Testing food allergies in babies

Baby Food Allergies: Identifying and Preventing Them

Written by Gina Shaw

Start Gradually to Identify Any Food Allergies
Babies and Allergies: The Top 8 Allergenic Foods
Food Allergy Symptoms to Watch for in Your Baby
Severe Food Allergy Symptoms: When to Call 911
Dealing With Mild Food Allergies in Baby
The Family Food-Allergy Connection
Protecting Baby Against Food Allergies: Easy Does It

Starting to feed a baby solid foods is an exciting milestone for parents. However, it comes with a lot of questions and concerns, especially about food allergies. What foods are most likely to cause allergies in babies? How do you avoid them?

Emerging research has shown that introducing multiple foods together is safe, and may help the immune system have a lower risk of developing food allergies, but more studies are needed. Check with your doctor for what’s best for your baby.

Start Gradually to Identify Any Food Allergies

It’s most important to introduce a baby to new foods gradually, one at a time, in case of food allergies. If not, a parent may have trouble tying an allergy to a specific new food. For example, if you give your baby three new foods over the course of a day and they develop an allergic reaction, you won’t know which of the foods provoked it.

The type of food or the order in which food is introduced is not much of a concern, as long as the foods you are offering are healthy and well-balanced for the baby. Each time you offer a new food, you should wait three to five days before adding another new item to the menu. Don’t eliminate the other foods your baby is eating during that time; you already know these are safe because the child has not had any food reactions up until now. Just don’t add anything else new.

Babies and Allergies: The Top 8 Allergenic Foods

With any new food, you’ll want to be on the lookout for any allergic reactions. There are more than 160 allergenic foods; certain foods may be more allergenic than others. The following eight foods and food groups are known to possibly cause problems with allergic reactions possibly up to 90% of the time.

Cow's milk
Eggs
Peanuts
Tree nuts (such as walnuts or almonds)
Fish
Shellfish
Soy
Wheat

New nutrition guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics say it's okay to introduce these allergy-causing foods when your baby is ready to eat solids. There is no evidence that waiting until the baby is older prevents food allergy. If you believe your baby has an allergic reaction to a food, such as diarrhea, rash, or vomiting, talk with your child's doctor about the best choices for the diet.

Within a few months of starting solid foods, your baby's daily diet should include a variety of foods, such as breast milk, formula, or both; meats; cereal; vegetables; fruits; eggs; and fish.

Food Allergy Symptoms to Watch for in Your Baby

Food allergy symptoms usually appear very soon after the food is eaten -- within a few minutes to a couple of hours. If you’re introducing a new food to your baby, keep an eye out for these symptoms:

Hives or welts
Flushed skin or rash
Face, tongue, or lip swelling
Vomiting and/or diarrhea
Coughing or wheezing
Difficulty breathing
Loss of consciousness

Severe Food Allergy Symptoms: When to Call 911

Severe allergic reactions can be fatal very quickly. If your baby is having trouble breathing/wheezing, has swelling on their face/lips, or develops severe vomiting or diarrhea after eating, immediately call 911. You can inform your pediatrician at a later time.

Dealing With Mild Food Allergies in Baby

If you see mild symptoms, such as hives or a rash, contact your pediatrician for further evaluation. The doctor might refer you to an allergist (allergy specialist doctor), who will ask more questions and do a physical exam. The allergies may order diagnostic tests such as:

A skin test. This test involves placing liquid extracts of food allergens on your child's forearm or back, pricking the skin, and waiting to see if reddish raised spots form within 15 minutes. A positive test to a food only shows that your child might be sensitive to that food.
Blood tests to check the blood for IgE antibodies to specific foods

Remember, just because a baby’s initial allergic reaction to a new food may be mild, it may get worse upon following exposures. Talk to your pediatrician about any food allergy symptoms in your baby.

Some allergies go away with time. Egg and milk allergies often go away as children get older, but peanut, tree nut, and shellfish allergies tend to persist. That said, research shows that in the case of peanut allergies, peanut immunotherapy drops administered under the tongue are safe and effective as treatment for peanut allergy, even in children as young as 1. They were also found to help significantly desensitize the patients to peanuts.

The Family Food-Allergy Connection

If there is a family food allergies, your baby has an increased risk of also developing allergies, although it is not a certainty. If you have the allergies, the odds are 50-50 for them to have them as well.

It’s best to introduce the 8 allergens gradually, at one-to-two week intervals over time so that you can recognize if an allergy develops.

Protecting Baby Against Food Allergies: Easy Does It

In a reversal of earlier policy, the American Academy of Pediatrics is now recommending that potential allergens be introduced to your infant earlier rather than later. In doing so, the move may actually help prevent them from developing allergies to those foods.

Breastfeeding you baby for 4-6 months is the best way to prevent a milk allergy. Remember that breast milk or formula is higher in nutrition. When you begin to introduce whole milk, you should do so under a doctor’s supervision. Yogurt and soft cheeses are fine, because the proteins in these dairy products are broken down and less likely to cause tummy trouble.

The AAP now advises that, in the case of infants who are at high risk of allergies, peanuts should be introduced between 4-6 months. Infants at highest risk of developing peanut allergies are those with eczema or egg allergies or both. It was originally believed that introducing your baby to the foods when they are older might make any reactions more manageable.

Other potential allergens such as tree nuts and fish should be introduced over a period of time as you introduce your baby to solid foods, between 6 and 9 months

You should wait until at least age 1 (some experts say age 2) to introduce honey, which can cause a potentially serious disease called infant botulism. Ask your pediatrician for guidance.

Food Allergies in Children | Cedars-Sinai

ABOUT CAUSES DIAGNOSIS TREATMENT NEXT STEPS

What is food allergy in children?

A food allergy is when your child’s body has a bad immune reaction to a certain food. This is different from a food intolerance which does not affect the immune system. This is true even though some of the same signs may be present.

What causes food allergy in a child?

Your child's immune system fights off infections and other dangers to keep him or her healthy. Food allergy occurs when your child's immune system decides that a food is a "danger" to your child's health. The reason this happens isn't clear. Your child's immune system sends out immunoglobulin E (or IgE) antibodies. These antibodies react to the food and cause the release of histamines and other chemicals. These chemicals can cause hives, asthma, itching in the mouth, trouble breathing, stomach pains, vomiting, or diarrhea. It doesn't take much of the food to cause a severe reaction in highly allergic children.

Most food allergies are caused by these foods:

Milk
Eggs
Wheat
Soy
Tree nuts
Peanuts
Fish
Shellfish

Eggs, milk, and peanuts are the most common causes of food allergies in children. Although many children “outgrow” their allergies, some food allergies may be life long.

Discuss your child's food allergies with his or her allergy healthcare provider.

What are the symptoms of food allergy in a child?

Allergic symptoms may start within minutes to an hour after eating the food. Symptoms can occur a bit differently in each child. They can include:

Severe nausea or vomiting
Diarrhea
Stomach cramps or stomach pain
Red, itchy rash (hives)
Swelling of the face
Eczema
Itching or swelling of the lips, tongue, or mouth
Itching or tightness in the throat
Dizziness, with lowered blood pressure
Asthma symptoms, such as coughing, runny or stuffy nose, wheezing, or trouble breathing
A feeling of impending doom

It doesn't take much of the food to cause a very bad reaction in highly allergic children. In fact, a tiny piece of a peanut or a small sip of milk can cause a severe reaction in a child that is highly allergic.

Some babies may have non-life-threatening, delayed allergies to milk, soy or other allergens. These symptoms often are not like the symptoms of other allergies. Instead they may include:

Colic or fussy behavior
Blood in your child’s stool
Poor growth
Severe eczema that doesn't go away.

These non-life threatening allergies may look like other health problems and are often hard to diagnose with allergy testing. Make sure your child sees his or her healthcare provider for a diagnosis.

Severe symptoms of a food allergy

Anaphylaxis is a severe allergic reaction. It is life-threatening. Symptoms can include:

Trouble breathing, shortness of breath, or wheezing
Feeling as if the throat is closing
Hoarseness or trouble talking
Swelling of the face, lips, tongue, and throat
Cool, moist, or pale blue skin
Feeling faint, lightheaded, or confused
Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea
Fast and weak heartbeat
Feeling dizzy, with a sudden drop in blood pressure
Loss of consciousness
Seizure

Anaphylaxis is a medical emergency. If you suspect your child is having anaphylaxis, call 911 to get help right away. If your child has an epinephrine autoinjector, use it while you are waiting for the ambulance to arrive. Epinephrine will help stop the symptoms of the allergic reaction. It is life-saving when used for severe allergic reactions. Your child should always have 2 epinephrine autoinjectors with them wherever they go.

How is food allergy diagnosed in a child?

Your child's healthcare provider will make the diagnosis based on a physical exam and a thorough health history. This history should include a list of foods that were eaten before the allergic symptoms.

The healthcare provider will do some tests to make an exact diagnosis. These tests may include the following.

Skin prick test

Skin prick tests are the most common allergy tests. Skin tests measure if there are IgE antibodies to specific allergens such as foods, pollens, or animal dander. A small amount of diluted allergen is put on the skin. The area is pricked or scratched. If a child is allergic to the allergen, a small raised bump that looks like a mosquito bite appears after about 15 minutes. Testing for many allergens may be done at the same time. Skin test results are available right away after the testing is done. Skin prick testing may not be done if your child very recently had a severe reaction, or if he or she has long-term (chronic) hives or severe eczema.

Blood tests

Blood tests for allergies measure IgE antibodies to specific allergens in the blood. The blood test that is most commonly used is called RAST (radioallergosorbent test). Blood tests may be used when skin tests can't be done or if there are still questions about a food allergy after the skin test. A positive blood test does not always mean that your child has a specific allergy. Any positive blood test needs to be explained by a healthcare provider who is familiar with the tests and knows your child's health history. These tests take longer to get results. They may be more costly than other allergy tests.

Note: Neither a skin nor a blood test can determine how severe an allergic reaction will be.

Food challenge test

This test is given by an allergist. He or she gives your child a very small amount of an allergen by mouth. The allergen can also be inhaled. Then your child is watched closely for any reaction. Food challenges are most often done if the allergist thinks your child will be able to eat a food again without a reaction.

How is food allergy treated in a child?

There is currently no medicine to prevent food allergy in children. The goal of treatment is to stay away from the foods that cause the symptoms. It's very important that your child not eat these foods or other similar foods in that food group. If you are breastfeeding your child, talk to your child's allergist about whether or not you need to avoid these foods too.

It may be important to give vitamins to your child if he or she is unable to eat certain foods. Discuss this with your child’s healthcare provider.

Children with food allergies who are at risk of a severe reaction (anaphylaxis) should carry 2 epinephrine autoinjectors at all times. This helps stop the symptoms of severe reactions. Your child's healthcare provider can teach you how to use it.

Some children may outgrow their allergies. Your child's healthcare provider will discuss follow up testing or food challenges with you. Many allergies may be short-term in children. Your child may be able to eat the food after age 3 or 4. Reintroduce a food only after discussing it with your child's healthcare provider. This is because of the risk of a severe reaction.

If your baby is allergic to milk, treatment may include changing your baby’s formula to a soy formula. If your child has problems with soy formula, your child’s healthcare provider might suggest an easily digested hypoallergenic formula.

What can I do to prevent food allergy in my child?

For many years, it was recommended to delay giving a child certain highly allergenic foods until after age 1 year. But new research shows that for babies at high risk of developing peanut allergy, giving them peanuts between 4 to 6 months can greatly lower the risk for peanut allergy.

Babies are considered "high risk" if they have moderate to severe eczema or egg allergy. Other children who may be at risk include children with food allergies other than egg allergy and those with siblings with peanut allergy. But these lower-risk babies were not included in the recent studies.

If your child is at high risk for peanut allergy, talk with your child's healthcare provider before giving them peanuts. A blood test or skin test for peanut may be advised first.

If your child does not have eczema or other food allergies, you can introduce peanuts at a time that you think is appropriate.

There is no evidence that breastfeeding or formula feeding gives more protection against food allergies. If you are breastfeeding, you don't need to stay away from any particular foods unless your healthcare provider tells you to. Give your baby only infant formula or breastmilk until age 1. Don't give your baby whole milk until after age 1.

Giving your baby eggs early may help prevent egg allergy. Giving other foods early isn't helpful to prevent allergies. But adding foods to a baby's diet within the first year of life is important.

How can I help my child live with a food allergy?

Living with food allergies means not giving your child foods that your child is allergic to. For some children, simply touching the allergen can give them an allergic reaction. Although families can remove the allergen from their home, dining out can be challenging.

Here are some tips for dealing with your child’s food allergies when you are eating away from home:

Know what ingredients are in the foods at the restaurant where you plan to eat. When possible, get a menu from the restaurant ahead of time and review the menu items.
Never assume you know the ingredients in an item. Always ask, even if you have been to the restaurant many times before.
Let your server know from the start about your child’s food allergy. Ask how the dish is prepared and what's in it before you order. If your server doesn't know this information or seems unsure of it, ask to speak to the manager or the chef.
Don't use buffet-style or family-style service. There may be cross-contamination of foods from using the same utensils for different dishes.
Don't let your child eat fried foods. The same oil may be used to fry several different foods.

Another tip for dining out is to carry a food allergy card. You can give it your server or the manager before you order food for your child. A food allergy card contains information about the specific items your child is allergic to. It also has additional information such as a reminder to make sure all utensils and equipment used to prepare the meal are thoroughly cleaned before use. You can easily print these cards yourself using a computer and printer.

If your child is eating out with friends and you are not going to be present, give your child a food allergy card (or make sure the adult in charge has one) to give to the server.

Discuss your child’s food allergy with his or her school. Using some of the above strategies at school can be helpful. You may be surprised by how many children at your school have the same or similar allergies.

Your child's epinephrine auto injectors should always be with them. Do your best to avoid the foods that cause the allergy, but always be prepared in case of an accidental exposure or reaction.

Ask your healthcare provider for an anaphylaxis action plan that outlines the symptoms to look for and the steps to take in case of a severe allergic reaction.

Key points about food allergy in children

A food allergy is when your child’s body has a bad immune reaction to a certain food.
Most allergies are caused by milk, eggs, wheat, soy, tree nuts, peanuts, fish, and shellfish.
Symptoms of food allergies may include vomiting, diarrhea, cramps, hives, swelling, eczema, itching, difficulty breathing, wheezing, and lowered blood pressure.
Symptoms of milk or soy intolerance may include colic, blood in your child’s stool, and poor growth.
The goal of treatment is for your child to stay away from the foods that cause the symptoms. Your child also needs a food allergy treatment plan and epinephrine autoinjectors in case of a severe allergic reaction.

Next steps

Tips to help you get the most from a visit to your child’s healthcare provider:

Know the reason for the visit and what you want to happen.
Before your visit, write down questions you want answered.
At the visit, write down the name of a new diagnosis, and any new medicines, treatments, or tests. Also write down any new instructions your provider gives you for your child.
Know why a new medicine or treatment is prescribed and how it will help your child. Also know what the side effects are.
Ask if your child’s condition can be treated in other ways.
Know why a test or procedure is recommended and what the results could mean.
Know what to expect if your child does not take the medicine or have the test or procedure.
If your child has a follow-up appointment, write down the date, time, and purpose for that visit.
Know how you can contact your child’s provider after office hours. This is important if your child becomes ill and you have questions or need advice.

Allergy to food products, find out the prices for a set of tests and take them in Moscow

Synonyms: Blood test for food allergy.

Food allergy: Allergy blood test: allergies to foods; Food blood allergy test.

Profile composition:

No. 67 IgE total (Immunoglobulin E total, IgE total)

No. 998 Orange, IgE (Orange, IgE, F33)

No. 611 Peanut, Ig0, Feanut 0.05)

№ 636 Grapefruit, IgE (Grapefruit, IgE, F209)

Ref. 608 Cow's milk, IgE (Milk, IgE, F2)

Ref. 614 Crabs, IgE (Crab, IgE, F23)

Ref. IgE (Lemon, IgE, F208)

No. 617 Carrot, IgE (Carrot, IgE, F31)

No. 632 Baker's Yeast, IgE (Baker's Yeast, IgE, F45)

No. 610 Wheat flour, IgE (Wheat, IgE , F4)

Ref. 619 Celery, IgE (Celery, IgE, F85)

Ref. 612 Soybeans, IgE (Soybean, IgE, F14)

Ref.0005

No. 609 Cod, IgE (Codfish, IgE, F3)

No. 613 Hazelnut, IgE (Hazelnut, IgE, F17)

No. 633 Chocolate, IgE (Chocolate, IgE, F105)

Egg white, IgE No. 607 (Egg White, IgE, F1)

No. 618 Egg yolk, IgE (Egg Yolk, IgE, F75)

Brief description of the Food Allergy study

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), manifestations of food allergy occur an average of 2.5% of the population.

Food allergies are directly caused by antigens in foods. Antigens are substances that, when they enter the human body, are recognized as foreign and cause an immune response in the form of an allergic reaction. The so-called "Big Eight" foods that most commonly cause allergic reactions include cow's milk, chicken eggs, peanuts and tree nuts, wheat, soy, fish and seafood. At the last congress of the European Association of Allergists and Clinical Immunologists (EAACI 2020), held in June 2020 in London (UK), fourteen allergens were discussed, sesame, celery, sulfites, mustard, soy and lupine were added to the standard eight. These foods are the most common cause of food allergies. This type of allergy is more common in children than in adults, and some children outgrow food allergies as they get older.

Food allergies are characterized by lethargy, diarrhea, vomiting, and skin symptoms such as urticaria, atopic dermatitis, oral allergy syndrome (itching, slight swelling of the mouth). A life-threatening reaction includes anaphylaxis, a condition in which a few minutes or hours after contact with an allergen, blood pressure suddenly decreases, which leads to circulatory failure and, as a result, inadequate saturation of organs and tissues with oxygen (“oxygen starvation”). Typical symptoms: tinnitus, weakness, dizziness, nausea, abdominal pain, urticaria with severe itching, swelling of the lips, tongue, uvula, shortness of breath, cough, changes in heart rate, loss of consciousness. In case of anaphylaxis, an ambulance should be called immediately.

One of the most effective ways to fight allergies is a hypoallergenic diet. Accurate diagnosis of a food allergy is extremely important for the selection of an elimination diet with the exclusion of a causally significant food allergen. It is quite difficult to develop a competent nutrition algorithm on your own. Therefore, for the treatment of food allergies and the preparation of an optimal diet, you should contact specialists. An allergist-immunologist will help you choose a diet taking into account the characteristics and taste preferences.

The specifics of the application of tests profile "Food Allergy"

With the help of laboratory diagnostics, you can find the allergen, eliminate it from the diet and thus protect yourself from unwanted reactions and their consequences.

Milk and its products are widely used in the food industry. Allergy to cow protein is common in young children. In adults, milk intolerance is more common, which indicates an enzymatic deficiency. The most common clinical manifestations of milk allergy can be skin manifestations (itchy rash, eczema, dermatitis), gastrointestinal symptoms (abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, flatulence, constipation), and sometimes respiratory symptoms (cough, asthma attacks, rhinitis). If you are allergic to cow's milk, you can cross-react with beef.

Eggs also contain common allergens, with the most active allergenic component being albumin, which is part of the egg white. During cooking or frying, albumin disappears from the yolk, but remains in the protein. Like cow's milk protein, egg protein allergy develops in childhood. Products containing egg white should be excluded from the diet of an allergic person. Patients with egg allergy should also take medication and vaccinate with caution.

Cereals, as powerful allergens, can cause both food allergies and hay fever, that is, cause a reaction to cereal pollen. wheat has strong allergenic properties. Products containing wheat are widely distributed (wheat flour, starch, bran, cereals, pastries, pasta, sweets, beer, etc.). If you have an allergy, even inhaling wheat flour can cause an allergic reaction. Manifestations of wheat allergy can include gastrointestinal disorders, eczema, rhinitis, bronchial asthma, and even anaphylaxis.

Soya is widely used in the food industry and is a common cause of allergic reactions in adults and children. Soy can be found in confectionery, semi-finished meat products, medicines and cosmetics. Soy is widely used as a filler, however this is often not listed on the packaging, instead it is usually written "plant protein filler". Cross-allergy to peanuts is possible. Children who are allergic to soy may develop an allergy to cow's milk.

Peanuts and hazelnuts have pronounced allergenic properties and can cause the most severe cases of food allergies, up to anaphylaxis. May cause severe cases of food allergies. It is called "peanut-nut syndrome" or nut tree syndrome. Peanuts and hazelnuts are part of many culinary products: chocolate, liqueurs, cakes, muffins. Proteins of peanuts and nuts are thermostable and during heat treatment their allergenicity increases.

Carrots and celery are the most allergenic crops among umbrella crops, and tomato should be singled out among nightshade crops.

Orange, grapefruit, lemon - one of the most popular representatives of citrus fruits, they are sources of vitamins and a number of useful minerals, contain a significant amount of antioxidants and other biologically active substances. Allergy to citrus fruits is observed relatively often among other types of food allergic reactions. An allergic reaction is more often observed to one particular type of citrus fruits, and combined reactions to various representatives of citrus fruits are also possible.

Allergy to crabs and shrimp is noted quite often, especially among residents of coastal areas. Many people with this type of allergy are sensitized only to this type of crustacean, but cross-allergy to other crustaceans (eg, lobster) and some types of fish can also occur. Allergy to fish protein is noted quite often. Despite this, most patients with this type of allergy are sensitized only to certain types of fish, in particular, to cod .

Baker's yeast is a single-celled microscopic fungus widely used in the production of bakery products, as well as in the field of scientific research and genetic engineering. Sensitization to yeast allergens may underlie allergic reactions to foods that contain yeast (eg bread, wine, and beer). Mushrooms are also important respiratory allergens. Allergy to baker's yeast can cause an allergic reaction to the hepatitis B vaccine because the recombinant hepatitis B surface antigen used in the vaccine is produced on baker's yeast, in the genetic material of which the gene responsible for the production of this protein is inserted.

Chocolate is a product whose components (cocoa butter, cocoa powder, sugar) in case of individual intolerance can cause allergic reactions in the form of atopic dermatitis, urticaria, angioedema. However, more often allergens in chocolate are various additives and substitutes. These are soy, peanut, palm, coconut oils, peanuts, nuts, flavors, soy lecithin, wheat gluten, raisins, dried apricots. Milk is also added to chocolate, which is a common cause of allergies in children.

Why the Food Allergy study is carried out

The profile includes a set of allergens that will make it possible to navigate the main points of nutrition and allow you to regulate the composition of foods in the diet, taking into account the risk of developing allergic manifestations.