Baby food allergy occurs when the immune system mistakenly identifies the food as harmful and reacts against it. Food allergies can affect babies – resulting in hives, rashes, diarrhea and other symptoms. Though babies overgrow food allergy, immediate elimination of allergy-causing foods is important. Allergy testing and proper elimination can help babies to be safe from allergies.
Beware of these Foods:
Though many foods cause allergies, 90% of the allergies are caused by a group of foods. So, parents should be careful while introducing these foods:
- Egg
- Milk
- Peanuts
- Tree nuts
- Shellfish
- Soy
- Wheat
Pediatricians suggest parents to avoid dairy products until age 1. This is because milk proteins can cause irritation and cause allergy to infants. Similarly, they suggest the parents to wait till age 3 for the introduction of peanuts or tree nuts. However, each child would react differently and you should speak with your pediatrician to get a personal plan for your child.
Symptoms of Baby Food Allergy:
Following are the symptoms of food allergies in babies:
- Rash
- Hives
- Swelling of lips, tongue, or throat
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Dizziness
- Difficultly breathing
If your baby has diarrhea, vomiting, or difficulty breathing, immediately rush to the emergency room, cause a severe allergic reaction can be fatal.
If your baby experiences rash, hives or swelling, do consult your pediatrician. He/she can conduct an allergy test and determine the allergy.
Preventing Baby Food Allergy:
- Introduce new foods slowly. This way, you would know the allergy-causing foods. If you introduce three or more foods at a time, when the symptoms show up, it would be difficult to detect the allergy-causing food
- Avoid introducing allergy-causing foods such as peanuts, egg, dairy products etc, early. You can speak with your doctor and get a personal plan for your child
- Keep a food diary and record the foods and corresponding symptoms. This will be helpful when you meet your doctor.
Baby food allergy can be avoided. Getting your baby tested, getting a personal diet plan for your child, and eliminating allergy-causing foods can be greatly helpful in allergy prevention.
