Food Allergies

An allergy is a hypersensitive reaction to a normally harmless substance. About one in every six children in the United States is allergic to one or more substances. There are a variety of substances, termed allergens, that may trouble your child. Common allergens include pollen, animal dander, house dust, feathers, mites, chemicals, and a variety of foods. This section is devoted to food-related allergies.

Allergic reactions can occur immediately, or they can be delayed and take days to surface. A delayed allergic reaction can make it more difficult to pinpoint the allergen.

Common symptoms of an allergic reaction are respiratory congestion, eye inflammation, swelling, itching, hives, and stomachache and vomiting. Food allergies can contribute to chronic health problems, such as acne, asthma, bedwetting, diarrhea, ear infections, eczema, fatigue, hay fever, headache, irritability, chronic runny nose, and even difficulty maintaining concentration (attention deficit disorder, or hyperactivity). Food allergies can also cause intestinal irritation and swelling that interferes with the absorption of vitamins and minerals. Even if you are providing your child with a wholesome, nutritious diet, if she is consuming foods to which she is allergic, she may not be able to absorb food properly, and therefore may not be deriving the full benefits of all the foods she is eating.

The most common foods that cause allergic reactions in children are wheat, milk and other dairy products, eggs, fish and seafood, chocolate, citrus fruits, soy products, corn, nuts, and berries. Many children also are allergic to sulfites, which are found in some frozen foods and dried fruits, as well as in medications. Some people seem to be genetically predisposed to food allergies. If family members, especially parents, have food allergies, there is a greater chance a child will have the same difficulties.

Sometimes, if all the irritating foods are eliminated from a child’s diet for several months, her body will have a chance to rest and heal, after which it will be able to handle small amounts of these foods without reacting. Sometimes, too, there is an underlying issue such as a parasitic or yeast infection in the intestine that is contributing to the allergic response. If these underlying problems are cleared up, the child’s body may be less reactive to certain substances.

It has been observed that some children actively dislike the foods that produce an allergic reaction. They seem to know instinctively that certain foods will cause a problem. If your child continually refuses particular foods, it may be wise not to force the issue.

Paradoxically, however, some children seem to be particularly drawn to the very foods that cause a problem. For example, many children are allergic to peanut butter, a staple in many homes. Children who continually ask for peanut butter, or those who enthusiastically eat lots of wheat bread, wheat crackers, and wheat cereals, or who crave milk, ice cream, and other dairy products, may actually be exhibiting an allergy to those foods.

Conventional Treatment

The most important part of treating food
allergies, obviously, is to identify- and then avoid-the foods that are
causing your child’s reaction. There are two techniques, the elimination
diet and the rotation diet, that enable you to do this (see Elimination Diet
and Rotation Diet. Once you have identified the foods or classes of foods that cause symptoms in your child, remember to read the labels on all the processed food products you buy. Many food products will contain one or more of the substances you have identified as the source of your child’s allergy.

In cases of severe multiple food allergies, oral cromolyn sodium (Gastrocrom) may be prescribed as a preventive measure. This is the same drug that is used in inhaled form to prevent asthma attacks.

If your child suffers from recurrent allergic reactions, an antihistamine may be recommended.

Dietary Guidelines

Use an elimination diet to determine which foods are causing your child’s symptoms. Some of the foods that most commonly cause a reaction are dairy products, wheat, citrus fruits, nuts (including peanut butter), corn, soy products, cane sugar, and eggs. You may wish to try eliminating these first.

Always read product labels and be aware of the ingredients in manufactured food products, especially additives such as artificial flavorings and colorings. Processed foods often contain a surprising array of ingredients and additives. It’s better to base your child’s diet on whole foods that you prepare yourself.

Nutritional Supplements

For age-appropriate dosages of nutritional supplements, see Dosage Guidelines for Herbs and Nutritional Supplements.

Calcium and magnesium help to reduce sensitivity and nervousness associated with allergies. Give your child a combination liquid containing 250 milligrams of calcium and 125 milligrams of magnesium, twice a day, for two to three months.

Give your child 50 to 100 milligrams of pantothenic acid, twice daily, at least one hour away from food, for one month to support adrenal function.

The B vitamins help support adrenal function. Give your child a vitamin-B complex supplement, twice a day, for two to three months.

Vitamin C helps to stimulate immune function. Give your child one dose of vitamin C, in mineral ascorbate form with bioflavonoids, twice a day, for two to three months.

General Recommendations

Use an elimination or rotation diet to identify the food or foods that are causing your child’s allergic response.

Because allergic reactions can take a wide variety of forms, from headaches to bedwetting, you may want to consult other entries in this book that correspond to your child’s symptoms.

Prevention

There is no way to prevent your child from developing a food allergy. It goes without saying, however, that you should make sure she is not exposed to any known allergens.

From Smart Medicine for a Healthier Child by Janet Zand, N.D., L.Ac., Robert Rountree, MD, Rachel Walton, RN, ©1994. Published by Avery Publishing, New York. For personal use only; neither the digital nor printed copy may be copied or sold. Reproduced by permission.