Diagnose Food Allergies in Children

A child who sneezes or coughs a lot, who frequently develops a rash or hives, or who gets a stomachache, cramps or nausea after eating certain foods may have allergies. Many types of food can

cause allergic reactions in middle childhood. The most common of these are cow's milk and other dairy products, egg whites, poultry, seafood, wheat, nuts, soy, and chocolate. Allergies are

caused by antibodies that the body's immune system produces, which react to a component of a particular food and then release chem­icals that cause allergic symptoms like a runny nose,

sneezing, coughing, and itching. 

 

People often confuse food allergies with food intolerance because of similar symptoms. The symptoms of food intolerance can include burping, indigestion, gas, loose stools, headaches,

nervousness, or a feeling of being "flushed." But food intolerance:
•doesn't involve the immune system
•can be caused by a person's inability to digest certain substances, such as lactose
•can be unpleasant but is rarely dangerous

According to the Food Allergy Research and Education network (FARE), 1 in every 13 children in the United States under age 18 have food allergies. They are less common in adults but, overall,

food allergies affect nearly 15 million people in the United States.