Does Your Child Have a Food Allergy?
There have been many cases highlighted in the media of tragic severe allergic reactions which sadly have resulted in loss of life. Despite the media coverage there is still a certain amount of scepticism from some people about this topic. Comments such as “It’s a fad diet” “it wasn’t like that in my day” “it’s ok, a small amount won’t hurt”.
If you suspect that your child had a food allergy it can be hard to get a diagnosis and unhelpful comments can increase your anxiety and it is frustrating. Please be aware – a small amount can result in a severe reaction, if your child is allergic to a certain ingredient, it must be eliminated from their diet.
Where do you start?
If your child starts to suffer with reactions after eating certain foods, there are steps you should follow to get the medical diagnosis that you need.
Allergic reactions can range from a rash on the body, vomiting and diarrhoea to breathing difficulties and a severe anaphylactic reaction.
For more information on allergic reactions visit the NHS link.
If your child has a severe allergic reaction such as swelling of mouth and lips, bloated face, breathing difficulties, this is an emergency and ring 999, an ambulance is needed as a priority.
If you notice that your child has reactions which are less severe after eating certain foods, then arrange to see your GP as soon as you can to start investigations.
In the meantime, it is helpful to keep a food diary.
- Write down all meals eaten during a 2-week period and note down any reactions that may happen. (If the reaction is severe -call the ambulance)
- Note down the symptoms from any reactions- be specific, describe the rash, where is the rash on the body. Describe other symptoms such as severe stomach cramps, sickness etc.
- Note how quickly the reaction happened after eating the food.
- Note how long the reaction continued. Sometimes a reaction may result in the person being unwell for a few days, others can recover quickly.
If the reactions are minor, re-introduce the food in very small amounts and monitor any reaction -only do this if the reactions are minor. If you are not sure, do not introduce the food without medical advice.
Take photos of rashes etc, please note do not take photos if the reaction is severe, the priority is to get the child to hospital.
Take the food diary with you to any appointments with the GP or hospital appointments.
Medical Diagnosis
The GP will plan for your child to have investigations to confirm which food groups are causing the reactions. The tests will include blood tests and also allergy pin prick tests. The GP or hospital will administer small amounts of a variety of allergens onto the skin. They will include, dust, grass, milk, nuts, peanuts etc. If a red rash appears on the test area, the GP will arrange further tests to confirm the allergies.
The child will be referred to the child allergy clinic and their progress will be carefully monitored by the clinic.
Some children can grow out of certain allergies such as milk and eggs. Young children will usually undertake the “Milk Ladder Challenge” tests where milk is slowly introduced back into the diet under medical supervision. Once the child completes the test, they can introduce milk back into the diet. Young children often grow out of egg allergies naturally. The range and severity of food allergies may change as the child gets older.
Medication
AAI injector (Auto Adrenaline Injector-EpiPen, Jext Emerade) will be prescribed if the child has severe anaphylactic reactions. The parents will be shown how to administer the EpiPen and additional EpiPens will be needed for the school to use if necessary. It is important to check the “Use-By” dates on the AAI device as the shelf life is 1 year. For those children with mild reactions, antihistamine medication may be prescribed.
School
If your child is at school or about to start school, it is very important to inform the school as soon as possible about your child’s allergies. You will be asked to complete a medical form providing more information, and the school will ask for confirmation of the medical diagnosis. It is important to communicate this information as soon as you can and also arrange to talk to the school caterers so that school lunch menus can be discussed. The procedures in schools are robust and the catering staff are used to providing allergen free meals for children.
Snacks
There is a wide range of allergen free products available in Supermarkets. Do not assume all “Free From” products will be suitable for your child. These types of products will be readily available in most supermarkets; however, you must check the ingredients and allergen information. It is also very important to check ingredients on packaged products, even if you have purchased them before. Manufacturers may have changed the recipes and the allergens in the product may have changed. Some Manufacturers have started to put an “Allergy update” message on the packaging. It is useful to always carry snacks with you when you go out with your child. There may not be anywhere suitable to eat, but having spare snacks in your bag will be helpful until you find somewhere suitable to eat.
Trips and holidays
It is important to plan carefully if you are organising short trips or holidays. Research the area, look at reviews of local restaurants to see which the most suitable places are to eat. Ask questions when you arrive at the hotel or restaurant. If you are not confident with the responses from the staff member, don’t take the risk and eat elsewhere. It is safer to plan your holidays on a “Self-Catered basis.”
Knowledge and Confidence
Make sure that you seek advice from the allergy clinic, the dietician and join online allergy communities. Keep a recipe folder so that you can collect a number of safe recipes for your child to eat at home. Home-made food is much safer as you know exactly which ingredients are in the recipe. When cooking, batch cook the dish so that you will always have something for your child to eat in your freezer.
Child has friends with Allergies?
If your child has friends with allergies, make sure you talk to their parents. Understand what the allergies are, ask which foods they like to eat. When you prepare the food make sure this is prepared separately and that you wash your hands regularly. Remove any foods which may cause a problem into sealed containers. Keep the food simple with minimum allergen content where possible. If you are concerned, ask the parent to provide suitable food and keep this sealed until you are ready to eat.
Common Sense
Have a Common-sense approach to managing food allergies, intolerance and coeliac disease. Good food hygiene practices are essential. Introduce a procedure in your own kitchen which works for you and your family. Keep things simple and ensure good communication wherever you go. You will be pleasantly surprised at the level of support available.
By Jacqui McPeake founder JACS Ltd, Food Allergen consultant and trainer.
Award winning Food Allergen Consultant and Trainer in the hospitality industry.
JACS Ltd “Providing the knowledge & confidence to deliver excellent, safe dining experiences for all Customers.”
Jacqui McPeake has worked for 35 years in the catering industry, predominantly the HE sectors. Jacqui worked for 20 years at Manchester Metropolitan University and was previously Head of Catering for 10 years. Jacqui was passionate about ensuring that her team were at the forefront of leading best practice in Universities for allergen management. Jacqui has also led her team to win the Cost Sector Team of the Year 2017 for their work on Allergen Management and improving the “Free From” offers for students with Food Allergies. Jacqui was also winner of the “Free from Hero Award 2018”
Jacqui is passionate about raising awareness of allergies as her own daughter started with reactions to various food groups at the age of 14 and is now 23 years old. Jacqui shares her experience as a professional caterer, and as a parent.
Jacqui McPeake is the Founder and Director of JACS Ltd and offers allergen training, audits consultations to support food businesses to get this right.
Website : https://jacsallergenmanagement.com
Email : [email protected]
Originally Released On 18 April 2023