Recognizing the signs of food allergies and food intolerances helps you better understand how to accommodate your child’s dietary needs.
According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, around 4 million—or 5.8%—children in the United States deal with food allergies. It takes diligence, education, and adjustments, but even children with the most severe food allergies don’t have to approach life with constant fear. Plenty of food allergy testing and management options exist to provide parents with peace of mind that their kids can stay safe and healthy.
What are Food Allergies?
Allergies occur when a harmless stimulus enters the body, such as via inhalation or touch, and is subsequently targeted by the immune system mistaking it for a harmful invader, such as a virus or illness-causing bacteria. A food allergy specifically refers to the immune system incorrectly identifying food or beverages as “attacking” the body and reacting accordingly.
The severity of allergies vary from child to child, with some experiencing mild symptoms and others suffering life-threatening emergencies when they come in contact with the triggering food or drink. In addition, some kids may grow out of their food allergies as they age, while others have to accommodate their allergies all throughout their lives.
What are the most common food allergies?
According to the FDA, the nine most common food allergies are as follows:
- Dairy
- Eggs
- Fish
- Shellfish
- Tree nuts
- Peanuts
- Wheat
- Soy
- Sesame
Children and adults alike can be allergic to foods other than these, so keep an eye out for the symptoms of food allergies after meals regardless of ingredients.
What are the Symptoms of Food Allergies?
Food allergy symptoms generally appear between a few minutes to two hours after consuming a triggering food or drink. Regardless of what your child is specifically allergic to, the signs of allergies (or potential allergies) tend to remain the same.
If your kid starts dealing with the following symptoms shortly after eating or drinking, they may have a food allergy:
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Fainting
- Itches or rashes
- Hives or eczema
- Nausea or vomiting
- Abdominal pain or diarrhea
- Swelling around the face, particularly the lips, throat, and/or tongue
- An itchy mouth
The most severe food allergies could also lead to anaphylaxis, also known as anaphylactic shock.
Anaphylaxis Symptoms
Anaphylaxis is a life-threatening allergic reaction that requires immediate medical intervention. If your child starts showing the symptoms of anaphylaxis, dial 911 or take them to an emergency room immediately.
If your child has been diagnosed with food allergies, we advise keeping an epinephrine auto-injector on hand when you’re out and about with your child. Epinephrine auto-injectors contain medicines (mainly epinephrine) which relax the muscles in the airways and make it easier for kids suffering from anaphylaxis to breathe. These devices save lives.
The signs of anaphylaxis include the following:
- Tightening, constricting airways
- Inability to breathe or feeling a lump in the throat
- Rapid pulse
- Extreme drop blood pressure
- Shock
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Fainting
Mayo Clinic advises that CPR may be administered to anaphylaxis patients only if there is no sign of movement, coughing, or breathing. Even if your child is revived before paramedics arrive, or you make it to the ER, it is still highly advisable to receive monitoring and treatment. Anaphylaxis symptoms can relapse. Wait until a doctor gives the all-clear before bringing your child home.
How are Food Allergies Diagnosed?
Specialists known as “allergists” are responsible for diagnosing allergies. Allergy tests are usually conducted via a combination of skin tests, blood tests, and elimination diets.
Skin tests involve exposing tiny portions of your child’s skin to the possible food allergen. If a little red bump appears, that indicates the possibility of an allergy. Blood tests are able to confirm the presence of an allergy as suggested by a skin test. Your child’s allergist may also request an elimination diet, which requires you to remove possible allergens from your kid’s diet one at a time and note whether or not their health improves.
Some of the milder food allergies may also be tested under a controlled setting at the allergist’s office, where your child will be given increasing “doses” of the food in question to gauge their body’s reaction. Under no circumstances should this test be administered at home or elsewhere outside the allergy specialist’s supervision.
All of these tests help parents better understand their child’s dietary needs, and can help you determine whether or not your child requires accommodations for food allergies, food intolerances, or similar conditions.
Food Allergies vs. Food Intolerances vs. Celiac Disease in Children
When your child experiences digestive distress such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, or diarrhea after eating certain foods, an allergist’s tests may reveal that they actually suffer from a food intolerance rather than an allergy.
For example, lactose intolerance is often confused with a dairy allergy. They have overlapping symptoms and involve the inability to properly consume and digest dairy, but one condition is not synonymous with the other.
Food intolerances are usually less dangerous and life-threatening than allergies because they don’t involve an immune system reaction. Rather, intolerances only occur within the digestive tract. They can be incredibly painful, but unlike allergies there is no risk of going into anaphylaxis with a food intolerance. Children with food intolerances still require dietary restrictions and other accommodations just like their peers with food allergies.
Celiac disease is also mistakenly framed as a wheat allergy in much the same way lactose intolerance gets mixed up with dairy allergies. However, doctors do not consider celiac an intolerance, either—it’s actually an autoimmune condition. Unlike a true food allergy, the distress is confined only to the digestive tract and poses almost no risk of anaphylaxis or other breathing issues.
Handling Your Child’s Food Allergies
Food allergies can and do clear up over time, but they can also worsen as well. We highly advise that parents of children with food allergies always take precautions to make sure their kids stay healthy and safe. Pediatricians and allergy specialists can help with a personalized plan to meet your kid’s specific needs.
Most food allergy management plans will include many or all of the following precautions:
- Checking labels for allergen exposure
- Dietary supplements, if the doctor recommends them
- Ensuring schools provide allergy accommodations
- Carrying epinephrine auto-injectors for emergencies
- Calling restaurants or event spaces ahead of time to inquire about allergy protocols
- Informing friends’ parents about dietary restrictions before parties, sleepovers, and other activities
- Keeping your child as healthy as possible with a nutritious diet and regular exercise
Children with food allergies may require some adjustments and communication, but food allergies don’t have to be impediments to your kid thriving and enjoying their favorite activities.
Emergency Medical Care for the Whole Family
Patients ER is here to help Baytown area families with any emergencies that arise. We understand how parents always want the best for their children, and we offer 24 hour care and peace of mind alongside our emergency services. Please give us a call at 281-576-0555 (however, dial 911 for critical situations) or find us at 10133 Interstate 10 East, Baytown, TX 77521. We’re here when you need us.
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