Preventing Food Allergies

By Tracy Staley

When Amber Rohrer handed her two-year-old son Logan a cookie, she had no idea that the walnuts inside would trigger an allergic reaction that would send him to the hospital and propel their family into the frightening world of food allergies.

The Rohrer family would learn how vigilant they must be to keep Logan safe; his allergy is so severe that just eating something that has touched the same surface as a tree nut can land him in the hospital.

Because food allergies can have such drastic impact on kids like Logan, parents have been advised to slowly introduce foods to their babies, delaying some foods such as cow’s milk, eggs, and nuts until after age one or even age two.

But parents are apt to hear a new set of instructions the next time they visit the pediatrician. Research published this year says delaying foods might have done more harm than good, says Rachel Riddiford, manager of clinical dietetics at The Children’s Medical Center of Dayton.

“Avoiding supposedly highly allergenic foods early in life doesn’t seem to help minimize the onset of food allergies—and might actually worsen them,” says Riddiford.

So can parents introduce these foods before the first birthday? It depends. The new research says yes, especially if there is no history of an allergy to the food in the immediate family. But Riddiford cautions it will take time for doctors to adopt these recommendations in their practices, so parents might not be encouraged to change so quickly. The idea isn’t radical; it’s akin to traditional environmental allergy treatments, where patients are given minute amounts of the allergen, causing the body’s immune system to build up tolerance.

The list of the most allergenic foods is also changing. Researchers used to think that common allergens included milk, eggs, fish, nuts, peanuts, wheat, and corn. But recently, hazelnuts, peaches, shrimp, wheat, and apples emerged as the most common food allergies, while fish, eggs, and cow's milk were the least common causes of sensitivity.

Detection

Not every child goes into such dire straits as Logan Rohrer. There are several signs of allergic reaction, and many could be confused with other ailments, such as a stomach bug or common cold. In some cases, where the allergic reaction happens inside the gastrointestinal tract, repetitive vomiting and diarrhea are the symptoms. Other times you’ll notice blood streaks in their stools. Unexplained rashes, irritability, itching, and runny noses are common examples of reactions. Spitting up might mean a baby is having an allergic reaction in the esophagus. Also, puffy and red skin around the mouth or eyes can indicate an allergy.

About 35 percent of kids with moderate to severe eczema, a chronic skin disorder that involves scaly and itchy rashes, have food allergies as a trigger. Anaphylaxis shock occurs more often in children who have been exposed to their food allergen and who also have asthma.

Riddiford urges parents to remember that food intolerance is more common than food allergies. If you suspect a problem, “Have your child tested by a physician well versed in food allergies,” she advises.

Living with food allergies

Many groceries are stocking nut-free and gluten-free foods and dairy-free milks and ice creams. Kroger has a section of its website dedicated to gluten-free education, including a list of products sold on the Kroger private label.

Whole Foods offers store tours to highlight gluten-free foods. They have seen a significant increase in sales of allergy-free products, says community liaison Paula Mangold.

Children with food allergies need to be educated about their allergies just as much as their parents, says Rohrer. “I don’t hide it from Logan,” she says. “I want him to be an advocate for himself.”