Kids can be fussy eaters, especially when it comes to wholesome meals like broccoli and spinach, as every parent is aware.
But some children’s refusal to consume particular foods has nothing to do with being picky. Food Allergy Research and Education estimated that one in every thirteen kids has at least one food allergy. Of those kids, 40% or so have had serious, potentially fatal reactions.
The main issue is that, in the majority of cases, parents are unaware of their children’s food allergies until they try them for the first time and experience an adverse reaction. Because of this, it’s crucial for parents to be on the lookout for indicators of a food allergy, as well as for teachers, babysitters, and anyone else who spends time with the child.
Concerning Food Intolerance:
A response to the food you’re eating is food intolerance. The reaction could be a result of your body’s inability to adequately digest the food. Alternatively, it could be that a chemical in the food or one that has been added to it has offended your body.
Some people are tolerant of some foods in modest doses.
Food allergies and food intolerances are not the same thing. Your immune system reacts to a meal you’ve eaten when you have a food allergy. Your immune system is not involved in food intolerances. Compared to food intolerances, food allergies are typically more severe and show more symptoms.
What Foods Cause Allergies In Children?
A child’s immune system overreacts when they have a food allergy, creating antibodies to the food as if it were a virus or some harmful foreign invader. Allergy symptoms are a result of this immunological response.
Children’s most typical food allergy triggers include:
- Tree nuts and peanuts (walnuts, almonds, cashews, pistachios)
- Cattle-milk eggs
- Shellfish and fish (shrimp, lobster)
- Soy and wheat
Typical Food Intolerance:
The following are the common dietary intolerances:
- Wheat food additives, such as synthetic preservatives and flavour enhancers like MSG
- Fructose, the sugar in fruit
- Caffeine, and naturally occurring food compounds like salicylates and amines.
- Lactose is the sugar in cow’s milk and dairy products.
Symptoms Of Food Allergy:
Your child’s lungs, digestive system, heart, and skin may all be impacted by a real food allergy. One or more of the following symptoms will appear in a child with a food allergy within a short while to an hour after eating the meal:
- Diarrhoea, coughing, and congestion
- Feeling unsteady and faint
- Mouth- or ear-related irritation
- Nausea irritability, red skin pimples (hives)
- An angry-red rash (eczema)
- Difficulty breathing and lack of breath
- Sneezing stomach ache odd mouth taste
- Vomiting, wheezing, swelling of the face, lips, and/or tongue
Food Intolerance Signs And Symptoms:
Food intolerance symptoms include:
- Bloating \diarrhoea
- Headaches and stomach pain
- Mouth sores
Symptoms of food intolerance are frequently delayed. After consuming the food you’re sensitive to, they may start to show up hours or even days later.
When Should I Call The Doctor?
It is challenging to identify food allergies. You must visit your doctor if your child experiences a food response. You will be referred to an allergist by your doctor for the appropriate tests.
A drug (such as EpiPen or Allerject), a needle that will protect your child immediately if they are exposed to the allergen, may be prescribed by your doctor if a serious allergy is proven.
