Mar 07 2010
Infant Food Allergies Are Serious
Child food allergies have increased 18% over the past decade. New parents need to be aware of the possibility that their children may have some sort of food allergy and know how to react in the event of an emergency. The top foods to watch out for include milk, egg, peanuts, walnuts, cashews, Brazil nuts, almonds, fish, tuna, salmon, cod, shrimp, lobster, crab, soy and wheat. Most kids will outgrow an allergy to soy or wheat by the time they go to school. Almost half of infants with a milk or egg allergy will outgrow them by age 10. Often shellfish and peanut allergies are for life -- and they are also the most dangerous.
Food allergy symptoms may show up a few minutes after your baby has eaten or even a few hours later. If you're introducing news foods, you should be on the look out for hives, flushed skin, rashes, face swelling, tongue swelling, lip swelling, vomiting, colic, diarrhea, coughing, wheezing, difficulty breathing or unconsciousness. If your baby's allergic reaction causes severe sickness, swelling or difficult breathing, do not hesitate to call 911 to get paramedics on the scene at once. It may sound strange, but babies can react to a food even if they've eaten that food in the past.
The best way to cope with serious food allergies is to keep your infant away from their food trigger. Make sure babysitters, relatives, daycare workers and school officials know about their food allergy and subsequent reaction. Breastfeeding offers good protection against allergies, so it's best to breastfeed as long as you can. When your child is old enough to understand, try reading books to him or her about asking before eating, coping with teasing from other kids and staying safe. Most communities offer resources for parents to communicate with their kids and caregivers about this topic.
At about nine or ten months, parents like to start moving their babies away from a diet consisting solely of baby food. Pediatric food allergies can be a scary thing for parents, so they sometimes hold off on introducing certain foods. Even if there is no added food allergy risk, it is easier to manage older babies with allergies. Allergy reactions are the worst for peanuts and shellfish, so many pediatricians recommend waiting until your child is at least three years old to introduce these things. Whole cow's milk should not be given to babies under a year of age because the proteins are too complex for the baby's stomach to digest. However, yogurt and soft cheeses are a subtler way to introduce dairy, as these products are broken down. Honey is another substance doctors recommend holding off of on (until age 1 or 2) because it may cause a disease called infant botulism.
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