Child Food Allergies
Child food allergies are not as common as most people think. It is true though that they are even less common in older children. Most of the time these allergies are soft, and will be a thing of the past once the child grows up.
Symptoms of A Child Food Allergy
The symptoms of child food allergy will vary in timing and severity. The most common ones include:
- respiratory problems
- wheezing
- rashes, hives
- diarrhea
- vomiting
- stomach pain
- swelling in the lips, mouth and throat
In kids, the symptoms appear mostly after minutes of ingesting the “trigger” food, although the reactions can appear after 1-2 hours.
When the reaction is severe, it can cause a condition called anaphylaxis… a sudden decrease of the blood pressure that can cause shock and even death.
What to Do When Your Child is Allergic to Food
The most important step is avoiding the food that triggers the reaction. If you are unsure, there are tests aimed at help you determining the problem food. In case your child has severe <food allergy symptoms such as breathing problems, you should call 911 immediately, specially if he/she is a young kid.
It is important to know that even if the kid hasn’t shown allergic reactions to a food before, it can still have an allergy later. So parents, please don’t discard a food because the kid has eaten it before.
Prevent Child Food Allergy
Food allergy can be prevented to some extent, by first determining if your kid has a high risk of developing it. You should talk with a doctor about this.
On the other hand, the best way to prevent food allergies on children is by breastfeeding them. Breastfeeding has a lot of benefits for the children, especially when it comes to strengthening the immune system.