Introducing solids to your baby is an important milestone that raises many questions in a mother’s mind. One of the relevant issues is food allergies which have become quite common in babies recently. Hence, it’s important to introduce solids to your baby one food at a time so can you track if he/she is allergic to any type of food.
Leave three to five days between new foods to easily monitor which food triggered an allergic reaction. If your baby goes to daycare, it’s important to prepare a list of the foods he/she is allergic to.
Mothers always try to avoid food allergies. Although old guidelines recommend avoiding allergenic foods, new nutrition guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics state that there is no evidence that delaying allergy-causing foods prevents food allergies unless you suspect that a certain food might cause an allergy to your baby. Always ask your child’s pediatrician for advice.
Breastfeeding has always been believed to prevent food allergies. Exclusive breastfeeding for six months is recommended by the World Health Organization, The American Academy of Pediatrics, and The Canadian Pediatric Society for its irreplaceable nutritional and psychological value. However, there is no proven evidence that breastfeeding protects against food allergies.
In this article, we tackle foods that can cause allergy, how to diagnose it, and the symptoms.
Top allergenic foods:
- Cow milk
- Eggs
- Wheat
- Seafood
- Nuts (especially almonds and walnuts)
Cow milk
Via: Getty Images – Common food allergies in babies
Cow milk protein allergy (CMPA) is one of the most common food allergies during a child’s first year. 50% of children outgrow CMPA at 12 months, while 80-90 % of children outgrow it by the age of 5. It is important to get CMPA diagnosed accurately to have a proper nutrition plan for your child and avoid taking away cow’s milk from their diet unnecessarily.
Remember that cow’s milk nutrients are extremely beneficial for a baby’s growth and development and their lack could put the child at risk of health conditions such as anemia, poor growth, rickets, and chronic gastroenteropathy.
How is it diagnosed?
- A positive atopic familiar history
- Skin prick test
- Serum specific IgE to cow milk protein
- Oral food challenge under medical supervision to confirm the accuracy of IgE
IgE is divided into:
- IgE-mediated immediate clinical reactions: The onset of symptoms starts within 30 minutes after the ingestion of cow’s milk like anaphylaxis, acute urticaria, wheezing, rhinitis, cough, vomiting, laryngeal edema, and acute asthma.
- Non-IgE mediated late reactions: Symptoms appear within hours to days after the ingestion like atopic dermatitis, chronic diarrhea, blood in stool, iron deficiency anemia, gastroesophageal reflux disease, constipation, chronic vomiting, food refusal, and enterocolitis syndrome.
Cow milk substitutes:
- For a breastfed baby: A lactating mother should limit the number of dairy products in her diet as it is transferred through breast milk. She has to seek medical advice for calcium alternatives.
- For a formula-fed baby: After consulting the baby’s pediatrician, a mother should switch to soy protein-based or hypoallergenic formula according to the baby’s case.
Eggs
Via: Licious – Food allergies
Egg allergy is caused by an allergic reaction to egg protein, mostly found in egg whites and sometimes in yolks. It’s very common in children under the age of five and usually discovered when eggs are introduced to the child for the first time.
Fortunately, most children outgrow it by school-age gradually. At first, they can tolerate well-cooked eggs found in baked foods, followed by lightly cooked ones in omelets, for example. Then, they will be able to tolerate raw egg foods in mayonnaise. Children who are allergic to eggs are more likely to develop asthma later. They should take the influenza vaccine with precautions.
Symptoms of an egg allergy (usually mild):
- Refusal of eggs or egg-containing foods
- Redness and swelling around the mouth
- Vomiting after eating eggs
- Colic
- Diarrhea
- Worsening of existing eczema
How is it diagnosed?
- Skin tests (SPTs)
- Blood tests (IgE/RAST)
Foods to avoid:
- Egg-containing foods from a child’s diet like cakes, pastries, pasta, batter, bread-crumbed foods, ice cream, chocolates, and sweets.
- Egg-containing foods from a breastfeeding mother’s diet as egg protein can be transferred in small amounts to breast milk. In some cases, an allergic baby is not harmed, so you have to test under medical supervision and see if signs of allergy appear on your baby.
Wheat
Via: iStock – Common food allergies in babies
Wheat allergy is one of the common gluten disorders. Wheat-allergic children are always allergic to other grains and cereals except in some rare cases. Almost 2/3 of children, allergic to wheat, can outgrow it by the age of 12. However, some remain allergic for the rest of their lives.
Symptoms of wheat allergy:
- Sleep disturbance
- Irritable behavior
- Reflux
- Frequent loose stool
- Constipation
- Hives
- Anaphylaxis (requires an immediate medical intervention)
Foods to avoid:
- Wheat-containing foods
- Flour
- Bread
- Bread crumbs
- Cereals
- Pasta
- Bulgur
- Couscous
- Freekeh
- Soy sauce (if contains wheat)
- Cakes
- Batter-fried foods
- Baking mixes
- Crackers
Seafood
Via: WebMD – Food allergies
While seafood allergy occurs in babies and children, it’s more common in adults and is always a lifelong condition. A child might have an allergy to one or two types of seafood, but this doesn’t necessarily mean he/she is allergic to all types. However, the allergy might not end at eating seafood, but can also include inhaling the steam of seafood cooking. In this case, seafood shouldn’t be cooked with the presence of the child at the house.
How is it diagnosed?
- Skin prick test
- Blood test
Symptoms of seafood allergy (differs from a case to another):
- Hives
- Lips, face, or eyes swelling
- Vomiting
- Anaphylaxis
Foods to avoid:
- Seafood (the types your child has shown an allergy to)
- The oil that seafood has been cooked in before.
- The batter that seafood has been dipped in.
- BBQ surfaces that haven’t been cleaned after cooking fish
Nuts (especially almonds and walnuts)
Via: The Economic Times – Food allergies in babies
Tree nuts, like almonds and walnuts, contain proteins that can cause allergic reactions in up to 3% of children. Nuts allergy is more common in children who suffer from other allergic conditions like hay fever, asthma, and eczema and are more likely to be allergic to other foods like milk and eggs.
Symptoms of nuts allergy:
- Hives
- Colic
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Face swelling
- Anaphylaxis (requires an immediate medical intervention)
How is it diagnosed?
- Skin prick test
- Blood test (RAST)
Foods to avoid:
- Nut-containing foods
- Chocolate spread
- Muesli bars
Further reading:
- How to Spot Series: Food Allergies
- Checklist: Foods to Avoid For Babies Under 12 Months
- 6 Places to Buy Gluten-Free Food in Egypt
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Sources used in this article:
- Cow’s milk protein allergy in children – National Center for Biotechnology Information
- Milk Allergy in Infants – Ray Children’s Hospital San Diego
- Egg allergy in children – Royal United Hospital Bath
- Wheat allergy – Sydney Local Health District
- Wheat allergy – Food Allergy Research and Education
- Peanut and tree nut allergy – The Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne
- Allergy – Seafood allergy – The Sydney Children’s Hospital Network
- Feeding Baby: How to Avoid Food Allergies – WebMD
- Food introduction and allergy prevention in infants – National Center for Biotechnology Information
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