Babies and children * Young people * Allergies and hay fever
Dr.Chris discusses food allergies
An allergy is an overreaction reaction by the body's immune system to a substance which is harmless in most non-allergic people.
Hay fever is classical example of an allergy. The offending substance or allergen which causes the immune system to overreact, is pollen. The reaction causes itchy, red eyes, sneezing and marked nasal irritation.
Food Allergies
True allergic reactions which always involves the immune system, can also be caused by certain foodstuffs, and it is thought that about two in every thousand are affected by food allergy.
The most common foods which can cause allergies include eggs, milk, fish, shellfish, nuts, wheat, cheese, yeast, chocolate and strawberries.
Food colourants and dyes, such as the orange colourant tartrazine (E102) are also capable of producing allergic reactions.
An allergy is a very `personal' thing, as people react differently to different foods. Indeed, one man's meat can be very much another man's poison!
Symptoms
Symptoms of a food allergy can come on very rapidly after ingesting the offending food. They can include any of the following:
swollen lips, tongue and throat
abdominal pain
diarrhoea
vomiting
palpitations
chest pain
asthma
migraine
skin rashes, varying from mild redness and irritation to severe generalised blistering
A severe allergic reaction produces a life threatening condition called anaphylactic shock. Here the allergen in the food rapidly causes a dramatic set of symtoms including blisters and weals all over the skin, swelling around the eyes and lips, and as the tissues in the throat and airways swell up breathing becomes very difficult. The person's heart beat races and blood pressure drops causing the sufferer to feel faint and possibly pass out. Asthmatics notice their asthma rapidly worsening during such a reaction. Treatment must be immediate with the drug adrenaline being injected to save the patients life.
Peanuts in particular, can produce anaphylactic shock in susceptible people, and they have to carry with them a syringe preloaded with adrenaline at all times. Peanut allergy can be diagnosed in childhood, when the child initially develops a severe skin reaction just by touching the nuts. Thereafter peanuts, foodstuffs containing them or peanut oil, must be avoided. People allergic to peanuts should also avoid almonds.
For people with a food allergy, this can make life very difficult. All foodstuff labels must be scrutinised, and meticulous attention paid to meals eaten in restaurants, ready made meals, takeaways etc. Anyone concerned that they may have a food allergy should contact their GP who may arrange for them to be referred to an allergy clinic.
Further information:
Allergy UK http://www.allergyuk.org
The Anaphylaxis Campaign http://www.anaphylaxis.org.uk
Image © NiDerLander - Fotolia.com
Food allergies
Dr.Chris discusses food allergies
An allergy is an overreaction reaction by the body's immune system to a substance which is harmless in most non-allergic people.
Hay fever is classical example of an allergy. The offending substance or allergen which causes the immune system to overreact, is pollen. The reaction causes itchy, red eyes, sneezing and marked nasal irritation.
Food Allergies
True allergic reactions which always involves the immune system, can also be caused by certain foodstuffs, and it is thought that about two in every thousand are affected by food allergy.
The most common foods which can cause allergies include eggs, milk, fish, shellfish, nuts, wheat, cheese, yeast, chocolate and strawberries.
Food colourants and dyes, such as the orange colourant tartrazine (E102) are also capable of producing allergic reactions.
An allergy is a very `personal' thing, as people react differently to different foods. Indeed, one man's meat can be very much another man's poison!
Symptoms
Symptoms of a food allergy can come on very rapidly after ingesting the offending food. They can include any of the following:
swollen lips, tongue and throat
abdominal pain
diarrhoea
vomiting
palpitations
chest pain
asthma
migraine
skin rashes, varying from mild redness and irritation to severe generalised blistering
A severe allergic reaction produces a life threatening condition called anaphylactic shock. Here the allergen in the food rapidly causes a dramatic set of symtoms including blisters and weals all over the skin, swelling around the eyes and lips, and as the tissues in the throat and airways swell up breathing becomes very difficult. The person's heart beat races and blood pressure drops causing the sufferer to feel faint and possibly pass out. Asthmatics notice their asthma rapidly worsening during such a reaction. Treatment must be immediate with the drug adrenaline being injected to save the patients life.
Peanuts in particular, can produce anaphylactic shock in susceptible people, and they have to carry with them a syringe preloaded with adrenaline at all times. Peanut allergy can be diagnosed in childhood, when the child initially develops a severe skin reaction just by touching the nuts. Thereafter peanuts, foodstuffs containing them or peanut oil, must be avoided. People allergic to peanuts should also avoid almonds.
For people with a food allergy, this can make life very difficult. All foodstuff labels must be scrutinised, and meticulous attention paid to meals eaten in restaurants, ready made meals, takeaways etc. Anyone concerned that they may have a food allergy should contact their GP who may arrange for them to be referred to an allergy clinic.
Further information:
Allergy UK http://www.allergyuk.org
The Anaphylaxis Campaign http://www.anaphylaxis.org.uk
This article was published on Mon 31 July 2006
Image © NiDerLander - Fotolia.com
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