Food allergy occurs when the immune system reacts to a protein (allergen) in food.. This can be mild to severe. A child is considered to have an increased risk of developing an allergy if there is a family history of allergies.
Foods that are most likely to cause allergic reactions
Egg
Fish
Cow milk
Nuts
Shellfish
Soy
Wheat
How to tell if a child is having an allergic reaction
Flushed face
Hives or a rash
Red and itchy skin
Swelling of the eyes, face, tongue and lips
Trouble breathing/ swallowing
Pale ness/ weakness
Passage of loose stools
Vomiting
Cough
Stuffy/running nose
Diagnosing an Allergy
Diagnosing food allergy is based on the clinical history and a physical examination with a skin prick test or blood (immunoCAP) allergy tests for confirmation.
Recommendations
When introducing suitable complementary foods to a child, including allergenic foods by 12 months even for those considered high risk. These allergenic foods should be given regularly (twice a week).
Introduce new food one at a time so that any problem food can be easily identified.
Trying a food and not giving it again might increase the risk of developing a food allergy.
Continuation of breastfeeding while introducing complementary foods is strongly encouraged as there is strong evidence that it may reduce the risk of an infant allergy.
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