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Food allergies and intolerance in children |
Do
you suspect your child has a food allergy or food intolerance?
A
food allergy
means that your child has a reaction after a single contact with a
particular food to which they are sensitised. That is, they have had
the food before in some form. Their body sees the food as a foreign
substance and mounts an attack against it by producing antibodies via
the immune system. This triggers an allergic response which leads to
mild, moderate or severe symptoms which can include:
- swelling
of the face and tongue
- a
rash called 'hives' which is like a nettle rash
- breathing
difficulties
- runny
nose and eyes
- swelling
of the throat
- abdominal
pain and bowel disturbances
- nausea
and vomiting.
Severe
symptoms can lead to life threatening collapse (anaphylaxis).
A
food intolerance means
that the body is unable to fully breakdown, or has an inability to
digest, certain foods. This can lead to symptoms such as migraines,
bloating and aches and pains and can affect many systems of the body.
It is not as serious as a life threatening allergy. However, symptoms
can be very difficult to cope with and can affect your child's
quality of life. Food intolerance is now known as ‘non-allergic
food hypersensitivity'.
Consult
your doctor if:
- you
suspect your child has a food allergy or food intolerance as there
is a risk of a more severe reaction in the future.
If
allergy is confirmed, always be aware of hidden allergens! Never try
something new without checking ingredients first! Take extra care
with babies and young children. Remember to tell anybody caring for
them about their allergies/intolerances and always provide all
treatment details, emergency numbers, etc.
If
an allergy is excluded and intolerance suspected, you could try to
avoid the food you suspect for a couple of weeks to see whether the
symptoms get better. But then you should still try to reintroduce it
later, to see whether the symptoms return. Only after using this
avoidance then reintroduction process is it reasonable to avoid the
suspect food entirely.
To
make sure your child's nutrition remains balanced if you decide to
avoid certain foods you could consult a dietician.
At
Richmond Practice we offer evidence-based allergy testing (skin prick
tests, blood tests). Our GP and our paediatrician will be happy to
assist if you experience these problems.
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