Food allergies are common disorders among children, especially those younger than 3 years of age. Symptoms are varied, can be mild or serve, and can occur in almost any part of the body, although they usually affect the gastrointestinal tract (vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps), respiratory tract (swelling of the throat, nasal stuffiness, wheezing), and skin (hives, rash, swelling).
Sensitivity to cow’s-milk protein is the most common food allergy among infants and young children. Other foods that cause allergic reactions for many children are eggs, wheat, chocolate, nuts, fish and shellfish, corn, soy, peas, tomatoes, citrus fruit, legumes and strawberries. Almost any food substance can trigger a reaction in a sensitive individual.
Identifying food allergies is important. Delays in growth, resulting from poor absorption of vital nutrients and stress on the body, can be associated with allergies that go untreated. Therefore, children with food allergies should be evaluated and monitored by a physician. Also, early diagnosis of food sensitivities means that parents will not mistakenly withhold foods needed by the child.
Several methods are used to diagnose food allergies. The most common is the elimination diet, in which a suspicious food is omitted and any disappearance or reduction of symptoms is noted. The food being tasted is reintroduced a few weeks later to see if symptoms recur. Another diagnostic tool for determining allergies is the scratch or prick test, where a small nick is made on the skin and a drop of the suspected substance, or antigen, is applied to see if a reaction occurs. A dairy of all foods and medications taken up to 72 hours before the onset of reactions is another method sometimes used to identify food allergies. A family history of food allergies also may provide clues.
After food allergies are identified, treatment usually involves partially or totally eliminating the offending food, products containing it, and its derivatives. This may not be a problem when children have only one or two food sensitivities. Children who are allergic to many foods, however, require careful menu planning to make sure that they get enough of all the necessary nutrients.
Three common food allergies – milk, eggs, and wheat – are among the most challenging because these ingredients are contained in many processed and prepared foods. Parents of children with any of these sensitivities should take extra care to read labels and recognize ingredients that are byproducts, curds, and whey are all derived from milk by products. Egg byproducts may be listed as albumin, vitellin, livetin, or globulin. Gluten, bran, food starch, vegetable starch, and vegetable gum can indicate the presence of wheat.
Parents should work with a physician or a registered dietitian when their children have food allergies.
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