A food allergy is a potentially life-threatening allergic reaction by an individual’s immune system to a certain type of food or food component. These kinds of allergies are found more commonly in children than in adults. The only effective treatment for a food allergy is to completely avoid problem foods. Parents should help their children understand that food allergies must be taken very seriously.

The most common causes of allergic food reactions in young children are cow’s milk, eggs, wheat, soy, peanuts and tree nuts. Sesame is also a common food allergen among children. About 6 to 8 percent of young children suffer from food allergies, though the number affected diminishes to only 2 percent after the first few years of a child’s life. While most early food allergies are only temporary, older children and adults are likely to remain allergic to foods such as peanuts and seafood. However, only a physician is qualified to decide whether a food should be reintroduced to an adult or child.

A food allergy is triggered when a susceptible individual comes into contact with a problem food – usually by eating it. The immune system, incorrectly interpreting the food as dangerous, releases immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies to fight back against the food. The circulating IgE triggers the release of histamines, which usually results in the symptoms most people associate with allergies (e.g., hives, swelling, nausea, diarrhea, shortness of breath). Even a tiny amount of a food allergen can cause a child to experience life-threatening anaphylactic shock, which can lead to severe difficulty breathing, swelling of the throat, fainting or even death. Therefore, it is necessary to take extremely close care to avoid problematic foods.

Parents and (older) children need to be constantly aware of which foods might be dangerous. They also need to learn the many different names of problem foods and pay close attention to how foods are prepared. Caregivers, schools and other types of supervision should all be notified of the child’s condition and treatment methods.

Like younger children and infants, older children who suffer from food allergies should also remove problem foods from their diets completely. However, about 30 percent of the time, children are able to resume eating the food after one or two years – once a physician has determined that the food is safe.

For newborn babies, some physicians recommend continued breastfeeding until the child reaches 1 year of age to better avoid many of the foods that are commonly food allergy triggers. Nursing mothers should be aware that they can pass an allergen on to their own children while breastfeeding, though the benefits of breastfeeding may outweigh the risks.

For women who cannot breastfeed or choose not to breastfeed, studies indicate that hydrolyzed casein or whey formulas may help prevent at-risk infants from developing food allergies. These formulas, however, are not an option for parents who suspect their infant may already have a food allergy because these breast milk alternatives could potentially cause a reaction. 

Some children who appear to have an allergic reaction to food actually suffer from food intolerance. This condition is more common and usually less severe, although the symptoms can closely resemble those of a food allergy. With food intolerance, the body is unable to properly digest a specific type of food (such as lactose in milk intolerance), usually because it lacks a certain type of enzyme.