Myth: Food allergies are not often dangerous
Fact: Food allergies can have different symptoms which can range from mild to severe. If the initial reactions cause mild symptoms, that does not mean that all reactions will be similar; someone whose suffered from mild symptoms in the past may suddenly experience severe reactions, or anaphylaxis that could be deadly at another time.
Myth: Food allergy develops only in childhood
Fact: Food allergies are more common in babies and children, but they can appear at any age. You can develop an allergy to a food you have safely eaten before at any time of your life.
Myth: Certain food can cause food allergy
Fact: Any food can cause a food allergy, but there are nine foods cause most food allergy reactions: milk, egg, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, soy, fish, selfish, and sesame.
Myth: Eating a small amount of food I am allergic to won’t hurt me
Fact: Even a trace amount of a food allergen can trigger a severe reaction and can be extremely dangerous. The primary treatment strategy of food allergy is food allergen avoidance. It is important to avoid cross-contact between a safe food and your food allergen.
Myth: Allergic reactions will get worse with each subsequent oral exposure
Fact: Food allergy reactions are unpredictable. Severity of reactions varies between exposures but does not necessarily escalate with every reaction overtime.
Myth: If I have food allergy, I will be stuck with it for life
Fact: Most patients who have allergy to milk cow, wheat, and hen’s egg outgrow their allergy. But allergies to peanuts, tree nuts, fish, and shellfish are less likely to be outgrown and tend to be lifelong.
Myth: Allergic reaction always happens directly after eating a food allergen
Fact: Most allergic reactions occur quickly, within a few minutes to two hours after eating a food allergen. This may not be the case always; some reactions may be delayed for several hours of having a food.
Myth: Certain food allergies are more severe than others
Fact: There is no single food allergy poses greater threat than another. If you have more than one food allergy, you should take each allergy as seriously as each other.
Myth: If a food does not traditionally contain an allergen, it is safe to eat
Fact: Never assume anything about how a food has been made. Always ask questions about ingredients before eating a food that you have not prepared yourself.
Myth: Positive allergy tests mean I have a food allergy
Fact: Positive skin and blood tests are not always accurate because of the high false positive rates of these tests (50 -60%). It is important to discuss test results with your allergist. The allergist will interpret them based on your medical history and physical examination.
Myth: Allergy tests can predict severe food allergy (anaphylaxis)
Fact: There is no current test that can reliably determine whether and at what dose of allergen an individual will have anaphylaxis to a food which they are allergic. Positive skin or blood test correlates with an increased likelihood of a clinical food allergy but not to the potential severity of an allergic reaction to that food.
Myth: Breastfeeding can prevent the development of food allergy
Fact: There is no evidence that breastfeeding can prevent or delay onset of food allergies.
Myth: Delaying introduction of allergenic food prevents food allergy development
Fact: Multiple studies show that early allergenic food introduction (between 6-12 months) can reduce the risk of developing a specific food allergy.
Myth: Patient with egg allergy cannot receive influenza vaccine
Fact: Research studies have demonstrated that the flu vaccine is safe for patients with egg allergy of any severity.
Myth: If I use antihistamine and steroids quickly at the first sign of an allergic reaction, I can prevent anaphylaxis
Fact: Antihistamines and steroids cannot prevent the progression of an anaphylaxis. Adrenaline (Epinephrine) is the only medicine that treat anaphylactic reactions. Once adrenaline is administered, antihistamines and steroids can be a useful adjunctive therapy to reduce airway inflammation and improve breathing.
Myth: Only patient who had a history of anaphylaxis need an adrenaline (epinephrine) autoinjector
Fact: The National Institutes of Health (NIH) guidelines state that an adrenaline autoinjector prescription is recommended for all patients with documented food allergy.
Myth: I do not need to carry adrenaline autoinjector with me if I don’t plan to eat
Fact: Patients with food allergy should carry their adrenaline autoinjector with them all times, even they do not plan on eating. Because they may come into contact with a food allergen without eating one, such as touching a surface that has trace amount of allergen on it.
Myth: Oral food immunology is a cure for food allergies
Fact: Oral food immunology is not a cure and will not resolve the food allergy. The allergy still present and allergic reaction may occur upon large accidental exposure to food allergen. Oral food immunology helps patients in tolerate small to medium amounts of food allergen and reducing the severity of allergic reaction on accidental exposure
