What Are the Most Common Food Allergies in Children?
As a parent, you must be concerned about your child’s diet. While it can be easy to make sure your child is getting the proper nutrients from their diet, it may be harder to figure out what food allergies they might have. There are many different types of allergies. Follow along with this article as we explore some of the most common food allergies in children as well as how to manage them.
What are food allergies?
Food allergies are a type of allergic reaction that occurs when the body’s immune system reacts to certain proteins in food. These reactions can cause a wide range of symptoms, including hives, breathing problems, and anaphylactic shock. In some cases, food allergies can be life-threatening. Most food allergies occur in children, but they can also occur in adults.
Causes of Food Allergies
Food allergies are becoming more and more common, and many people don’t even know they have them. Allergies can be caused by anything from peanuts to eggs to milk. Here’s a look at some of the most common food allergies in children.
Peanuts:
Peanut allergies are one of the most common food allergies, and they’re caused by the proteins in peanuts. About 1 in every 20 children has a peanut allergy, and half of those kids will develop an allergy to peanuts by the time they reach adulthood. Symptoms of a peanut allergy include hives, anaphylaxis (a potentially life-threatening reaction), and trouble breathing. If you think your child might have a peanut allergy, talk to his or her doctor.
Eggs:
Egg allergies are another common food allergy. About 1 in 10 children has an egg allergy, and about 50% of those kids will develop an egg allergy by the time they reach adulthood. Symptoms of an egg allergy include eczema (a skin condition), hives, and asthma attacks. If you think your child might have an egg allergy, talk to his or her doctor.
Signs of a Food Allergy
Food allergies are a growing concern for parents and paediatricians. The most common food allergies in children are to dairy, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, and soy.
There is no one cause for food allergies, but they can be caused by environmental and genetic factors. Children with food allergies often have sensitivities to specific proteins in the food. Symptoms of a food allergy can include hives, an itchy rash, trouble breathing, vomiting, diarrhoea, or a fever. If you think your child has a food allergy, it is important to consult with a doctor.
How common are Food Allergies?
A recent study published in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology found that around 2 percent of children under age 18 have food allergies.
That’s a lot of kids, but it’s not the only study to find that food allergies are common among youngsters. In fact, a 2006 study published in The New England Journal of Medicine found that as many as one in five children under age 18 have some form of food allergy.
What accounts for these surprisingly high rates? It’s not fully understood, but it may have something to do with the increasing number of people who are allergic to certain foods. And because food allergens can come from many sources (including eggs, milk, soybeans, nuts, wheat and other grains), it’s not just kids who are at risk. Adults can also be allergic to foods, and some types of food allergies can even be life-threatening.
If you’re concerned that your child has a food allergy, talk to your doctor. He or she can perform an allergy test and confirm if there’s foods you need to watch out for.
Why food allergies are on the increase
Food allergies are becoming more and more common in children, with an estimated 1 in 5 children having a food allergy. There are many possible reasons for this increase, including an increased awareness of food allergies and the development of new allergy-causing foods. Food allergies can be life-threatening if not treated properly, so it’s important to know what the most common food allergies are in children.
One other theory is that increased awareness and better identification of food allergies is leading to more cases being reported. However, another theory suggests that changes in the food industry are partly to blame, but it’s not be substantiated.
What are the most common food allergies in children?
According to a study published in the journal Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, peanut allergy is the most common food allergy in children. Other commonly allergic foods include eggs, milk, soybeans, wheat and nuts.
Food allergies can cause symptoms such as itchy eyes, runny nose, hives, vomiting and diarrhea. If left untreated, food allergies can lead to anaphylaxis – a life-threatening reaction that can cause difficulty breathing. In severe cases, anaphylaxis can be fatal.
To reduce your child’s risk of developing a food allergy, be sure to feed them a variety of foods while they are babies and eat a wide variety of food while you are breast feeding and monitor their symptoms closely. If you notice any signs of an allergic reaction, seek medical attention immediately. Food allergy awareness courses can also a great way to get educated on how you can prepare food for children with allergies.
