You’ve been a parent for a while now and have gotten the hang of things, but you’re still not off the hook when it comes to those pesky allergies, no matter how old your child is, so we’re going to take a look at the most common food allergies in children.
It is quite likely that you’ve already gone through a book or two, or, at least, a few websites reading up on allergies, especially if your kid got a weird looking rash after eating one thing or another, especially if it was something new. Here’s the catch according to doctors, it doesn’t really matter if the child eats something for the first time or the hundredth. While he or she may not react in the first 99 cases, allergies can still appear later on.
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The good news about these allergies, however, is the fact that they can also go away just as fast as they appear. The bad news is that you can’t really know whether they’re allergic to a product or not unless they eat it (unless you take into account going to the doctors to get checked every now and then). And, let’s be honest, have you seen the prices of those allergy tests?
To get things started, we’re going to take a look at what an allergy is and how it manifests. There are allergens everywhere, both in food and the world around us, including the air, meds, insect bites, dust mites, animal dander and so on. When one is allergic to something in particular, they get a reaction.
When it comes to food allergies, the reaction list includes skin problems, such as hives, rashes and swelling, or breathing problems, including sneezing and wheezing. Then there are the stomach symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, or the circulation symptoms such as pale skin and loss of consciousness. The intensity of the reaction varies from one individual to another, but since these are children we’re talking about, nothing should be disregarded.
You should also keep in mind when feeding your child any new foods that allergies run in the family. So, if you’re not eating that particular food due to having an allergy, it’s best not to experiment on your kid.
While food allergies are generally mild, there’s always the possibility of anaphylaxis, which is a reaction that can be potentially life-threatening for the child. It impairs breathing and causes a sudden drop in blood pressure. This can end up sending the child’s body into shock. Without proper treatment, death can occur, which is obviously something no one wants.
You can take a look at the most common food allergies in infants to see what can be dangerous for your young baby, if you want. Right now, however, we’re going to take a look at the most common food allergies in children. For this list we researched the recommendations from the World Health Organization, and look over the articles at the World Allergy Organization, The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.
11.Vegetable
While there aren’t a whole lot of vegetables that can cause allergic reactions, there are plenty of them. For instance, those in the Cucurbitaceae family are frequent offenders, namely cucumbers, zucchinis, and pumpkins. These should be carefully introduced into the baby’s diet when they start eating solids, but they can cause reactions even later in time. The potato is another vegetable that is known to cause allergies in some young children, but this particular issue is often resolved in time.
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10. Fruit
As many parents find out the hard way, fruit can be a big cause of allergies. There are many fruits on the list, and they’re there because of a protein called profilin, which is found in trees, grass, and pollen, but also in fruits and vegetables. Since a considerable portion of all allergies is caused by some type of pollen, it’s not a surprise they’re on the list. Melons, watermelons, citrus, tomatoes, bananas, apples, pears, cherries, peaches, and plums are just some of the most common fruits known to cause allergies in children.
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9. Fish
There’s no usual age when you can become allergic to fish, but it’s often something that happens when you are young. Since this is such a large category, it can be a bit confusing. For instance, if your child is allergic to finned fish, such as tuna or salmon, they don’t necessarily have to be allergic to shellfish too, such as shrimp, crabs, and lobsters. And vice versa. Depending on the doctor you’ll be talking to, you’ll get advised just to avoid all kinds of fish or just one type of fish. In the end, you have to find out what works best for your child and for your family since, let’s be honest, if your kid is allergic to something you’re unlikely to enjoy it as often as you did before.
8. Honey
In the first year of life, it isn’t advisable to give your baby honey due to the possibility of there being some lingering botulinum bacteria in the product. Later on, you should pay attention to see whether your child is allergic to honey or not. It seems that it depends on what kind of plants the honey is made from, as well as whether your kid is allergic to bees, but reactions to honey are quite nasty, so you should be attentive. For instance, among the allergic reactions reported we find asthma, cough, hives, inflammation of the lips or tongue, wheezing and more.
7. Wheat
If your child is allergic to wheat, then there’s a whole list of products that are off limits, including bread and pasta. There are also plenty of nonfood items that contain ingredients based on wheat, such as Play-Doh, or cosmetics, so you should pay attention to those too. The solution is pretty simple, and we’re sure you’ve heard it all over the place, since finding gluten-free products isn’t very difficult nowadays. You can bet, however, that they’re a lot more expensive than the regular version. Either way, this is certainly one of the most common food allergies in children.
6. Tree Nuts
Another food group that can cause allergies in children are tree nuts. Almonds, cashews, walnuts can cause allergic reactions as they are, but also as an ingredient. Things are pretty serious with allergies to nuts since they can cause severe reactions, including anaphylaxis that can be fatal for your child. Thankfully, however, allergies to this food group are outgrown by adulthood, so at least there’s that.
5. Legumes
There’s a whole category of legumes that are responsible for allergic reaction in both infants, children, and adults. Bean seeds, peas, green beans, lentils and more are just some of the legumes that can cause allergic reactions. There are several more, but we’ll discuss those in depth further on since they’re even more common in causing some type of reaction, including some of the most severe ones.
4. Peanuts
It may seem like we’re repeating ourselves, but that’s not the case. Peanut allergy is different from the tree nut allergy, and it’s a lot nastier. Symptoms include itchiness, swelling, sneezing, asthma, blood pressure drop, diarrhea, cardiac arrest, and anaphylaxis. Basically, peanut allergy is not to be joked with and could cause your child serious health issues if left ignored. Remember always to check the products you’re buying if they include any type of peanut traces and definitely avoid the tasty peanut butter.
3. Soy
Although they’re part of the legume family, allergies to soybean deserve their own section since they’re quite frequent. Under 1 percent of children are allergic to soy, but that’s enough to make it advisable for parents to withhold introducing soy to their infants so their organisms can better fight off an eventual reaction. The good news is that research indicates most kids allergic to soy outgrow the allergy by the time they become teenagers.
2. Milk
Milk allergies are adverse immune reactions to milk from any animal. Some types of milk, such as cow milk, are more prone to cause allergies than others. Cow milk is the one that’s most often than not blamed for this allergy, but that’s mostly because it is more widely consumed. Sheep’s or goat’s milk can cause the same allergies, but they’re not that popular.
1. Eggs
While most of us cannot imagine our lives without eggs, there are plenty of people out there who are allergic to eggs. This allergy develops when the immune system overreacts to proteins in egg whites and yolks. When starting solids for your infant, it is advisable to introduce first only the yolks in gradual portions, keeping an eye out for any reactions, while the egg white is only to be introduced after the one year stage.
According to estimates, some 2 percent of all children are allergic to eggs. While this may seem like a large number, you should keep in mind that studies further show that by the time they turn 16, about 70 percent of children outgrown the condition. Milk rashes are the least of your problems when dealing with a child that is allergic to eggs since anaphylaxis is also “on the menu” of possibilities. This makes it one of the worst most common food allergies in children.
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