Food allergies are common type of illness caused by certain types of food materials in some individuals. Food allergy is caused due to the immune response created by those foods in body. It differs from food intolerance by the lack of immune response, which is specific to food allergy.
The most common type of food allergy in adults is due to shellfishes. Crabs, shrimps, lobster, crayfish etc are some types of shellfishes that can cause immune reaction. Certain types of legumes like peanuts can also cause food allergy. As these food items possess a covering made up of calcium and other materials, it can be a major reason for illness. It is also noted that foods that are taken more are more are prone to cause allergy. Rice allergy is more common in Japan and codfish allergy is more frequent in Scandinavia. Intake of allergic foods can cause sudden dip in blood pressure. This can be fatal if left untreated.
Cross Reactivity
If a person has food allergy to any one item, it is advised to consult a medical expert and to perform allergic testing. This will help the patient to know wether any other food items have to be avoided to prevent allergy. For example, if a person is allergic to any one type of shellfish, allergic testing will reveal other shell fishes that have to be avoided. This type of reaction is known as cross reactivity.
Allergy in Children and Infants
Allergies in children are not permanent as found in adults. The common types of allergy in infants are due to milk and soyabean. Such allergies may be devoid of characteristic symptoms, but the child will be colic with blood stains in stool. It can also affect the growth of child. In some cases, doctors suggest to shift to formulas or cow’s milk for some days.
But in some babies, cow’s milk and formulas can cause allergy. Allergy due to formula is common among infants as there are many components in it to elicit immune response. In such cases, exclusive breast feeding will be suggested. No studies have proved that breast feeding can prevent food allergy. A logical reason behind the delay in onset of food allergy is that the baby will be exposed to other foods after breast feeding period.
There are instances where food items taken by mother continuously during pregnancy period can cause allergy in infant. There are chances for such allergens to enter the body of child through breast milk. |
