Baby Food Allergies
Having a baby is perhaps the most beautiful thing in the world, and once the baby is born we need to take care of his/her health. It’s important, then, to know if a baby food allergy is present. This can be done by understanding how allergies appear and the symptoms they bring.
How A Baby Food Allergy Appears
The food allergy appears when the body feels certain food is an invader, to counteract the “threat” the body starts a series of defense mechanism, the symptoms. The body produces antibody IgE, and when the baby eats the food again, the immune system will release histamine to repel the attack.
In babies the symptoms are: hives, swelling, difficulty breathing and chronic eczema. As the food travels through the digestive system other symptoms may appear such as vomiting or diarrhea. It is also important to know that a severe allergy can be fatal.
What to Do if You Think Your Baby Has A Food Allergy
If you notice severe allergic reactions in your baby (breathing difficulties, vomiting, diarrhea, lips and face swelling), it is important that you call emergency or 911 quickly. Children have thin airways that can be blocked in a matter of minutes. This is why paramedics are important, instead of driving to the hospital.
If you notice soft food allergy symptoms appearing after your child has eaten foods, you should talk with the doctor. Depending on the case, some testing can be done to determine the source of the allergens.
In the future, a severe reaction may appear (even when previous reactions were soft). So you’ll need to talk with the doctor about a plan in case your baby develops a severe reaction.
Treatment must be supervised with time, allergic reactions are not erased, and they must be watched closely. In the future, a doctor can prescribe an epinephrine auto-injector to control any reaction.