Food Allergy in Children

Children Food - by pixabay.com

What do you do when your baby has an allergic reaction? Immediately stop trigger food? Or just continue the food in the hope that the child will become immune when continuously given the food that makes it allergic? Dr. Zakiudin Munasir, Sp. A (K)., From the Children's Health Department of Allergy and Immunology, FKUI-RSCM, Jakarta, discloses everything about allergies. Hopefully this article can answer all the questions that block allergies.

What exactly is the cause of food allergies?

Food allergies occur because there is an immune reaction that deviates and cause symptoms that harm the body. Generally, the immune system attacks harmful bacteria, viruses, or foreign bodies that enter the body. Food allergies occur because the immune system misrepresents specific food components, (usually proteins), so the food is considered a harmful substance that is then attacked by the immune system. Well, this is a distorted reaction.

Anyone who can suffer from allergies?

Food allergies occur in children with allergies and who do have an allergic talent. Food allergies can be experienced in the first years of a child's life. This is related to the incomplete gastrointestinal tract of children. The more mature the digestive tract, the child will be more tolerant to receive various types of food. Usually food allergies after entering school age can be overcome and mostly disappear by itself. However, some continue to mature, especially those who do have a history of allergies or have allergic talents.

What foods can trigger allergies?

In fact, all foods can cause allergies. However, between one food with another food has a degree of allergen (power of allergies) are different. For example, shrimps are allergenic to fruits. But each person has a different intensity of symptoms. For example, in a child, shrimp only cause mild itching alone. But in other children will cause it until shortness of breath.

What foods are most often the triggers of allergies?

1. Cow's milk

The reaction may be diarrhea or vomiting. Babies (who for some reason can not breastfeed) and suffer from allergies to cow's milk, should not get regular milk formula. Generally for them, doctors will suggest a special formula milk derived from cow's milk but has been processed in such a way that it does not cause allergies in infants. Typically, this cow's milk allergy will settle until the late age of children. Generally, patients not only allergic to cow's milk, but also derivative products, such as ice cream, cheese, and so forth. But that does not mean the child then should not drink milk, as a substitute for cow's milk there is still milk from soybean material. This type of nuts has a low allergenic properties, especially after experiencing the heating process.

2. Seafood (seafood)

For example, sea fish, small shrimp, large shrimp (lobster), crab, oysters, tuna, and others. Symptoms that often arise are urticaria or itching in the body.

3. Eggs

Both egg whites and egg yolks. Allergic reactions are more on the itching in the body. Can be reddish skin or looks swollen.

4. Nuts

In America cases of allergy to the type of nuts are quite high. Some cases even cause death from anaphylactic shock (a condition in which the throat swells so that the airway is closed and blood pressure drops drastically). This is very rare in Indonesia. Types of nuts that can cause allergies are peanuts, cashews, and the like. Symptoms are usually the reaction of itching in the throat.

Can children have allergies to vegetables or fruits?

Can. Usually allergic to vegetables found in children who do have talent allergic to plant powders. Allergic reactions to vegetables are usually a feeling of itching in the mouth. In fact, by cooking the vegetables properly and correctly the nature of the allergen can be lost and does not cause allergies in children. Children who are allergic to vegetables are also generally allergic to beans. To know allergies are usually done allergen tests are asparagus, lettuce, cauliflower, spinach, tomatoes, and broccoli. While the fruits that cause allergies are usually apples, peaches, cherry, pear, strawberry, jack fruit, wine, duku, bananas, oranges, and so on. The reaction is reddish in the skin.

Is there still food that often makes children allergic?

Various snacks can also cause allergies in children. It deals with the process of making the food itself using chemicals or additives (additives). Such as preservatives, dyes, bleach, coatings or shine, pH regulator, food yeast, solvents, and sweeteners, artificial spices, and so on. The reaction was an itch and a sense of chill