What's it like: To have food allergies

What's it like: To have food allergies

  A food allergy can occur when a person’s body reacts to a harmless protein found in a food. It’s an abnormal response to food, triggered by the body’s immune system.

  A blood test can be helpful, though, in determining over time how an allergy has changed.

There are several theories among the research community as to why people develop food allergies. The role that genetics and environment plays in a child’s development is commonly discussed. For example, researchers have looked at the role that growing up in a farming community can have. Scientists have also looked at the role of pollution and how it might affect whether children develop allergies.

What are the treatment options?

Avoidance is generally the only recommended treatment from doctors in the U.S. Research is being performed on desensitization treatment, where a person is exposed to an increased amount of allergens over a period of time. However, this hasn’t produced affirmative results.

In the case of a serious allergic reaction, a person might need an emergency injection of epinephrine. Often times, people will carry these autoinjectors with them, but if they don’t have them, they might end up with a trip to the emergency room.

How do allergies change over time?

Food allergies can get worse or better. It’s complicated and often difficult to predict.

However, not all food allergies last forever. Most children younger than 5 outgrow allergies to eggs, milk, wheat and soy. However, it is more rare for children to outgrow allergies to fish, shellfish, peanuts and tree nuts.

Generally, the thought among the medical community is that a strong allergic reaction does not predict the severity of a subsequent reaction. Likewise, a mild allergic reaction one time doesn’t mean that the next reaction won’t be life-threatening.

Sources: Dr. Shahan Stutes, allergy immunologist at Oklahoma Allergy and Asthma Clinic; MedlinePlus; National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; the Mayo Clinic; and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

 

 

Source : www.newsok.com