Food allergy is an abnormal immune system response to components of some food items.

Infants are more likely to show signs of food allergies in the first year of life because their intestinal and immune systems are immature and going through a lot of development at this stage. Symptoms of food allergies could be mild or severe, these include itching, rashes, eczema, diarrhoea, abdominal pains, stomach cramps, vomiting. More severe symptoms are swellings of the eye, lips, tongue or face and breathlessness/wheezing, fainting etc. These symptoms could occur immediately or a few hours after exposure.

When introducing babies to solid food, one of the major concern of most mums is allergic reactions to one or more of the new food component. Children are at a higher risk of having allergic reactions if there is a family history of food allergies. This is one of the reasons why making your baby food at home is the best option. By so doing, you are sure of all the ingredients going into your baby’s little tummies hence any sign of allergic reaction could be easily traced to the food causing it and proper measures can be taken to prevent further exposure.

NOW LET’S GET PRACTICAL

FIRST SCENARIO

Alex is 7 months of age and his mum will love for him to have some fish in his food. She boils and purees fish and serves it to her little boy. Few minutes after the first spoon a single red rash pops up on his chubby glowing cheek, just as his concerned mum notices this, another one pops up on his arm.

The right thing to do in this scenario is for Alex’s mum to:

- Stop feeding him fish
- Watch him closely, checking for more severe reactions
- If symptoms persists or worsens please contact a doctor

SECOND SCENARIO

Little Teniola is having a meal of banana and peanut puree made by her mum, of course, with a dose of love. This is her first time of trying this two-ingredient meal, so there is a need to watch out for allergies. As Teniola’s mum, you should

- Retain some peanut paste and banana paste separately
- Note that peanuts have a higher chance of causing allergies, so let Teniola try it first
- Take a little amount of peanut paste on the tip of your fingers and put it in little Teni’s mouth
- Wait for a few minutes and watch her closely for any reaction
- In the absence of any allergies, try the same procedure with the bananas.
- Let Teniola have the same meal for 3 days, to be completely sure this food is safe for your baby.

THIRD SCENARIO

Zidane itches every time he eats a particular brand of biscuits.

THE RIGHT THING TO DO

- Check biscuit wrapper for ingredients
- Note possible allergens
- Replace biscuits with one that contains slightly varying ingredients and pay attention.

FURTHER TIPS

To avoid allergies, it’s best to start babies with one ingredient meals so as to easily watch out for allergies and be sure of what food your baby is allergic to, if any allergic reactions occur.

Early exposure to potential allergens (common allergy causing foods) is also a good way to prevent allergic reactions in children.
In cases where it is confirmed that a child is allergic to a particular food, the food in question should be avoided and a plan should be put on ground in case of exposure.

NOTE THE 8 COMMON FOODS THAT MAY CAUSE FOOD ALLERGIES IN BABIES

A child could be allergic to any food, but there are 8 common allergens which account for 90% of all reactions in children, they are:

- Milk
- Eggs
- Peanuts
- Soy
- Wheat
- Fish
- Shell fish such as shrimp
- Tree nuts such as walnuts and cashews nuts

GOOD TO KNOW

Foods with high vitamin C content such as tomatoes and oranges can also cause diaper rash in babies of less than one year of age.

This post examines different areas of food allergies in babies, ranging from how to check for food allergy when introducing a new meal, steps to take when you notice your child is allergic to certain food and the 8 common foods that cause allergic reactions. I hope I have made some clarifications on food allergies. If you have further question on this topic, do not hesitate to ask. Send your questions to me via http://yummytummies.com.ng/free-consultation/. I will respond within 24 hours.

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