Kids Coping With Food Allergies

A food allergy is a very scary allergic reaction to a particular item of food. Food allergies are usually not diagnosed until a child has been exposed to the allergen and experienced an adverse reaction. Parents of children who have a food allergy know how scary and unpredictable the problem can be. Often our children are exposed to food items that have ingredients they are not completely aware of, thus exposing them to the food they are allergic to.

Food allergies, as opposed to food sensitivities, occur in the immune system. A true allergy to a food results in a violent, life-threatening reaction caused by the immune system attacking the offending protein as it enters the body and bloodstream. The immune system produces an antibody called IgE, which seeks out and bonds with the protein of the food that the child is allergic to. The build up of IgE proteins in the blood stream releases a torrent of chemicals that can cause itching, swelling, vomiting, fever, difficulty breathing, and many other symptoms, and can eventually lead to the systems of the body shutting down.

Most food allergies appear before a child reaches three years of life. If, however, a child is never exposed to a certain food that they have an allergy to in the toddler years, they might show an allergic reaction later in life. Most common allergens include wheat, milk, nuts, soy, and eggs. In fact, those foods incorporate over ninety percent of the allergies children face.

Allergies and sensitivities to foods are two different ideas. Sensitivities to foods are far less severe and the reactions do not occur immediately. It can be harder to detect sensitivities to foods because if a person eats an entire meal, it will not always be apparent as to what food caused the reaction. However, allergies are different. With allergies, a reaction takes place every time within seconds of ingesting the food allergen.

Although some food allergies cause problems for a lifetime, many of them can be outgrown.
If you are concerned that your child may have a food allergy, it is crucial to have them screened through the use of an allergy skin test. This will eliminate any doubt in your mind about whether or not there is allergy present. Once diagnosed, inform all caretakers, family, and friends about the allergy, and teach your child to ask what is in the foods that they are offered. The best way to deal with allergies in children is to completely avoid the foods that cause the reaction.

It is next to impossible, however, to protect your child from dangerous foods every minute of every day. Packaging has come a long way in recent years, and packaged foods are usually clearly labeled with potential allergens, but your child may not know how to read the labels, and may inadvertently grab a handful of snack mix that has a trace of peanuts in it. Because of the danger of life threatening complications, always have an Epi-pen handy, and make sure your child or her caregivers knows how to use it. An Epi-pen is a large shot of epinephrine, which will stabilize the allergic reaction until help can be summoned. After administering the epinephrine, call 911 to get immediate medical help for your child.

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