Adverse food reactions are divided into allergy i.e. an adverse immunologic reaction to a food protein which can be IgE or non IgE mediated and intolerance when it occurs without an immunological mechanism.
Recent Australian figures indicate that 10% of children aged under the age of one year & 4-8 % under the age of 5 years have a proven food allergy. Though children can be allergic to any food, the most common culprits are cow’s milk, egg, peanuts and tree nuts. Other less common are sesame, soy, wheat & seafood. While most food allergies are not severe and will disappear with time while some can be severe causing life-threatening reactions known as anaphylaxis.
Reaching the correct diagnosis is very important to avoid serious reactions and unnecessarily restricted diets which can have a long-term impact on growth and nutrition.
After taking a detailed history, your child will undergo allergy testing to confirm his/her allergy. If your child has had anaphylaxis or is considered at high risk for anaphylaxis, adrenaline autoinjectors ( EpiPen or Anapen) will be prescribed and appropriate training will be provided. In addition to detailed information about the nature of your child’s allergy, what to avoid and what to eat, you will be provided with an action plan illustrating early recognition and management steps of any allergic reaction. A copy to school and daycare will also be provided.
For more information…
- Why and how do we develop allergies?
- How do we diagnose allergies?
- Frequently asked questions about allergic tests and treatment
- Frequently asked questions about allergy prevention
- Infant feeding and Allergy Prevention
- How to introduce Solid Foods for Allergy Prevention?
- Most common food allergens
- Oral Immunotherapy (OIT) for Food Allergy
- Food Allergen Challenge
- Dietary Avoidance for Food Allergy including most common allergens
- Allergy Action Plan including Anaphylaxis
- Food intolerance
- Other Non-IgE Mediated Food Allergies
