Food Allergies In Children – Being Parents

Food allergies in children are usually caused by a defect in immunological tolerance. Genetics, age, quantity or even the form of food presentation can also be the cause.

These food allergies usually have an impact on the eyes, nose and skin.

If your child is diagnosed with a food allergy it is best that you educate yourself on everything.

For example, you need to know which foods cause allergic reactions, how to avoid them, how to recognize symptoms, and what treatments can help prevent them.

Most common food allergies in children

Every day, several cases of food allergies are diagnosed in children. The main allergens involved are the following foods:

Egg allergy

This is an immunological reaction caused by eating or coming into contact with an egg. This type of allergy is more common in children over one year of age. Symptoms may be different depending on the child.

However, the most common signs are: itchy mouth and / or throat, reddening of the skin, swelling of the lips, vomiting, diarrhea or abdominal cramps.

Milk allergy

It is a common allergy to the proteins contained in milk. They appear very early in children.

Symptoms can be very diverse, but the most common are: itchy skin, edema of the lips or eyelids. We can also see abdominal cramps, vomiting, diarrhea, rhinitis or asthma.

Allergy to fish and seafood

As in the two previous cases, it is an adverse reaction of the organism trying to defend itself against an enemy. This type of reaction usually takes place during the first years of a child’s life.

The symptoms strongly resemble the other two allergies. They appear after ingestion of the offending foods. However, with regard to the consumption of fish and seafood, symptoms may appear on contact with the cooking steam or on contact with the skin.

Allergies to fruits and vegetables

Allergies to fruits and vegetables are among the most common in children, especially those over the age of 5. Indeed, this is due to genetic factors or the presence of pollen which can weaken the child’s organism.

Among the fruits that are most often allergens are:

• peach
• Apple
• plum
• Pear
• melon
• pineapple
• mango

When it comes to vegetables, the ones that most often trigger allergies are: tomato, lettuce, carrot, onion.

Additionally, spices such as cumin and pepper can trigger this type of reaction. The most common symptoms are: itching, swelling of the lips and tongue, red rash, problems in the digestive or respiratory tract.

Allergy to nuts, grains or legumes

This type of allergy is very common in childhood and usually goes away on its own over time. This type of allergy usually occurs after ingesting lentils, green beans, peas, peanuts, hazelnuts, almonds, wheat or even soy.

How to avoid food allergies in children?

Try to breastfeed your baby for as long as possible, at least for the first 6 months. This is especially true if you have an allergy yourself. This will be his best protection.

In addition, after 6 months, you can start to gradually introduce new foods to your baby’s diet. Allow a few days to pass between each new food. By doing this you can identify an allergenic food.

It is recommended that you read labels before purchasing any food. This advice is valid for the entire population. Try to make this habit when you buy something so that you can identify foods to avoid.

To conclude, food allergies in children are a very common occurrence. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to this. Be careful when introducing a new food into their diet and observe any of the symptoms described above.

In rare cases, more serious symptoms can occur and put the child’s life at risk.

If you notice one or more of these symptoms in your child, it is strongly recommended that you consult a pediatrician promptly. The latter can perform tests to determine the presence or not of an allergy.