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Food Allergies and Kids

Kids can have a difficult time coping when they have a food allergy, especially when it comes to eating at school or enjoying a party with friends and everyone else is eating a dessert that happens to contain something you are allergic to. It is difficult to always be careful about checking ingredients or reading labels when you are a kid. Kids can be so tempted or feel left out if everyone else is eating something and they can't eat it because of a food allergy. They may be tempted to take a risk and take just one bite, just so they can feel that they belong. Kids need to learn that even one bite can be dangerous when they have a food allergy.

Common food allergies that kids have are peanuts and tree nuts like walnuts, seafood such as shrimp, milk, especially cow's milk, eggs, soy, and also wheat.

Kids should be aware of what a food allergy reaction looks and feels like. They should also tell their friends, teachers and relatives what they are allergic to and what a reaction looks like so that they can be aware. Tell them what to do if they should suspect that you are having an allergic reaction. Common allergic reactions can be a tightness in the throat, swelling throat or tongue, a hoarse sounding voice, wheezing, coughing, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, diarrhea, feeling faint, breathing difficulty, indigestion, and also bluish skin around the lips or nails.

A person can also have an anaphylaxis reaction, which is a serious allergic reaction. When this occurs the individual may have breathing difficulties, have a sudden drop in blood pressure that results in feeling faint or passing out. This kind of anaphylaxis reaction to a food allergy can result in death. Immediate medical attention should be given to anyone having an allergic reaction, especially a serious one. Anyone who is subject to this kind of serious allergic reaction should carry around an emergency kit that contains epipen or other epinephrine medication. Someone with a peanut allergy may carry around an inhaler because they may have breathing difficulties if they accidentally eat peanuts.

Many kids will outgrow their food allergies especially if they are allergic to milk, or eggs. Severe allergies like those to peanuts are rarely outgrown. Other food allergies like those to fish, and shrimp are also usually lifetime allergies.

How do you know if the symptom your kid is having is caused by a food allergy? You don't, you need to have your child evaluated by an allergist. You will need to fill out a medical history form that will include questions about the symptoms you have observed in your child including what food you suspect, how much of the food your child ate before the symptoms started and how long after the food was eaten before the symptom started. Food allergies can be hereditary so it is also important to let the doctor know if anyone else in the family has food allergies.

The doctor will need to distinguish between food intolerances and food allergies. To do this, the doctor will probably do some allergy testing including skin prick tests, or a food journal and also a food double blind challenges.