Some children suffer from intolerance to certain foods. This pathology can lead to dangerous consequences, so parents should immediately take up her treatment. Correct therapy and correction of the diet helps in many cases to reduce the hypersensitivity of the baby to eating or completely eliminate it.
Food Allergies - Causes
This disease is an inadequate response of the immune system to the ingestion of certain proteins. While it is not exactly clear why one child has an allergy to food, and the other quietly eats similar products. Factors that are supposedly associated with the development of food hypersensitivity:
- hereditary predisposition;
- features of intrauterine development;
- unhealthy nutrition of the mother during the period of gestation;
- early start of complementary feeding ;
- transfer of any acute infections;
- disruption of the gastrointestinal tract;
- gestosis with the mother ;
- unfavorable ecological situation;
- the use of illicit drugs and chemicals during pregnancy;
- insufficient duration of breastfeeding .
What food can be an allergy?
Immune reactions occur in response to consumption of many products, but the main irritants are only eight. Food allergy in young children is mainly observed in the protein of cow's milk. Especially often it develops with too fast introduction of complementary foods or premature excommunication from the chest. Products in addition to cow's milk, to which there is a hypersensitivity in most babies:
- wheat;
- eggs;
- nuts;
- soybean;
- crustaceans;
- peanut;
- a fish.
A food allergy in a child can occur on the following food:
- carrot;
- rye;
- tomatoes;
- celery;
- Bulgarian pepper;
- strawberries;
- citrus fruits;
- raspberries;
- a pineapple;
- Strawberry;
- mango;
- melon;
- Garnet;
- persimmon;
- kiwi;
- chocolate;
- cocoa;
- honey;
- mushrooms;
- coffee and others.
How is food allergy manifested in children?
Signs of an inadequate immune response are individual in each child. Common symptoms of food allergy:
- skin rashes;
- body temperature jumps;
- stool disorders;
- pathology of breathing;
- coryza;
- sneezing;
- cough;
- nausea;
- swelling of the tongue and lips;
- vomiting;
- intestinal colic;
- anaphylactic shock ;
- lack of appetite;
- decrease in body weight (more often in infants);
- dizziness;
- pressure reduction;
- fainting;
- regurgitation;
- stomach ache;
- aphthous stomatitis ;
- flatulence;
- angioedema;
- irritability and tearfulness;
- itching.
How long does an allergy to food take?
The rate of onset of symptoms of the pathology presented is unstable. Food allergies in a child can be found 3-5 minutes after using an irritating product or appears after a few days. Time indicators depend on the intensity of the immune response, the general state of health, the concentration in food of chemicals to which the baby is sensitive. Food allergy on the skin in children is more pronounced. Dermatological signs are observed for 1-2 hours or earlier. Often they are combined with a violation of the functions of the respiratory system.
Rash with allergies
Skin symptoms of the disease affect the epidermis mainly on the face, especially in the area of cheeks, chin and around the mouth. Sometimes rashes cover other areas, can spread to the whole body. There are different options for what a rash looks like with allergies:
- Spots. Their diameter varies from a few millimeters to 5 cm, they tend to merge with each other. Spots do not rise above the surface of healthy skin and are not probed, visible only visually. The color of such formations is pink, red, yellow-brown.
- Plaques. Nested nodules, slightly protruding above the epidermis. They have different sizes, too, are often combined. The shade of the plaque rarely differs from healthy skin, sometimes it becomes reddish-pink.
- Vesicles. Small bubbles up to 5 mm in diameter. Inside such cavities there is a cloudy or transparent exudate.
- Papules. Visually very similar to vesicles, the formations look like a rounded tubercle above the skin. Inside the papules there is no liquid and cavity.
- Blisters. Rash, completely identical to vesicles, but large in size. The diameter of the blister is more than 5 mm.
- Pustules. Small and medium formations with a cavity inside. It contains purulent exudate, so the rashes become white, yellowish green or brown.
Dermatological symptoms of food allergies in children are accompanied not only by a visual clinical picture. All skin manifestations are combined with intense itching, flaking, cracking, sometimes numbness and soreness, the formation of small ulcers and erosions. External pathological signs in a child are presented in photographs.
Temperature for allergies
Many parents face fever and fever in a child after eating stimulant products. The answer to the question, whether there is a temperature at an allergy at children, positive. Inadequate response of the immune system to food proteins can be accompanied by heat, up to 39-40 degrees. This is called allergic toxemia, it is combined with chills and profuse perspiration. This condition is extremely dangerous, requiring immediate call of an emergency medical care team.
A chair for an allergy in a child
In most cases, hypersensitivity accompanied by a violation of the gastrointestinal tract in the form of diarrhea. Symptoms of food allergy in children include:
- frequent and loose stools;
- impregnations of vitreous mucus in the feces;
- admixtures of blood in feces;
- severe flatulence;
- vomiting and nausea;
- abdominal cramps;
- eructation, regurgitation .
Less often the food allergy at the child proceeds with locks. This is provoked by excessive stress of the musculature of the intestine and the delay of stool. Due to the lack of regular defecation, toxic compounds accumulate in the body, and the overall condition of the baby is significantly deteriorating. The child may experience pain in the area of the anal opening, groin (on the left side), in the lower abdomen.
What is dangerous food allergy in children?
The symptomatology of the presented pathology can cause severe complications. Food allergy in children under one year, in combination with diarrhea and vomiting, leads to severe dehydration of the body. For babies this is an extremely dangerous condition, which ends even with a fatal outcome. In addition to dehydration, the food allergy provokes the following consequences:
- anaphylactic shock;
- suffocation;
- angioedema ;
- spasm of bronchi.
Food allergies in a child - what to do?
If the baby has the above complications, you should immediately call an ambulance team. At home, therapy is performed when an easy or moderate food allergy is diagnosed in children - treatment involves such activities:
- Exclusion from the diet of the product that caused the immune system reaction;
- taking antihistamines ;
- detoxification of the body;
- restoration of water-salt balance and intestinal microflora;
- relief of dermatological symptoms;
- adherence to a special diet.
Drug for food allergies for children
Medications should be advised by a pediatrician, because babies should not be given certain antihistamines. Food allergy in a child is quickly stopped by the following means:
- Cetrin;
- Lethisen;
- Parliamentary;
- Zirtek;
- Cetirizine;
- Zodak;
- Claricens;
- Loratadine;
- Claritin;
- Dezal;
- Lomilan;
- Erius;
- Lorahexal;
- Desloratadine;
- Clarotadine;
- Tavegil;
- Clemastine;
- Fexofenadine;
- Astemizole;
- Terfenadine and analogs.
In parallel with how to treat food allergy in a child, it is necessary to restore the water-salt balance in the body, especially in the presence of vomiting and diarrhea. To do this, such drugs are suitable:
- Regidron ;
- Ionica;
- Orsol;
- The tour;
- Regisol;
- Normohydron;
- Electral;
- Re-Sol and others.
Sorbents help to remove toxins:
- activated or white coal;
- Atoxyl;
- Polysorb;
- Neosmectit;
- Enterosgel;
- Silix;
- Maxisorb;
- Smecta;
- Bent;
- Polypefan and synonyms.
To restore intestinal microflora and improve digestive processes, it is recommended:
- Bifiform ;
- Enterogermine;
- Acidolac;
- Biosporin;
- Lactusan;
- Bifidumbacterin;
- Yogurt;
- Lactobacterin and analogues.
Treatment of allergic rash
Local therapy is necessary to eliminate dermatological manifestations of pathology, relieving itching and pain syndrome. Skin allergies to eating in children can be treated with the following medicines:
- Fenistil;
- Psilo-Balm;
- Ketocin;
- Advantan;
- Gistan;
- Elidel;
- Skin-cap;
- Protopik;
- Desithin;
- La Cree;
- Vundehil and others.
Diet in food allergies in children
An important component of the complex treatment of the considered disease is considered to be the correct diet. Exclusion of an irritating product is not the only measure how to cure a food allergy in a child. It is necessary to remove from the baby's menu all meals and drinks that can provoke an inadequate immune response:
- eggs;
- fish and any seafood;
- fat meat and poultry;
- rich broths;
- sauces;
- smoked products;
- sharp, salty, sour, spicy foods;
- sausages;
- meat by-products and offal;
- sharp, melted cheeses;
- whole milk;
- mushrooms;
- tomatoes;
- Bulgarian pepper;
- radish;
- sorrel;
- radish;
- spinach;
- marinades, pickles, canned food;
- pickled vegetables;
- peanut;
- citrus fruits;
- all nuts;
- apricots;
- grapes;
- strawberries, strawberries, raspberries;
- a pineapple;
- kiwi;
- watermelons and melons;
- peaches;
- sea buckthorn, rose hips;
- chocolate;
- refractory fats, margarines;
- caramel;
- desserts with cream;
- paste;
- cocoa;
- honey;
- marshmallow;
- carrot;
- baking, products of flour of the highest quality;
- carbonated drinks, especially sweet;
- semolina;
- soy and dishes from it.
Authorized products for food allergies in the child:
- porridge;
- lean meat and poultry;
- vegetarian broths and soups;
- raw cheese;
- vegetable and melted butter;
- dairy products (low-fat);
- pears;
- white and green apples;
- light varieties of plum, sweet cherry;
- dried fruits;
- squash, squash;
- greenery;
- any cabbage;
- bread of the second grade or dark;
- loose tea;
- compotes, fruit drinks from permitted berries and fruits;
- still water.
Nutritional diary of a child - a sample for allergies
If you can not accurately determine which specific foods the baby has hypersensitivity, you need to register all the dishes eaten and the reaction to them. Nutritional diary for allergies in a child should be kept daily, recording there not only the names of products, but also the amount in grams. You can do this in paper or electronic form. The sample is shown below.
Menu for a child with food allergy
With the above limitations it is difficult to make a full and delicious diet, but it is quite real. Gastrointestinal food allergy in children is not a verdict. The baby can "outgrow" the pathology, and gradually return to normal nutrition. While you need to follow a diet, it is important to take care of the sufficient content of the child's necessary substances and vitamins. The sample menu is shown below.
Breakfast :
- oatmeal;
- salad from cottage cheese with cucumbers and greens.
Second breakfast :
- a piece of a sweet baked apple;
- not strong tea.
Lunch :
- vegetarian soup;
- boiled rice;
- steamed meat cutlet;
- Uzvar.
Snack :
- chick peas;
- kefir.
Dinner :
- stewed potatoes;
- soufflé from poultry meat;
- tea.
Before going to bed :
- cottage cheese casserole;
- compote.
If a food allergy is found in an infant with natural feeding, the diet should be observed by the mother. "Artificial" selected special mixtures:
- Nutrilon Pepti;
- Pregestimily;
- Nutramigen;
- Frisepep;
- Nutrilak Peptidi and others.