Food Allergies: Questions and Answers for Parents

What is a food allergy?

Food allergy is a reaction of the body's immune system to something in a food or an ingredient in a food-usually a protein. It can be a serious condition and should be diagnosed by a board-certified allergist. A true food allergy (also called "food hypersensitivity") and its symptoms can take many forms.

Which foods cause food allergy?

There are eight most common food allergens:

1. Milk,
2. Eggs,
3. Peanuts,
4. Tree nuts,
5. Soy,
6. Wheat,
7. Fish, and
8. Crustacean shellfish- cause most food allergic reactions.

However, many other foods have been identified as allergens for some people, such as certain fruits or vegetables and seeds. Most children with food allergies to milk, eggs, soy, and wheat will outgrow their allergy. Yet, allergy to peanuts, tree nuts, and fish usually last. Shellfish allergies often develop during later in childhood or adulthood, and the most common food allergy among adults is shellfish. Peanuts and tree nuts account for most of the severe cases of food allergy.

What can happen if you have food allergies?

Allergic reactions to food can cause serious illness and, in some cases, death. Symptoms of a food allergy can include:

• wheezing and difficulty breathing,
• itchy skin rashes,
• hives,
• vomiting,
• diarrhea,
• nausea,
• abdominal pain and
• swelling around the mouth and in the throat.

Symptoms may be mild or very severe, depending on how much of the food your child ingested and how allergic s/he is to the food. Symptoms usually begin immediately, seldom more than 2 hours after eating. Rarely, the symptoms may begin hours after eating the offending food.

Should you do if you have food allergies?

If you have a food allergy, it is extremely important for you to work with your healthcare provider to find out what food(s) causes your allergic reaction. Sometimes, a reaction to food is not an allergy at all but another type of reaction called "food intolerance." Food intolerance is more common than food allergy. The immune system does not cause the symptoms of food intolerance, though these symptoms may look and feel like those of a food allergy.