Food allergy is as common to adults as it is to babies. The difference is, adults may already have an idea about which food items they have allergic reactions with. For babies, it's a totally different story. Though food allergy may seem unpredictable at first, once you've identified the culprit, you can easily stay away with it. That's why parents need to be extra careful when introducing new food items to their infants for better monitoring of which to feed him and which to avoid.
As a general rule of thumb, parents are advised of the four-day wait rule when giving your baby new solid foods. This allows you to easily track down what food items cause an allergic reaction and which do not. It is also very important to distinguish between food allergy and food intolerance. Food allergy is when the body releases an antibody called immunoglobulin E or IgE as a reaction when the body senses the presence of harmful substances. When this antibody is released, it allows the body to produce histamines which cause runny nose, skin rash and anything else that's usual of a person with food allergy. Food intolerance on the other hand is the body's reaction to certain food items that do not involve the immune system. No IgE or histamines are released and the adverse reactions of the body may be a result of other negative bodily reactions such as in the case of hyperacidity attack when a baby takes too much citrus.
According to studies, approximately 6 percent of children, including babies have food allergy and among the most common food allergens are:
- Milk
- Egg
- Peanut
- Fish and Shellfish
- Soy
- and Wheat
Since babies can't express themselves well yet, there are ways with which we can check if your baby is on a food allergy attack. Your baby may exhibit one or some of the following indications:
- Runny Nose
- Redness of the eyes
- Hives
- Increased irritability
- Outbreak of skin rashes, especially in the bottom
- Vomiting or diarrhea
- Facial swelling, including the tongue or nose
- Difficulty breathing due to tightness of the throat
When you notice that your baby is having an allergic reaction but is not having difficulty breathing, immediately inform your doctor so he can refer you to an allergist for further checkup. If your baby is experiencing closure in the throat and is breathing intensively, call 911 as soon as possible.
Aside from monitoring your baby's food intake, it is also suggested that you make use of available dieting and nutritional resources for infants available online. Though there may be a lot of food items that relatively cause food allergy, each person has his own bodily reaction and resistance to allergens so don't worry too much about what to feed your baby. What's important is to keep him nourished with healthy food while at the same time provide your utmost attention to his daily food ingestion.
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