What To Do If Your Child Has Food Allergies

Severe allergic food reactions are to be treated right away. If your child experiences the following symptoms: like trouble with his breathing, swelling of the face and lips, or has trouble keeping food down after meals, then you should contact paramedics immediately or drive him at once to the emergency room. Your child’s airway can close up within minutes. Your child’s doctor should be contacted once you arrive at the hospital or while paramedics are treating him.

If your child gets sick more than once after eating a specific food, let your pediatrician know. He may want to send your child to see an allergist who is someone that specializes in food allergies. After conducting skin and blood tests, and based on the detailed information you have provided of your child’s symptoms, the allergist should be able to determine the cause of the allergies. After receiving the results from the lab, she will discuss with you whether or not the symptoms of your child are created by an immune system reaction causing the food allergy, or because he’s simply having a difficult time digesting a particular food. If this is an allergic reaction to foods, you will also receive a list of foods that your child can’t eat.

An allergic reaction to food often leads to dry skin problems, especially on the face, kneecap and elbows areas. Other symptoms also include swelling of the face and lips, hives, running nose, diarrhea, vomiting and breathing difficulty. This can be life threatening if not treated right away.

After knowing that your child has an allergic reaction to a particular food, you need to always be on your guard and be prepared in case the symptoms occur again. Make sure you learn all there is to learn about the symptoms, including eating the right foods and reading the food labels properly. You just never know if the next food reaction will be the mild or severe one. The allergist and your pediatrician can implement a plan of action to control your child’s food allergies.

As concerned parents, what should you do if your child has food allergies? First, you need to make note of the kind of foods your child can and cannot eat. When you go grocery shopping, make sure that you avoid buying foods that contain the allergen such as peanuts, soy, wheat, milk, eggs, fish and shellfish. This can be extremely hard but it can be done if you learn to read food labels.

You need to let everyone knows about your child’s food allergies. Tell it to all your family members, friends, neighbors, and the school staff. You need to be prepared to send with your child safe foods at parties, sleepovers, and school or neighborhood events.

Your pediatrician may prescribe a medicine device to carry with you at all times called an epinephrine auto-injector. This tool is very small and can fit in your pocket. You may want to always carry this device in case of an allergic reaction while eating out at a restaurant or at family gatherings. Be prepared to administer the right amount of epinephrine to stop the allergic reaction.

A cure has not been found to defend against allergic reactions to foods. The key to avoiding an allergic reaction is for your child to know and avoid all the kinds of food that can cause him to have a reaction.

This article is not intended to replace consultation with a licensed medical practitioner.