Infant food allergy is a serious medical condition that can be life-threatening. According to the CDC, one in every 13 children has a food allergy in America. Food allergy is among the diseases referred to as atopic March. These diseases include asthma, eczema, allergic rhinitis, and food allergy.
These diseases are also called the progression of allergic disease in a lifetime, although not everyone will follow this progression. Allergies can run in families, if the mother or father has an allergy, the infant is at a higher risk of developing allergies too.
How can you tell an infant has an allergy to certain foods? Can allergic reactions be treated? Is it possible to lower the risk of infant food allergy? This article answers these and other questions about allergies in infants and young children.
Identifying infant food allergies during weaning
After 6 months of exclusive breastfeeding, you will introduce your little one to other foods to sustain the rapid growth and development. It’s important to introduce one type of food at a time to make it easier to know if there is any food allergy.
The type of food or the order in which the food is introduced is not a concern. The crucial thing is to make sure that the food is healthy and balanced. Every time you introduce a new food, you should wait 3-5 days before introducing another new food.
One of the baby-feeding mistakes by new parents is introducing new foods to the baby and not observing how they react to it. On any newly introduced food, you want to look for any allergic reactions. There are about 160 allergic foods but the following 8 foods and food groups are known to possibly trigger allergic reactions 90% of the time.
- Peanut
- Fish
- Cow’s milk
- Tree nuts such as walnuts and almonds
- Shellfish
- Wheat
- Soy
- Eggs
It’s alright to introduce all this food when your baby is ready for solid foods. No evidence introducing these foods when the child is older prevents an allergy. If your baby reacts to any food and has diarrhea, vomiting, or rash, talk to a pediatrician about the best food choices.
Infant food allergy symptoms
Symptoms and severity of an allergic reaction can differ between individuals and also to one person over time. An allergy reaction can be mild or severe. The symptoms include:
- cough, runny nose, wheezing, or sneezing
- Red, watery, and itchy eyes
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Skin rashes and hives
- Difficulty in breathing
- Tongue, face, or lips swelling
- Loss of consciousness
Allergy triggers in children
Allergies are triggered by allergens. Allergens are harmless substances that are identified by the immune system as harmful. There are different allergy triggers including
- Foods such as milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, and wheat
- Outdoor allergy triggers include: pollen, insect stings, and bites
- Indoor allergens can be: animal hair and fur, mold, dust mites
- Others include: perfume, cigarette smoke
Common infant allergic conditions
Food allergy
Food allergy is a common concern that affects infants and young children across the world. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, 1 in 25 school-aged children has a food allergy. Infant food allergy is a result of the immune system identifying a food or a food substance as a threat and triggering a protective response.
In some rare cases, some sensitive breastfeeding babies can have allergic reactions to the food their mother eats. Some most common foods eaten separately or included as an ingredient or even in small amounts, that cause allergic reactions include eggs, milk, wheat, fish, and nuts.
Although food allergy may run in families, it’s not sure that a child will inherit a parent’s food allergy.
Infant food allergy symptoms can be mild or severe. Foods or food substances that cause a mild reaction can also cause severe symptoms another time.
Anaphylaxis is the most severe allergic reaction. It’s a life-threatening severe reaction that can impair normal breathing, blood pressure, and heart rate. Anaphylaxis can affect a child within a few minutes of food-trigger exposure. It can be fatal and needs to be treated immediately.
Symptoms of a food allergy reaction can affect the respiratory tract, the gastrointestinal tract, the cardiovascular system, and the skin. They can present in one or more of the above.
Allergic rhinitis
Allergic rhinitis results from the immune system recognizing and overreacting to something in the environment that causes no harm to most people. This allergy can be seasonal or perennial.
In seasonal allergic rhinitis, your baby may be allergic to seasonal pollen from plants, grass, and weeds. This mostly happens in spring, summer, and early fall. Perennial allergic rhinitis can affect your child. It’s caused by mite dust, pet hair, and mold. There are also other causes of rhinitis such as cigarette smoke, perfume, and other strong odors.
Rhinitis allergy symptoms include stuffy nose, red itchy, and watery eyes, sneezing, cough, runny nose, and chronic eye problem.
Treating infant allergies
Food allergen avoidance
Avoid the food that your baby has an allergy to. You can talk to your allergist or a physician for advice on alternative foods to reduce the risk of nutritional deficiency. You should also be sure to read the processed food labels because they may contain hidden allergens.
Pharmacological therapy
Allergic reactions are often treated with medication. Epinephrine is used and is most effective for the treatment of anaphylaxis. Always talk to your doctor before giving your baby any medication.
Your doctor will help you come up with an allergy action plan, this will help you to manage any hyperreactions when they occur. Share about the allergy with other people who will be taking care of your baby such as relatives, school officials, and babysitters. Additionally, you can also consider wearing your baby a medical alert bracelet.
Infant food allergy is a serious medical condition that affects one in every 13 children in America. It is a progression of allergic disease in a lifetime, and if the mother or father has an allergy, the infant is at a higher risk of developing allergies.
Importantly, introduce one type of food at a time and wait 3-5 days before introducing another food. This will help to identify any infant food allergy during weaning. Common allergens include peanuts, fish, cow’s milk, tree nuts, shellfish, wheat, and eggs.
Allergy symptoms can be mild or severe, with symptoms ranging from coughs, runny noses, wheezing, red, watery eyes, diarrhea, vomiting, skin rashes, difficulty breathing, tongue swelling, and loss of consciousness. Anaphylaxis is the most severe allergic reaction, affecting the respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract, cardiovascular system, and skin. Treatment options include food allergen avoidance and medication.