Food Allergy | What Steven Cousley Does

Managing Infant Food Allergy

Apr 122009

How to Deal with Baby Food Allergy

Allergies are among the most common diseases existing today. Millions of people suffer from allergies and about 6 percent of the population suffering from allergy are children and infants. This kind of disease can affect anyone at anytime. Once your immune system overreacts to a foreign substance that is usually harmless it releases histamines and allergy symptoms can occur.

As a parent, your infant is the most important person in the world. You feed them, you give them clothes and you provide them with shelter and care. You should be aware if your baby has food allergies as it can cause discomfort to them and in severe cases, it can even cause death.

As a parent you have to be aware of your child’s health and take the necessary measures in order to manage and prevent your child from experiencing discomfort because of allergy attacks. Some foods are the main causes of allergies. If you are giving your child solid foods for the first time, you have to be absolutely certain that the food you are giving them will not cause an allergic reaction.

You have to know how an allergy occurs in order to properly detect it as early as possible. When your child eats food that his or her body is sensitive to, the body will first produce antibodies called IgE. After your child ingests the same food again, the IgE will tell the immune system to produce histamines to fight off the allergens. Histamines are responsible for producing many of the allergy symptoms. The allergens alone are usually harmless but the immune system of your child will mistake it as being harmful and attacks it. Because of the attack on the invader, the body may produce signs and symptoms of allergy within a few minutes of ingesting the food or possibly up to two hours.

The symptoms of allergy can be mild or severe. If the symptoms are mild, your child will experience mild discomfort as swelling of the skin, mouth, ears and tongue. You will also see rashes on the skin that can be itchy. The child may also experience difficulty in breathing as well. In severe cases, your baby may vomit or can have diarrhea. Severe allergic reaction can be life threatening.

If a member of your family is allergic to specific kinds of food, your child may also inherit the allergy. Sensitivity to certain foods can develop over time. You may notice that your infant develops the signs and symptoms after a few times of eating the same food.

Here are some of the foods most commonly linked to infant food allergy:

• Fish
• Peanuts
• Tree nuts
• Shellfish
• Eggs
• Milk

If your infant is showing symptoms of allergy you should immediately call your local emergency number. You have to consider the fact that this situation can be life threatening and it is better to be safe than sorry.

Always remember that early detection leads to proper management and care. The baby’s pediatrician can perform food allergy tests and will prepare an action plan for properly managing the allergy attack and will also provide medications to treat allergies. Find as much food allergy information as you can so you can be prepared for any situation.

Children's Food Allergies – How To Manage

Food, Health, Medical No Responses »

Apr 112009

It’s quite natural for you as a parent to want the best in everything for your children in order for them to grow up healthy as well as happy. However, there comes a time when a child gets sick. Today, there are numerous causes of children’s food allergies that can severely affect your child’s way of life.

With a child food allergy, it’s up to you to take care and closely monitor what your child eats. Because they are still learning what foods they can eat and what foods they cannot eat, it’s necessary that you should always keep an eye out for your child. If your children are going to school, you have to consider that their classmates may eat food that your child is allergic too. Your child may be tempted to try something different, especially if they see other children eating it. You can’t always be there to tell them what they can’t eat. It’s very important to educate your child about their special diet and what to do if something should happen to go wrong.

First of all, allergies are triggered by allergens. Although allergens are normally found in animal dander (material shed from animals), and in pollens, they can also be found in certain foods. People who are allergic to certain foods have to know what they are eating. You also have to know how allergies work in order to fully understand how you can manage it.

Children’s food allergies are triggered when your child ingests an allergen. These allergens cause an immune response which may include the production of histamines. Histamines contribute to allergic symptoms such as inflamation of the mucous membranes and contraction of smooth muscles, such as those in the airways. This also triggers the body to experience sneezing, runny nose, and swelling in different parts of the body. This is considered to be your body’s self defense when it encounters a foreign substance in thebody.

There are severe cases of allergies that some children experience that can really affect their life. In severe cases of allergy attacks, you may need to take your child to hospital. This is why it is very important that you should identify what kind of food is allergic from.

Most commonly, child food allergies are triggered by allergens in nuts and in shellfish. Although they may develop allergies to other kinds of food, peanuts and shellfish are the main triggers. It’s also important to know that an allergy to one type of food can also mean an increased chance of having a reaction to other similar foods. This chart gives an idea of the risk of a related reaction in some common food groups

It is best to keep track of your child’s diet in order to identify the causes of allergy attacks in your child. A pediatrician may perform a series of food allergy tests to identify what kind of allergens triggers your child’s allergy attacks. To do this, your doctor will do a series of lab examinations that will include skin tests to determine the causes of the allergy.

By knowing about what kind of food your child is allergic to, you will be able to manage the food they eat and allow them to get on with a more normal life.

Food Allergy Reactions and How to Avoid Them

Health, Medical 1 Response »

Apr 112009

Food Allergy Reactions and How to Fight Them

It’s annoying to smell the delicious aroma of a meal only to find out that it has an ingredient to which you are allergic. That’s the demise of every person with food allergies! Watching other people devour food that seems so delicious but you can’t take part in the experience. How often do you encounter comments like, “great food isn’t?” Often you just won’t admit you are allergic and smile as if you knew how it tasted.

Why do you have these food allergy reactions? What is the cause of these annoying symptoms? What is happening inside the body during allergic reactions? Understanding your own body will better help accept and overcome your symptoms.

A food allergy is an unusual reaction toa certain type of food allergen. An allergen is the substance or thing that causes the allergic reactions. Exposure to an allergen sets off the alarm in the human immune system which consequently releases antibodies to fight off the invasion of the perceived foreign body. It then causes the symptoms you would see when you are in a state of allergic reaction.

Looking more closely, food allergy reactions undergo two courses of action. The first response is the release of immunoglobulin E or IgE by the immune system into the blood stream. IgE is a food-specific antibody and a protein that is the body’s immune defense against the food allergen.

Following the initial response is the attachment of the IgE to the mast cells. These mast cells are present in body tissues where allergic reactions are common. These locations may include the lungs, skin, nasal and oral cavities, and the gastrointestinal system.

As for the food itself, you may have noticed that you are not just allergic to one type of food. There are instances where you experience an allergic reaction to oyster and later find out that you are also allergic to crabs and other seafoods. This is what medical professionals call cross-reactivity, wherei an individual can be allergic to closely related or similar types of foods.

The best way to deal with your allergy problems is to identify the foods that cause your reactions and to try as best as you can to avoid these foods. There is no cure for food allergies but there are food allergy products out there that can alleviate the symptoms. With the help of a medical professional, you can be given food allergy tests to identify your particular problem foods. Nutritionists may help you find alternative ingredients or foods to reduce the chance of encountering food allergens. Make it a habit to check food labels for ingredients that you may be allergic to and do not hesitate to enquire with restaurant employees, like the waiter, about your food allergy to prevent any unwanted accidents.

People who are highly allergic should wear a medical alert necklace or bracelet to declare your condition. As for the medications, some patients who are very susceptible are advised to bring with them at all times a self-injectible epinephrine, which is prescribed by the doctor, that can be of help during sudden attacks of allergic reactions before seeking out for the assistance of an emergency team.

Other food allergy products are antihistamines, bronchodilators, and corticosteroids. Antihistamines help improve the symptoms of rhinitis, hives, rashes, and gastrointestinal problems. Corticosteroids alleviate the severity of inflammations of the skin and in other areas of the body. Bronchodilators are used to open up air passages of the respiratory tract that has become inflamed which would result in breathing difficulties.

To understand more about your food allergies, you can consult your doctor. There are comprehensive books in the market that can be easily understood by just about anybody that wants complete information about food allergies and how to fight them.