Food allergy among children is very common. One in 20 children get food allergy whereas only 1 in 50 adults have food allergy. The most common allergenic are egg, cow's milk, peanut, tree nuts, seafood, sesame, soy, fish and wheat. Majority of food allergies in children are not severe. Probably the will outgrow the allergy with time. But some may remain lifelong allergies. However, peanut, tree nut, seed and seafood allergies are less likely to be outgrown.
When an allergenic enters the body, the system secretes histamine to protect the body. This histamine caused the symptom to appear and is treated with anti- histamine.
Mild to moderate allergy may show up in swelling of face, lips and/or eyes, hives or welts on the skin, abdominal pain and vomiting.
Symptoms of severe allergy include: breathing difficulty, swelling of tongue or throat, wheezing or persistent cough and dizziness.
People sometimes confuse food allergies with food intolerance because their similarity in symptoms. The symptoms of food intolerance can include burping, indigestion, gas, loose stools, headaches and nervousness. But food intolerance doesn't involve the immune system. It may be caused by a person's inability to digest certain substances, such as lactose. Food intolerance can be unpleasant but is rarely dangerous.
Peanut allergy is very common in the United States but unheard of in rural Africa. This is because parents avoid giving peanut to their children fearing allergy. Recent studies show that avoiding foods of all types of foods increases the risk of baby’s allergy to the food.
Current treatment for these food allergies is based on desensitization. This is done by giving the child a measured amount of allergen at regular intervals and increasing the dosage gradually to increase the threshold of reaction. Desensitization is not a cure because in some children when you stop giving them the allergen for a period of time they will go back to their original threshold of tolerance.
A study done in Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne suggested that addition of probiotics increased the safety and effectiveness of desensitization.
If you suspect your baby having an allergy consult a doctor. The doctor will perform a blood test or a ‘skin prick’ test to ascertain the allergy. Once you have confirmed the allergy you may avoid the allergen altogether and wait to see if the child outgrows the allergy. Other alternative is to talk to you doctor about a safe desensitization program along with some probiotics. Probiotics strengthen the immune system.
When an allergenic enters the body, the system secretes histamine to protect the body. This histamine caused the symptom to appear and is treated with anti- histamine.
Mild to moderate allergy may show up in swelling of face, lips and/or eyes, hives or welts on the skin, abdominal pain and vomiting.
Symptoms of severe allergy include: breathing difficulty, swelling of tongue or throat, wheezing or persistent cough and dizziness.
People sometimes confuse food allergies with food intolerance because their similarity in symptoms. The symptoms of food intolerance can include burping, indigestion, gas, loose stools, headaches and nervousness. But food intolerance doesn't involve the immune system. It may be caused by a person's inability to digest certain substances, such as lactose. Food intolerance can be unpleasant but is rarely dangerous.
Peanut allergy is very common in the United States but unheard of in rural Africa. This is because parents avoid giving peanut to their children fearing allergy. Recent studies show that avoiding foods of all types of foods increases the risk of baby’s allergy to the food.
Current treatment for these food allergies is based on desensitization. This is done by giving the child a measured amount of allergen at regular intervals and increasing the dosage gradually to increase the threshold of reaction. Desensitization is not a cure because in some children when you stop giving them the allergen for a period of time they will go back to their original threshold of tolerance.
A study done in Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne suggested that addition of probiotics increased the safety and effectiveness of desensitization.
If you suspect your baby having an allergy consult a doctor. The doctor will perform a blood test or a ‘skin prick’ test to ascertain the allergy. Once you have confirmed the allergy you may avoid the allergen altogether and wait to see if the child outgrows the allergy. Other alternative is to talk to you doctor about a safe desensitization program along with some probiotics. Probiotics strengthen the immune system.
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