Food Allergy is often confused with Food Intolerance. Food Allergy is an abnormal reaction of the immune system that considers a particular food as a foreign substance/harmful agent when consumed whereas Food Intolerance occurs when there is absence of certain digestive enzymes required to digest a particular food and this leads to symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloating etc.
Food Allergy has to be identified earlier in order to prevent life threatening consequences. In case of food allergy, when certain foods are consumed, it is considered as foreign substance or harmful agent and the immune system responds by producing Immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies which interacts with the allergen and triggers the release of Histamine which causes various symptoms such as hives, itching, vomiting, diarrhea and in severe cases it can cause wheezing and anaphylaxis which can lead to death.
In most cases, these symptoms are seen within few minutes to two hours of ingestion whereas in rare cases these symptoms are seen 4 – 6 hours after ingestion or even longer than that.
Diagnosis:
Food allergy would cause some reaction after consumption of the trigger food or food allergen. The type and severity of the symptoms vary from person to person. Food allergy is mostly seen in childhood years although it can occur at any age and in some cases children outgrow allergy to certain foods. There are 3 ways of diagnosing food allergy.
1. Skin prick test – The allergen in a liquid is pricked into the skin. If a wheal (bump) is developed at the site where the allergen was placed then the person is said to have allergy to that particular food/allergen.
2. Blood test - It measures the amount of Immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies to specific foods.
3. Oral food challenge – This is carried out under strict medical supervision. The patient is fed with small amounts of the suspected food allergen/trigger food. Over a period of time the dosage is increased gradually. The patient is observed for few hours to check for allergic reactions. This method is considered as the accurate method to identify the specific food causing allergy, in case the other tests give inconclusive results.
Steps to be taken to prevent allergic reactions:
Once the trigger food has been identified, care should be taken to prevent further allergic reactions.
• Avoid trigger foods.
• Spread awareness regarding food allergy amongst your family, neighborhood and friends to ensure a safe environment for your child.
• Before buying or consuming any food, read the food label carefully to identify any ingredient that could be an allergen.
• Check for certain terms that indicates the presence of food allergens.
• When you eat outside, explain to the waiters or kitchen staff or to the chef regarding your food allergy and ensure that your dish is prepared with extra care.
• Keep your prescribed medications and epinephrine injection handy.
• Inform the school staff regarding the child’s food allergy in order to prevent and manage food allergic reactions in school.