Food
allergy in children- Can I eat this Mummy?
By Boniface
Kanyugo Kagumba
A sick child keeps her parents worried the whole day and affects the
whole family as well, especially the mother or the care giver. In most cases
when a child falls sick the blame falls on food, even when the cause has
nothing to do with food. This at least explains that parents are aware of the
effect of food on a child’s health. Food can affect both children and adults in
a variety of ways one being Food allergy
What is it?
An allergy is a hypersensitivity disorder that affects
the immune system. This over reaction is caused by a substance which is
harmless to most people called an
allergen found in environment and foods. When someone has an allergy the
immune system treats the substance as an invader resulting to symptoms that can
be anywhere from annoying to possibly harmful to the person.
In an attempt to protect the body, the immune systems of the
allergic child produces antibodies called immunoglobulin E (IgE),these
antibodies then causes mast cell and basophilis ( allergy cells in the body) to
release chemicals including histamine into the blood streams to defend the
allergen-the invader. It’s the release of these chemicals that causes the
reaction affecting a persons, eye, throat, nose, skin, lung or gastrointestinal
tract, as the body attempts to get rid of the invading allergen.
Allergic reactions can be very mild or may be life
threatening and can cause a systemic shock (anaphylaxis)
Symptoms
Symptoms vary depending on the severity of the allergy. Most
food allergies presents symptoms such as swelling, skin rash, runny nose, itchy
nose or eye, itchy mouth with bumps, vomiting,
bloating, diarrhea, constipation and mucus filled stool. Skin symptoms are the
most common (edema, hives or eczema)
Common food
Allergy
There are no major research that estimates the prevalence of
food allergy in Kenya, however few studies done shows it’s an issue of concern
and allergies are becoming more common. In United States of America, it is
estimated that upto 2 million or 8% of children are affected by food allergies,
this is according to The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and
Immunology Eight foods accounts for most of those food allergy: Eggs,
Fish, Milk, Peanut, Shellfish, Soy, Tree nuts and Wheat
Perhaps these should be a wakeup call to Kenyan parents. It
is good to know what your child is allergic to and control it before it’s too
late. Your pediatrician can perform a Skin
prick test, blood test or a Food challenge to Identify whether your
child is having an allergy or not.
·
Cow’s milk
This is the most common food allergy in infants. The highest
allergic cause being protein found within it, average 3.4% protein in 100g.
To ensure your baby is not allergic to milk exclusive
breastfeeding is encouraged, upto 6 months of breastfeeding. Thanks to Malezi Bora programme, a Ministry of
Health and UNICEF programme that emphasis on the importance of breastfeeding
here in Kenya.
Breast milk has a lot of health benefit and a little
possibility of causing allergic reaction. Mothers who have reasons not to
breastfeed are advised to seek counsel from their doctors or nutritionist.
·
Solid food
When weaning, it is advisable that solid food be introduced gradually,
one at time. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that weaning starts
from six months. Before
this, a child's digestive system and kidneys are still developing and are not
yet ready to deal with solid food.
It is good to give your child homemade food, this ensures
total control of what is going in your baby’s diet the food should be free from
preservatives and additives that your child tummy does not require.
Fighting
the menace
Having known
that your child has an allergy the next thing you are worried is how to get rid
of it. Identifying the food causing the allergy makes it easier for you to
watch out for foods within the same food groups/family. If your child is
suffering from a peanut allergy for example, you want him to stay away from all
the nuts until further test is done.
Your nutritionist will help you identify the
various food groups as well as the different names of the food/nutrient that
your child is allergic to as they appear on the food labels. For Example an egg
white may be called albumin.
The basic
treatment for food allergies is strict avoidance of the allergen. Unlike the
environmental allergens which can sometimes be effectively treated by daily
courses of antihistamine or by taking allergy shots. In cases of accidental
exposure to allergen it is important visit your pediatrician for further
consultation.
Reference
Ø Stefano Guandalini et al,(2005) cow’s milk allergy, Essential pediatric gastroenterology, hepatology, and nutrition , page 175
Ø The
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology,www.aaaa.org
Ø WHO website 2010
Compiled By:
Boniface Kanyugo Kagumba,
Clinical Dietitian
