If parents or siblings have allergic conditions such as asthma, eczema, or allergic rhinitis, the newborn is more likely to develop food allergies than usual. This risk can be minimized if the baby is exclusively breastfed for the first six months.
Food allergies are the body’s reaction to certain substances found in food, known professionally as allergens. The prevalence of food allergies in children is between 2-8% and tends to decrease with age.
Allergic reactions can occur minutes or hours after eating. Symptoms may include: swelling, itching in the throat and mouth, abdominal pain, vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, lightheadedness, dizziness, rashes, and skin itching. More severe reactions can lead to difficulty breathing, low blood pressure, and even death.
Some children may experience delayed symptoms (a few days after consuming allergenic foods), including dermatitis, asthma, allergic rhinitis, sinusitis, persistent cough, runny nose, constipation, sweating, poor appetite, decreased concentration, and sleep disturbances.
The severity of the condition depends on the timing of the reaction after eating, the amount of food consumed, and the individual’s predisposition.
It is important to distinguish food allergies from food intolerance symptoms, such as lactose intolerance. Lactose intolerance occurs due to a deficiency of lactase, an enzyme that helps digest lactose in milk. When consuming cow’s milk, a child may experience symptoms like vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, bloating, and even skin rash. However, the immune system is not involved in these symptoms, so they are not classified as allergies. In some underdeveloped countries, where dairy products are less consumed, the lactase enzyme may diminish, leading to acquired lactose intolerance.
Common allergenic foods include peanuts, almonds, fish, shellfish, eggs (especially egg whites), and milk. Remember, a child’s immune system needs time to develop a response to the allergens present in food. Therefore, food allergies rarely occur upon first exposure to a particular food.
What can be done to prevent food allergies in children?
Children born into families with a history of allergic diseases are more susceptible to food allergies and should be exclusively breastfed for the first six months. When children start solid foods, it is advisable not to rush to introduce multiple new foods at once. Begin with low-allergen foods like rice and root vegetables. Avoid giving children industrially processed foods such as smoked pork, cured meats, colorings, and artificial flavors.
Consult an allergist if you suspect your child is allergic to a specific food. Doctors will conduct examinations, ask questions, and may perform specialized tests such as skin tests or blood tests (RAST) to accurately identify the allergens. However, the accuracy of these tests is not always high. Therefore, you should not rely solely on test results to determine your child’s diet. Some tests may be more accurate but less safe, such as food challenge tests with suspected allergens, which should only be conducted under the supervision of an allergist.
If a child is diagnosed with a food allergy, it is essential to eliminate that food from their diet. Avoid preparing or storing the child’s food in containers that have come into contact with allergenic foods.
However, food allergies do not last a lifetime; thus, you do not need to restrict a child from a particular food indefinitely. After some time, you may reintroduce that food (except for items that cause acute allergic reactions, such as anaphylaxis).
ThS Hoàng Thị Lâm, Health & Life
