Few parents feel ready when their child has a reaction to food for the first time. When milk, eggs, peanuts or tree nuts trigger symptoms, avoiding them becomes the priority, closely followed by the search for a food allergy treatment. An allergist can support families at this time, turning a stressful situation into a manageable plan. Here’s what Atlanta-area parents need to know about diagnosis, management and treatment.
Getting an Accurate Food Allergy Diagnosis for Your Child
When symptoms appear shortly after a child eats a certain food it can be easy to assume a food allergy. Yet signs like stomach pain, bloating, fatigue and diarrhea could actually be pointing to a food intolerance or digestive condition.
Allergists will usually perform skin prick testing or blood testing to help diagnose a child’s allergy. With an accurate diagnosis, parents will feel less pressure to remove foods unnecessarily, potentially limiting food choice at a time when a balanced diet is important for growth and development.
Building a Child’s Food Allergy Management Plan
After observing the signs a child needs food allergy testing and receiving a diagnosis, the next stage is managing the allergy. After assessing comprehensive test results, the allergist may decide that multiple allergens that could trigger reactions should be avoided (such as several types of tree nut or types of shellfish). Parents will need to learn to diligently check food labels and consider possible cross-contact with utensils and preparation surfaces.
Preparing for Reactions and Everyday Life
Because food allergy symptoms are often unpredictable, parents should be aware of the various signs of a reaction. Severe symptoms are particularly important to recognize, as they will require the immediate use of epinephrine. These signs include severe breathing difficulties, fainting and a rapid pulse. An allergist will also discuss how children can eat carefully at school and live a safe, healthy life while managing the allergy.
Current Treatment Options for Children’s Food Allergies
Avoiding food allergens and carrying an epinephrine auto-injector are important parts of preventing reactions. Plus, some families will choose to commit to a long-term desensitization treatment such as oral immunotherapy, also called OIT. This is an evidence-driven approach that involves eating an allergen in gradually larger amounts over time. The aim is to increase the amount of food needed to trigger a reaction by training the immune system to tolerate the allergen. While OIT can indeed lead to greater allergen tolerance, the patient (and family) must commit to a multi-year process for success.
Tracking Whether a Child Is Outgrowing the Allergy
Some food allergies will change as a child’s immune system develops. For example, allergies to milk and egg often appear in infancy, yet they are frequently outgrown by the teenage years. Before reintroducing the problem food into a child’s diet, an allergist will likely want to perform allergy testing to observe how the immune system responds.
When to See a Food Allergist
Visiting a food allergist is key when a child repeatedly develops hives, swelling, vomiting, coughing, wheezing or other symptoms after eating a particular food. For families with a diagnosis, it’s also worth speaking with an allergist about oral immunotherapy treatment to learn whether their child might be a good candidate. Allergists can also assist when symptoms are changing in some way, whether becoming more or less frequent, or even appearing to have been outgrown.
Visit Us for Pediatric Food Allergy Treatment in Atlanta
For help with food allergy testing and treatment, visit one of our Atlanta-area food allergy centers. We support families with expert care for peanut, tree nut, milk, egg and other food allergies. Call (678) 668-4688 or request an appointment.
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