Studies show food allergies are common
in young children below four years old,
but as they grow, the gastrointestinal
tract and immune system become more
developed, and some allergies tend to
go away.
and/or food allergies. Although they
can share some symptoms, food
intolerances and food allergies are
different. When a food irritates your
stomach or your body can’t properly
digest it, that’s an intolerance. A
food allergy is more serious, as your
immune system mistakes something in
food as harmful and attacks it. It can
affect your whole body, and symptoms
may include a rash, hives or itchy skin,
oral itching, swollen lips, eczema,
rhinitis, asthma, shortness of breath,
nausea, vomiting, abdominal colic,
diarrhoea and, sometimes, blood in
the stools. In severe cases, the child
may also experience anaphylaxis,
where the throat swells and causes
breathing difficulties.
Obviously, if your child has had
severe reactions to a particular food
in the past, you should not risk giving
that food again – it may even be life-
threatening to do so. But if reactions
to certain foods have been very mild,
before you put your child on any
elimination diets or start banning
items on the grocery list, first find out
if your child really has an allergy. This
is best done through proper diagnosis
and tests.
“
Children are sometimes
misdiagnosed as food allergic, only to
learn much later, after detailed testing
by an allergist, that they never had any
allergy at all,” says Dr Lee Tak Hong,
director of the Allergy Centre at Hong
Kong Sanatorium & Hospital. “Such
deprivation takes a toll on the child’s
young body, which could well have
been avoided if a specialist’s advice had
been [obtained] at early stages.”
“
An important part of identifying
a food allergy is the relationship
between eating the food and the time
of onset of symptoms – this may be
within minutes or may occur hours
later, which makes it more difficult to
identify,” explains Dr Lee.
This is where a food diary comes
in handy. There are also skin-prick
tests and blood tests that provide
clues to a potential allergy, but it
helps to make sure that the tests are
reliable before emptying your pockets
unnecessarily. One trusted testing
Allergy
Egg
Includes
•
All parts of the egg (dried, powdered, solids, white, yolk) and
the following egg protein: albumin or albumen / ovalbumin
•
Lysozyme
•
Egg lecithin (E322)
•
Globulin / ovoglobulin
•
Ovomucin / ovomucoid
•
Vitellin / ovovitellin
Commonly
found in
•
Baked goods / pastries
•
Puddings / custards / ice cream / iced dessert
•
Fresh pasta / ramen / Chinese noodles
•
Mayonnaise
•
Meringue / meringue powder
•
Egg substitutes (some may have egg whites)
•
Marzipan
•
Handmade marshmallows
•
Nougat
•
Breaded products
•
Cereal drinks
•
Eggnog
Note to
parents
•
Children with an egg allergy should also avoid eggs from
ducks, turkeys, geese, quail, etc.
•
About 10 per cent of children with an egg allergy are allergic
to chicken as well.
•
Be careful when eating out, as many Asian dishes contain
eggs.
•
Studies have shown that when children start outgrowing their
egg allergy – for example, if they can tolerate baked goods
containing eggs – controlled introduction of eggs into their
diet may help them outgrow their food allergies.
Allergy Shrimp and Crustaceans
Includes
All types of shrimp. A person with shrimp allergy tends to
be allergic to all other crustaceans, such as crab, lobster and
crayfish, as well.
Commonly
found in
•
Asian stir-fry / fried rice / noodles
•
Asian soup and broth
•
Seafood sauces / XO sauces
•
Gumbo / paella
•
Seafood pasta
Note to
parents
•
The shrimp allergen is very similar to house dust mite and
cockroach allergens. Children who have a house dust mite or
cockroach allergy may react to shrimp as well.
•
People with a shrimp allergy will need to avoid all seafood
due to potential cross-contamination.
December 2012
79