Each year, it seems, more and more playgrounds or schools put up signs declaring the area a ‘nut-free zone’. And each year, more stories emerge on the rise of food allergies among children.
Food allergy now occurs in around one in 20 children, and one in 100 adults. Sixty-five thousand Australian children now have food allergies before they reach school age, according to the Australasian Society for Clinical Immunology and Allergy.
Allergic reactions to foods range from nausea, vomiting, reflux and loose stools to potentially life-threatening reactions such as anaphylaxis. Peanuts, tree nuts, hen’s eggs and cow’s milk are the most common triggers.
Allergic reactions are caused when IgE proteins in the body’s mast cells (which line the skin, gut, nose and eyes) trigger a dumping of histamine and other chemicals in response to certain allergens.
The most common triggers include:
Wheat allergies are not common in children, although wheat may be a factor behind irritable bowel syndrome. It may cause bloating in those with coeliac disease, an autoimmune response to the gluten in wheat.
The rise in food allergies remains little understood, but several factors are thought to play a role:
Food allergies may subside in teenage or adult years, but reactions such as anaphylaxis can be life threatening, so naturopaths recommend starting early in managing the immune system and averting extreme reactions.
Eating right is also important, although not to conquer the allergy per se. “A balanced, healthy diet promotes healing and reduced inflammation,” explains Blackmores advisory naturopath, Stephanie Donougher.
While it’s important to avoid bingeing, it’s equally not necessary to avoid all allergens in pregnancy unless there is a family history. “Understand any known allergies in both parents and grandparents, as these can stimulate sensitivity in an unborn baby,” says Donougher. Any symptoms that develop in pregnancy should be addressed by your healthcare professional, she adds.
That a family history of food allergy only slightly increases the risk in children? Most children with food allergy have no such history in the family.
References available on request