Food Allergies
Mar 12 '00 (Updated Oct 18 '00)
Being a wife, mother and occasional caregiver to family members with not only two broadly categorized food allergies (nuts and seafood), as well as mild lactose intolerance, I know the risks to my newborn possibly having an adverse reaction during the introduction of solids foods is elevated greatly. If you have a family history of food allergies, or your spouse/partner does, the likelihood that your child will have allergies can double. However, it is also commonly believed that most children will outgrow food allergies by the age 3. But through personal experiences, I have learned to never assume anything in recent years where food was involved.
I have been doing a bit of research recently in preparation of the upcoming introduction of semi-solids foods to my youngest child’s diet, and thought I would share a bit of what I have learned. I not only wanted to strengthen my previous knowledge of this subject, but to also learn of the most recent research and suggestions by varying sources. For the most part, my husband can fend for himself outside of the home and our eldest daughter has outgrown any previous allergies, so I felt it was of utmost importance that I review recent studies and make any related changes in my former approach prior to introducing any food to my newborn.
When children eat foods inducing an allergic reaction, their bodies release antibodies which in turn, create symptoms such as watery eyes, skin rashes, and diarrhea. An immediate reaction would be one that shows as soon as the food goes into their mouth. Their throat may swell, the child may sneeze, experience tearing and watery eyes, runny nose, or an 'itchy' tongue. In a few severe cases, a particular food may cause anaphylactic shock. The signs of which occur within minutes of eating, the child's throat swells and spasms, most often also creating difficulty of breathing in the allergic child.
* It should be noted that even in adults with no prior adverse reaction to a general food, can still develop severe symptoms at any time. Last year, my mother, who regularly enjoys seafood of all varieties, decided to partake in a new dish offered at a favorite restaurant. One containing abalone, a shellfish. With the first bite, she showed symptoms associated with anaphylactic shock. Not only was this a most unexpected reaction, but one severe enough to require medical attention. Needless to say, she will never be able to eat another seafood dish containing shellfish of any variety in the future.
The secondary type of reaction may take a few days to show up, milder signs to an allergy include facial rash, hives, gas, bloating, and diarrhea. Antihistamines may be helpful in bringing some relief to many of these symptoms, however, it is safest to ask the advice of your pediatrician before administering any medications to young children, regardless of past dosage recommendations. The simplest way to eliminate the problem, without use of medications, is to remove the offending food from your child’s diet altogether. Food allergies most commonly show up in early childhood, yet the appearance of a first time allergy from cow’s milk, eggs, wheat, corn, nuts, and legumes in adults is not unheard of. A few examples of the delayed verses immediate allergic reaction would be:
Delayed: Large amounts of the food is needed to provoke symptoms, reaction may not occur after first introduction, but rather, when ingested over a period of several days.
Immediate: When trace amounts of food can trigger severe life threatening reactions.
Delayed: Reactions occur 2 to 24 hours after eating a reactive food, rare reports of reactions after 72 hours.
Immediate: Reactions occur 2 hours or less after consumption of reactive foods.
One way to detect the cause of any allergy in children is by administering skin tests, this is believed unreliable in babies under 18 months, however. Check with your doctor any time new symptoms develop and if they persist. Most importantly, call your doctor immediately at the first signs of trouble breathing, signs of disorientation, rapid pulse, pale or cold appearance, and panting.
Milk and lactose intolerance usually occurs when an individual has a deficiency of the enzyme lactase which is needed to break down and digest the milk sugar (glucose and galactose), lactose. Lactase enables a baby to digest the lactose even in breast milk. Babies produce lactase in the lining of their small intestines, and upon their weaning and introduction to solid foods, the production of this enzyme is reduced. There will be no immune response to antibodies present as with a food allergy, so the symptoms of lactose intolerance will vary greatly. Ingesting milk products by an intolerant individual may cause various digestive discomforts including, but not limited too, excess gas, cramping, vomiting, headache, and diarrhea.
Ice cream, sherbet, aged and processed cheeses (cheddar, Swiss, American), breads containing whey, as well as butter and margarine contain smaller amounts of lactose, and a few individuals may be able to enjoy these items in moderation, with little or no ill effects. Also, heated milk products such as milk based soups, cocoa, custard or cooked puddings may be tolerated better than unheated foods containing milk. There are both over the counter and prescription remedies offered nowadays to help ease this discomfort in a majority of sufferers, although usually in adult dosages, common forms would be Lactaid, Dairy Ease, and Vitamin Power.
In the older child, during introduction of milk products it may be recommended by your pediatrician to introduce this slowly in very small amounts, perhaps 1 ounce at a time. Watching for any signs of reaction, then slowing increasing their consumption throughout a period of several weeks. And yet another will suggest not introducing cow’s milk to youngsters until surpassing one year of age. Best advice, discuss this with your own pediatrician prior to its introduction for most recent and relevant information they can offer pertaining your individual child’s health, dietary needs, and well being.
When offering solid foods to any child for the first time, adverse reactions will generally occur within a few days of its introduction, and this offering should be of one single food consistently over the period of several days. I cannot stress this simple guideline enough, as its use will benefit you and your child greatly when put into place. In keeping with this recommendation, it will take not only patience by you the parent, but diligence in noticing even the most mild of reactions from certain foods in your baby’s first years. In the long term, your child will be happier and healthier knowing at the earliest occurrence what health issues and future choices may be needed and incorporated into their regular diet.
Online resource for allergy information: http://allergies.about.com/
Online resource offering parental support, chat, message boards, expert advice, free newsletter, and much more: http://www.parentsoup.com/
* This review is merely an overview of the topic at hand, and should in no way replace the advice of a trusted pediatrician in the care and treatment of your children.
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
BeeCharmer
|
 - Top 500 |
|
Member: Heather
Location: Seattle Area
Reviews written: 200
Trusted by: 476 members
About Me:
meep
|
|
|
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.