| Allergies:
The causes of allergies are not fully understood. Your child can get
allergies from coming into contact with allergens. Allergens can be inhaled,
eaten, injected (from stings or medicine), or they can come into contact
with the skin.
Food Allergy Facts :
Food allergy affects approximately 1
percent to 2 percent of adults and twice as many children. Many parts of the
body may be affected by food allergy, and the frequency and severity of
symptoms can range from mild to life-threatening. Among the symptoms of food
allergy are vomiting, nausea, stomach cramps, indigestion, diarrhea, hives,
skin rash, headaches, asthma, earaches and respiratory symptoms such as
nasal congestion, sneezing and runny nose. In rare cases, food allergies
cause anaphylaxis - a severe, system-wide allergic reaction that is
potentially fatal. As noted below, these symptoms can also be caused by
things other than foods.
Food allergy occurs most often in infants and children. However, it can
appear at any age and can be caused by foods that have been eaten for years
without problem.
Almost any food can cause allergy, but the most common culprits are eggs,
milk, nuts, soy, seafood, corn and wheat.
An individual who is allergic to a certain food might also be allergic to
related foods. For example, people allergic to peanuts often can't tolerate
other members of the legume family of foods such as peas, beans and
licorice.
The tendency to have allergies is often passed on in families. For
example, if you as a parent have an allergy problem, there is a higher than
normal chance that your child also will have allergies. This risk increases
if both parents are allergic.
Common allergies:
Condition Triggers Symptoms
Asthma A wide range of things can trigger an asthma attack. These
include cigarette smoke, viral infections, pollen, dust mites, furry
animals, cold air, changing weather conditions, exercise, and even stress.
Coughing, wheezing, difficult breathing; coughing with activity or exertion;
chest tightness.
Hay Fever Pollen from trees, grasses, or weeds. Stuffy nose, sneezing, and a
runny nose; breathing through the mouth because of stuffy nose; rubbing or
wrinkling the nose and facial grimacing to relieve nasal itch; watery, itchy
eyes; redness or swelling in and under the eyes.
Food allergies Any foods, but the most common are eggs, peanuts, milk
(see information on milk allergies), nuts, soy, fish, wheat, peas, and
shellfish. Vomiting, diarrhea, hives, eczema, difficult breathing, and
possibly a drop in blood pressure (shock).
Eczema
(atopic dermatitis) Sometimes made worse by food allergies, contact with
allergens (pollen, dust mites, furry animals), irritants, sweating. A
patchy, dry, red, itchy rash that often occurs in the creases of the arms,
legs, and neck; however, in infants it often starts on the cheeks, behind
the ears, and on the thighs.
Hives Viral infections, food allergies, and drugs (such as aspirin,
penicillin, or sulfa) but cause is often unknown. Itchy, mosquito-bite-like
skin patches that are more red or pale than the surrounding skin. Hives may
be found on different parts of the body and do not stay at the same spot for
more than a few hours.
In some cases, food allergy
may develop through excessive exposure to a certain food. Scandinavians, for
example, have a high incidence of fish allergy.
Reaction to a particular food can be affected by an individual's physical
condition at the time. For example, susceptible individuals may be more
likely to experience allergic reactions to food when they are suffering from
colds, upset stomach, stress or other allergic diseases such as hay fever.
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