Food allergies in children.

Food allergies are very frequent in children, especially in younger children. They are produced as a result of a reaction of the immune or defensive system of the child, which reacts to certain substances present in certain foods, generating a series of symptoms that can range from mild to very serious.

Food allergies can manifest in different parts of the body such as skin, hands, feet, mouth, eyes and nose. In children once we start complementary feeding, we need to pay close attention to how the baby receives the new foods that are progressively incorporated into their diet. Not only to go knowing what foods the child tolerates best, but also to determine if the children experience any kind of allergic reaction.

Food allergies tend to have a hereditary component, but they are also associated with environmental factors and the early introduction of food in children. The foods that most frequently cause allergy are peanuts, dairy products and eggs. What is striking is that most allergies are caused by only five foods: peanuts, peanut butter, eggs, cow's milk products and derivatives, soybeans and wheat. It can also be caused, although less frequently, by chocolate, strawberries, tomatoes or seafood.

Symptoms that alert if the child suffers food allergy:

Among the most frequent signs and symptoms that may occur due to an allergy caused by a food are:

• Swelling, especially near the mouth (lips, tongue, face, sometimes eyelids).

• Difficulty swallowing.

• Abdominal pain, cramps, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting.

• Itchy skin: appearance of local or generalized urticaria.

• Erythema or wheals on the skin.

• Atopic dermatitis: inflammatory skin disease very common in young children.

• Bronchial asthma.

• Rhinitis (nasal congestion).

• Crisis of bronchospasm.

In more severe cases loss of consciousness can occur, for this reason the importance of being alert when a new food is introduced in the baby's diet, and observing if it presents any of the symptoms mentioned above.

Time it takes for symptoms to appear:

These symptoms may appear as:

Immediate: it is when they appear a few minutes after having eaten the food, usually within the first 30 minutes. The effect-cause relationship is very evident and the most common symptoms are vomiting, urticaria, asthma and anaphylaxis.

Delayed:Symptoms appear after two hours of ingested food. The most frequent are digestive symptoms such as diarrhea associated with protein-sensitive enteropathy.

Delayed: appear days after the food is ingested, such as atopic dermatitis.

How to avoid a food allergy?

Since the baby's immune system is immature, some foods should be avoided before 6 months of age, as they can cause allergies such as cow's milk, egg, nuts, seafood, soy, strawberries, blackberries, peaches, kiwi , peanut butter and gluten, the latter being a protein present in rye, wheat and barley that can cause food intolerance.

Therefore it is recommended:

1. Do not include the aforementioned foods before 6 months of age.
2. Introduce them one by one, having to wait 3 to 5 days before trying a new food, so that if an allergic reaction occurs, it will be known which is the food that caused the reaction;
3. Continue breastfeeding the baby while introducing solid foods into your diet.
4. Once the food is introduced, continue to include it regularly in the baby's diet.

Prevention:

There is no effective way to prevent a food allergy; The main recommendation to avoid symptoms is to avoid consuming the food allergen. In case any food causes an allergic reaction to the baby, stop giving food and seek medical help. In case of severe allergic reaction you should call an ambulance immediately.