What is a food allergy?
A food allergy is caused by your immune system handling harmless proteins in certain foods as a threat. The immune system makes too much of an antibody called Immunoglobulin E (Ig E). These fight the “threatening” food allergen by releasing histamine and number of chemicals. This chemical release causes the symptoms.
What is the difference between food allergy and food intolerance?
Food allergies involve your immune system and can be life-threatening. A food intolerance takes place in the digestive system. It occurs when you are unable to properly breakdown the food. This could be due to enzyme deficiencies. It can make you feel badly, but it is not life-threatening.
How do food allergies develop?
The exact reasons why food allergies develop aren’t clear, with research indicating both genetic and environmental causes
Can you develop a food allergy as an adult?
Yes, food allergies can develop at any age.
What type of food are people allergic to?
Although nearly any food can trigger an allergic reaction, there are 9 foods that cause most reactions: eggs, milk, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, wheat, sesame, fish, and shellfish
How much of a food allergen does it take to cause a reaction?
Even a trace amounts of a food allergen or a very small amount ‘hidden’ in a food can cause a reaction.
What are symptoms of an allergic reaction?
An allergic reaction to food can have many different symptoms and are not always the same every time. They can vary in severity and may involve different parts of the body. Signs and symptoms of mild to moderate allergic reactions to foods include: Swelling of the face, lips, eyes -hives -abdominal pain, and vomiting
Signs and symptoms of severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) to foods include one or more of the following: Difficult or noisy breathing or swelling of the tongue or swelling or tightness in the throat or difficulty talking or wheeze or dizziness or drop in blood pressure.
What is anaphylaxis?
Anaphylaxis is a serious allergic reaction. Symptoms often come on suddenly (acute) and generally include two or more of these body systems (e.g., skin, respiratory, heart, stomach).
Will antihistamine stop anaphylaxis?
No, the epinephrine auto-injector is the primary treatment for anaphylaxis.
What is a Food Allergy Action Plan (FAAP)?
A Food Allergy Action Plan (FAAP) is a customized treatment plan that outlines the foods a patient needs to avoid and the steps and medications to take for an allergic reaction. It also illustrates how to use an epinephrine auto-injector. A FAAP is written specifically for you by your allergist and needs to be updated annually.
Can the severity of a person’s allergic reactions to food be predicated from his previous reactions?
No. Someone whose reactions have been mild in the past may suddenly experience severe reactions that could be deadly.
How long does food allergy reaction last?
Food allergy reactions can vary in how long they take to start and how long they last, with most allergic reactions lasting no more than a couple of hours. Some can start within minutes of eating the food and others can take up to two hours.
Who is most at risk for severe allergic reaction to food?
Anyone who has a food allergy can have a severe allergic reaction to food. However, having asthma puts you at higher risk.
How is food allergy diagnosed?
There's no perfect test used to confirm a food allergy. The diagnosis is typically made based on symptoms, a physical examination, and a series of questions.
What is food allergy testing?
Skin prick test - Blood test - Elimination diet - Oral challenge test.
What is skin prick test?
A small amount of the suspected food is placed on the skin of your forearm or back. A health care provider then pricks your skin with a needle. If you get a red, itchy bump at the injection site, it usually means you are allergic to the food.
What is blood test for food allergy?
A blood test can measure your immune system's response to particular foods by measuring the immunoglobulin E (Ig E) in the blood. For this test, a blood sample taken in your doctor's office is sent to a medical laboratory.
What is Elimination diet?
You may be asked to eliminate suspect foods for a week or two and then add the food items back into your diet one at a time. This process can help link symptoms to specific foods.
What is Oral challenge test?
During this test, done in the doctor's office, you'll be given small but increasing amounts of the suspected food. You'll be closely watched to see if there is an allergic reaction. If you don't have a reaction during this test, you may be able to include this food in your diet again.
How is food allergy treated?
Currently, there is no cure for food allergy. The only way to prevent an allergic reaction is to avoid the foods one is allergic to. Food allergies can be treated to relieve the symptoms, usually through the use of antihistamines for mild to moderate reactions and adrenaline for severe reactions.
One treatment currently being studied as a treatment for food allergy is oral immunotherapy. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently approved the first oral immunotherapy drug to treat children ages 4 to 17 years old with a confirmed peanut allergy.
Can food allergy be prevented?
The new guidance is to actively offer non-choking forms of foods containing common allergens (e.g. peanut, egg) around 6 months of age, but not before 4 months, as this can be effective in preventing food allergy in some high-risk infants.
Can a person outgrow their food allergies?
There is no definitive answer. Peanuts, tree nuts, fish and shellfish allergies tend to be lifelong. Milk, egg, wheat, and soy allergies usually begin in childhood and eventually may be outgrown by school age.
If I think I or my child has outgrown an allergy to a food, is it okay to try a small amount of that food?
No. only your allergist can test for this.
Does cooking the food remove the allergen?
Some people with milk and egg allergy can consume baked egg and baked milk safely when these allergens are partly destroyed by heating.
Can hand sanitizer remove food allergen from hands?
No. The aim of hand washing is to remove allergens rather than disinfect.
