Food Allergy and Symptom

By Helmy Wahyudi

Among the allergies rampant in American lives today, food allergy is one of the top three. However, some people misdiagnose food allergy as food intolerance.

An allergy to food is when you have an adverse physical reaction to a food item after eating it. The most common food allergy is a Peanut Allergy, which affects from 1% - 1.5% of the population. It is also possible to outgrow a food allergy over time, however with a peanut allergy, this is rather unlikely.

Before we go any further let's define exactly what a food allergy is. Food allergies can be broken down into 2 categories. The second category is food intolerance. This is actually caused by the food itself and is not a function of the immune system itself overreacting to the food or food additive. What actually happens with food allergies is that people with allergies produce IgE antibodies to specific epitopes in the food allergen. Allergic reactions to food can be fatal almost immediately following the ingestion of food.

Probably one of the most prevalent and dangerous of these food allergies are people who are allergic to peanuts. Less severe reactions to food allergies are oropharyngeal pruritus, angioedema, stridor, cough, dyspnea, wheezing, and dysphonia.

Symptoms Of Food Allergy

Food allergy is an allergic reaction to certain types of food. Aside for the similarities in symptoms, a food allergy is more severe than food intolerance.Someone with food intolerance can eat small portions of the food he is allergic to.

A food allergy can be treated as soon as the symptom occurs. Unfortunately the best way to avoid food allergies is to have a food allergy test done and then to avoid the foods that show positive on the test. As of now, a shot of epinephrine is the most effective treatment for food allergy and other types of allergies.

Although food allergies cannot be prevented, the best way to defeat it is by staying away from the food a person is allergic to. Making the right diagnosis on food allergy versus food intolerance can be tricky.Welcome to the world of food allergies and intolerances.

A Child Can Outgrow Food Allergy

Food allergies affect an increasing number of children, with peanut allergies being the most prevalent, (to date an estimated 1-2% of children suffering from the possibly life threatening allergic reaction).

So it offers some measure of hope, to parents of food allergic children, to know that around 1 in 5 children eventually go on to outgrow their food allergy. Children and adult allergies follow different patterns. A food allergy in your child is most likely to come from milk, eggs and peanuts. A food allergy in your child may be prevented by avoiding high-risk foods.


Helmy Wahyudi is the owner of 1st-in-allergy-symptom.com free resources on Allergy Treatment, Food Allergy, Allergy Asthma and Symptom.

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