The best way to prevent an allergic reaction is to know and avoid foods that cause signs and symptoms. For some, it's a nuisance, but others find it very difficult. Also, some foods - when used as ingredients in certain dishes - may well be hidden. This is especially true in restaurants and in other social settings.
If you know you have a food allergy, follow these steps:
Know what you eat and drink. Remember to read food labels.
If you have ever had a severe reaction, wear a medical alert bracelet or necklace that lets others know that you have a food allergy if you have a reaction and are unable to communicate.
Talk to your doctor to prescribe an adrenaline emergency. You may need to perform the MR adrenaline injector (EpiPen, EpiPen Jr., Twinject) if you are in danger of a serious allergic reaction.
Be careful in restaurants. Make sure that the server or the chef know they are not fully able to take the food you are allergic to, and you must be absolutely sure that you order a meal does not contain it. Also, make sure that food is not prepared surfaces, or by immersion in which you are allergic to food. Not reluctant to make known their needs. Members of the restaurant staff tend to be more than happy to help when they clearly understand your request.
If your child has a food allergy, take the following precautions to ensure safety:
Notify key people that your child has a food allergy. Talk to childcare providers, school personnel, parents of your child's friends and other adults who regularly interact with your child. Emphasize that an allergic reaction can be fatal and requires immediate action. Make sure your child also knows to ask for help immediately if he or she reacts to food.
Explain food allergy symptoms. Teaching adults who spend time with your child how to recognize signs and symptoms of an allergic reaction.
Write an action plan. Your plan should describe how to care for your child when he or she has an allergic reaction to food. Provide a copy of the plan of the school nurse of his son and others who care for and supervise your child.
Have your child wear medical alert bracelet or necklace. This alert lists your child's allergy symptoms and explains how others can provide first aid in case of emergency.
Showing posts with label Food Allergy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Food Allergy. Show all posts
Friday, August 5, 2011
Treatment Of Food Allergy
There are several medications available to treat other symptoms of food allergy. For example, antihistamines may relieve gastrointestinal symptoms, hives, sneezing and runny nose. Bronchodilators can relieve asthma symptoms. These medications are taken after a person has ingested unwittingly a food you are allergic. They are not effective, however, to prevent an allergic reaction when taken before eating. In fact, no drug in any form is available to reliably prevent an allergic reaction to a food before eating that food.
Symptoms Of Food Allergy
For some people, an allergic reaction to a particular food can be annoying but not serious. For others, an allergic reaction to food can be frightening and even life threatening. Symptoms of food allergy usually develop within minutes to two hours after eating the offending food. Food allergies can produce even the first time you eat a food.
The most common symptoms of food allergy include:
Tingling or itching in the mouth
Hives, itching or eczema
The lips, face, tongue and throat or other parts of the body
Dyspnea, nasal congestion or difficulty breathing;
Abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea or vomiting
Dizziness, lightheadedness or fainting
Anaphylaxis
In some people, food allergies can trigger a severe allergic reaction called anaphylaxis. This can cause life-threatening symptoms, including:
Constriction and narrowing of the airways
Swollen throat or a feeling of lump in throat, hard to breathe
Shock, with a significant drop in blood pressure
Rapid pulse
Dizziness, lightheadedness or loss of consciousness
Emergency treatment of anaphylaxis is essential. If untreated, anaphylaxis can lead to coma or death.
Exercise-induced food allergies
Some people have an allergic reaction to a food triggered by exercise. Eating certain foods can make you feel itching and dizziness as soon as you start exercising. In severe cases, food allergy induced by exercise to provoke reactions such as hives or anaphylaxis. Do not eat for several hours before exercise and avoiding certain foods can help prevent this problem.
Pollen allergy syndrome, food
For many people who have hay fever, fruits and vegetables and some nuts and spices can trigger an allergic reaction that causes the mouth to tingle or itch. In some people, the syndrome pollen-food allergy - also known as oral allergy syndrome - can cause swelling of the throat or even anaphylaxis. This is an example of cross-reactivity. The proteins present in fruits and vegetables cause the reaction because they are similar to the allergenic proteins in certain pollens. For example, if you are allergic to ragweed, you may also react to melons, if you are allergic to birch pollen, you can also react to apples. Cooking fruits and vegetables can help prevent this reaction. Most fruits and cooked vegetables do not usually cause symptoms of cross-reactive oral allergy.
Common cross-reactivity between pollens and fruits and vegetables:
The most common symptoms of food allergy include:
Tingling or itching in the mouth
Hives, itching or eczema
The lips, face, tongue and throat or other parts of the body
Dyspnea, nasal congestion or difficulty breathing;
Abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea or vomiting
Dizziness, lightheadedness or fainting
Anaphylaxis
In some people, food allergies can trigger a severe allergic reaction called anaphylaxis. This can cause life-threatening symptoms, including:
Constriction and narrowing of the airways
Swollen throat or a feeling of lump in throat, hard to breathe
Shock, with a significant drop in blood pressure
Rapid pulse
Dizziness, lightheadedness or loss of consciousness
Emergency treatment of anaphylaxis is essential. If untreated, anaphylaxis can lead to coma or death.
Exercise-induced food allergies
Some people have an allergic reaction to a food triggered by exercise. Eating certain foods can make you feel itching and dizziness as soon as you start exercising. In severe cases, food allergy induced by exercise to provoke reactions such as hives or anaphylaxis. Do not eat for several hours before exercise and avoiding certain foods can help prevent this problem.
Pollen allergy syndrome, food
For many people who have hay fever, fruits and vegetables and some nuts and spices can trigger an allergic reaction that causes the mouth to tingle or itch. In some people, the syndrome pollen-food allergy - also known as oral allergy syndrome - can cause swelling of the throat or even anaphylaxis. This is an example of cross-reactivity. The proteins present in fruits and vegetables cause the reaction because they are similar to the allergenic proteins in certain pollens. For example, if you are allergic to ragweed, you may also react to melons, if you are allergic to birch pollen, you can also react to apples. Cooking fruits and vegetables can help prevent this reaction. Most fruits and cooked vegetables do not usually cause symptoms of cross-reactive oral allergy.
Common cross-reactivity between pollens and fruits and vegetables:
Causes Of Food Allergy
When you have a food allergy, your immune system mistakenly identifies a food or food substance as something harmful. Activates your immune system cells to release antibodies called immunoglobulin E (IgE) to neutralize the culprit food or food substance (allergen). The next time you eat even the smallest amount of food that IgE antibodies that sense and signal your immune system to release a chemical called histamine and other chemicals in the blood.
These chemicals cause a wide range of signs and symptoms of allergy. They are responsible for causing allergic reactions include runny nose, itchy eyes, dry throat, rashes and hives, nausea, diarrhea, difficulty breathing and even anaphylactic shock.
Most food allergies are caused by certain proteins in:
Shellfish such as prawns, lobsters and crabs
Peanuts
Nuts such as walnuts and pecans
Fishes
Eggs
In children, food allergies are often triggered by proteins:
Eggs
Milk
Peanuts
Nuts
Wheat
Chocolate, long considered by some parents because of food allergies in children are rarely triggers an allergy to food.
Food intolerance and other reactions
There are a number of reactions to food, which causes symptoms similar to food allergy. Depending on the food allergies you have, you may be able to eat small amounts of food problem without a reaction. On the other hand, if you have a true food allergy, even a small amount of food can trigger an allergic reaction. Since food intolerance may involve some of the symptoms food allergy does - such as nausea, vomiting, cramps and diarrhea - people can confuse the two.
One of the most difficult aspects in the diagnosis of food intolerance is that some people are sensitive to food is not himself, but for a substance or an ingredient used in food preparation.
Common conditions that can cause symptoms confused with a food allergy may include:
Absence of an enzyme needed to digest food. You may not have sufficient quantities of certain enzymes needed to digest certain foods. Insufficient levels of the enzyme lactase, for example, reduces your ability to digest lactose, the main sugar in dairy products. Lactose intolerance can cause bloating, gas, cramps, diarrhea and excess.
Food poisoning. Sometimes food poisoning can mimic an allergic reaction. Bacteria in tuna and other fish may also spoiled a toxin that triggers adverse reactions.
Sensitivity to food additives. Some people have reactions and other digestive symptoms after eating certain food additives. For example, sulfites are used to preserve dried fruit, preserves and wine attacks trigger asthma in susceptible individuals. Other additives that can trigger severe reactions include monosodium glutamate (MSG), artificial sweeteners and dyes.
Recurring stress or psychological factors. Sometimes the mere thought of food can cause illness. The reason is not fully understood.
Celiac disease. While celiac disease is sometimes called a gluten allergy, it is not a true food allergy. As a food allergy, it implies an immune system response, but a response of the immune system is unique, more complex than a simple food allergy. This chronic digestive condition triggered by eating gluten, a protein found in bread, pasta, cakes and many other foods containing wheat, barley or rye. If you have celiac disease and eat foods containing gluten, an immune response that causes damage to the surface of your small intestine, leading to an inability to absorb certain nutrients.
These chemicals cause a wide range of signs and symptoms of allergy. They are responsible for causing allergic reactions include runny nose, itchy eyes, dry throat, rashes and hives, nausea, diarrhea, difficulty breathing and even anaphylactic shock.
Most food allergies are caused by certain proteins in:
Shellfish such as prawns, lobsters and crabs
Peanuts
Nuts such as walnuts and pecans
Fishes
Eggs
In children, food allergies are often triggered by proteins:
Eggs
Milk
Peanuts
Nuts
Wheat
Chocolate, long considered by some parents because of food allergies in children are rarely triggers an allergy to food.
Food intolerance and other reactions
There are a number of reactions to food, which causes symptoms similar to food allergy. Depending on the food allergies you have, you may be able to eat small amounts of food problem without a reaction. On the other hand, if you have a true food allergy, even a small amount of food can trigger an allergic reaction. Since food intolerance may involve some of the symptoms food allergy does - such as nausea, vomiting, cramps and diarrhea - people can confuse the two.
One of the most difficult aspects in the diagnosis of food intolerance is that some people are sensitive to food is not himself, but for a substance or an ingredient used in food preparation.
Common conditions that can cause symptoms confused with a food allergy may include:
Absence of an enzyme needed to digest food. You may not have sufficient quantities of certain enzymes needed to digest certain foods. Insufficient levels of the enzyme lactase, for example, reduces your ability to digest lactose, the main sugar in dairy products. Lactose intolerance can cause bloating, gas, cramps, diarrhea and excess.
Food poisoning. Sometimes food poisoning can mimic an allergic reaction. Bacteria in tuna and other fish may also spoiled a toxin that triggers adverse reactions.
Sensitivity to food additives. Some people have reactions and other digestive symptoms after eating certain food additives. For example, sulfites are used to preserve dried fruit, preserves and wine attacks trigger asthma in susceptible individuals. Other additives that can trigger severe reactions include monosodium glutamate (MSG), artificial sweeteners and dyes.
Recurring stress or psychological factors. Sometimes the mere thought of food can cause illness. The reason is not fully understood.
Celiac disease. While celiac disease is sometimes called a gluten allergy, it is not a true food allergy. As a food allergy, it implies an immune system response, but a response of the immune system is unique, more complex than a simple food allergy. This chronic digestive condition triggered by eating gluten, a protein found in bread, pasta, cakes and many other foods containing wheat, barley or rye. If you have celiac disease and eat foods containing gluten, an immune response that causes damage to the surface of your small intestine, leading to an inability to absorb certain nutrients.
Food Allergy Overview
Food allergy affects about 6-8 percent of children under 5 years, and about 3-4 percent of adults. Although there is no cure, some children find their food allergy as they get older. It 'easy to confuse a food allergy is a reaction far more common known as food intolerance. While embarrassing, food intolerance is a condition less severe, that does not involve the immune system.
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