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“One night, my 3-year-old asked me if she could sleep in my bed. I told her no. She said, “That’s not fair! Why does Daddy get to sleep in your bed?” READ MORE
Kids' Health
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Packing a lunch box can exhaust any parent’s creativity, but even more so when your child has a food allergy. Food allergies are diagnosed in about 6% of children under the age of 3. Ninety percent of allergic reactions are caused by eight foods: milk, eggs, peanuts, soy, wheat, tree nuts (walnuts, cashews, almonds), fish and shellfish. A food allergy is an immune reaction triggered by a particular food. The immune system mistakenly identifies a food as being harmful to the body and mounts an immune reaction against it. Symptoms vary depending on the child and can include hives, itchy mouth, stuffy nose, wheezing, vomiting or diarrhea. The most life-threatening reaction is called anaphylaxis, and involves swelling of the tongue and throat, difficulty breathing, and a sudden drop in blood pressure. Without treatment, anaphylaxis can cause seizures or death. Peanut and shellfish allergies are most commonly associated with anaphylaxis. Children of parents who have food allergies are twice as likely to develop a food allergy themselves as compared to the general population. Breastfeeding for the first 6 to 12 months of life may prevent a milk or soy allergy. Some studies show a reduced risk of food allergy when introducing solid food to an infant is delayed until 4 to 6 months of age. Some children outgrow food allergies, particularly in the case of milk, egg, wheat or soy allergies. Allergies to peanuts and fish or shellfish, though, are likely to persist throughout adulthood. Talk to your child’s doctor if you suspect the presence of a food allergy. You may be asked to keep a detailed log of everything your child eats, and the type of reaction the food produced. If a specific food is suspected, a skin test or a blood test may aid in making the diagnosis. Once a food is identified as the cause of an allergic reaction, the only treatment is to remove it from your child’s diet. Although medications cannot “cure” this condition, antihistamines can help relieve hives and nasal congestion. Inhalers, such as albuterol, are used for wheezing. Steroids are useful in some cases. Epinephrine should be given immediately for anaphylactic reactions. Your child’s doctor can prescribe an epinephrine kit and educate you about it. Prevention is the key to handling food allergies. In nursing children, you may consider avoiding the allergenic food yourself, as small amounts of the food can enter the breast milk and cause a reaction in your child. Have your child wear a medical alert bracelet or necklace. Notify caregivers and teachers about your child’s special diet, and have a plan in place in the event of an exposure. Read labels and check ingredients carefully. Milk products may be listed as “caseinate,” “casein,” “whey,” “lactalbumin,” “caramel color” or “nougat.” Egg may appear as “albumin” and peanuts may be present in “hydrolyzed vegetable protein.” Be aware: Manufacturers may change the ingredients in a food without changing the package label. In some cases, even an ordinarily safe food can become contaminated with an offending food if both are processed on the same equipment. Living with a food allergy is not easy. For thousands of affected families in the U.S., preventing inadvertent exposure is a daily struggle. For many, meal planning is a life or death issue, involving hours of research, culinary creativity, and phone calls to manufacturers. With ongoing efforts to heighten national awareness, and improve package labeling laws, the question “what’s for lunch?” may one day be simpler to answer.m Dr. Richelle K. Marracino is a family practice physician in Riverside County. She may be reached by email at drmarracino@yahoo. RESOURCES American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology 800.822.2762. www.aaaai.org/scripts/find-a-doc/main.asp U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Information Center 301.436.7725 www.nalusda.gov/fnic/index.html Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network 800.929.4040 www.foodallergy.org/ |
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