending physician will determine the specific timing of observation). Next, the doctor will need to check and confirm the preliminary diagnosis by conducting special tests and analyzes.

Emergency measures for food allergies

First, you need to assess the severity of the manifestations of food allergies.

For any symptoms, contact with a specific familiar allergen or any suspicious food or drink should be avoided first.

If the symptoms of allergy are mild - itching, redness of the skin, then you can give the child an antihistamine, which was previously recommended by the doctor for such cases. In addition, you must also call the local pediatrician and carefully monitor the condition of the child.

In case of obvious or possible signs of deterioration, call an ambulance. Signs that you should pay close attention to and immediately dial 03 include spreading rash and redness, increased itching, fever, drowsiness and lethargy, vomiting and nausea, refusal to drink water, difficulty breathing, loss of consciousness and pallor .

For general symptoms, in which it is difficult to understand whether they are associated with allergies or not, and which may indicate a developing serious condition, an ambulance should be called immediately if the child has any difficulty or changes in breathing, shortness of breath, cough, croup, disturbances vote. If pains in the abdomen began, extensive swelling, redness, itchy skin areas appeared.