Even while the last decade has seen an increase in the number of food allergies in children and adults, only about 5 percent of children actually have food allergies.
A food allergy is an immune system reaction that occurs after eating certain foods that can trigger symptoms such as hives, itching, flushing, swelling, vomiting and diarrhea , usually within 30 minutes of eating the food. In the most severe cases, you may experience anaphylaxis – a serious allergic reaction associated with a rapid onset of symptoms already described in addition to fast or irregular heart beat, difficulty breathing, lethargy and swelling of the tongue and throat.
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The most common sources of food allergies include cow’s milk, hen eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, fish and shellfish and wheat. While many food allergies develop in childhood, you can develop an allergy to a food anytime in your life.
Many children will outgrow food allergies by age six. If your child hasn’t outgrown a food allergy by 10 years of age, it is more likely that the allergy will be a lifelong problem. Unfortunately, only about 10 or 25 percent of children will outgrow an allergy to tree nuts or peanuts respectively.
Food allergies are diagnosed by your doctor based on history of symptoms with food exposure in addition to skin testing and blood tests that evaluate for food sensitivity. Your doctor will provide recommendations about food avoidance at home for safety and life-saving medications to carry at all times if needed. If feasible, a food challenge can be done in the doctor’s office to confirm that you are no longer allergic to a specific food if skin and blood tests are normal.
If you experience adverse symptoms when eating foods with gluten, you should discuss symptoms with your doctor. A serum test and endoscopy can diagnose whether you have Celiac’s disease, an autoimmune disease that can be serious and cause the development of systemic disease.
If you think you may have any type of food allergy, it's a good idea to be evaluated by your doctor to ensure you have the right medicines on hand to relieve mild or severe symptoms.