An allergic reaction occurs in minutes and exhibits as wheezing, labored breathing, asthmatic bronchitis, itchy red skin, swellings on body surfaces, vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain etc. Allergies can be caused by many factors. It has been estimated that food alone causes allergy in about eight percent of the children in US. Some important foods in this category include peanuts, milk, shellfish, tree nuts, fish, egg, wheat, and soybeans (soy).
Food allergy is basically an opposing response of immune system to some specified protein particles in food wherein this protein is mistakenly regarded harmful by the body immune system. The best way to prevent it early in the life of your infant is breast feeding, because the mother’s milk provides the best and proper development of immune system of your child. The word ‘preventing’ is being used here because allergies have no permanent treatment yet, that can fix or reverse them from recurring. So they can only be managed by preventing allergic reactions that are caused by food and other allergens. Some important things that you need to take care of as a parent include following measures:
1. Carry emergency dosage of anti-histamines
For severe symptoms like inflammations, swellings, or bronchitis, you need to be extra cautious as it can lead to anaphylactic shock and should always have an emergency dose of anti histamines or adrenaline(epinephrine hormone which is a steroid) injections accompanying your kid, and instructions of doctor written on some paper or some other form which will suggest first aid for the allergy attack in case of severity so that anyone can make necessary measures to deliver that injection with ease.
2. Exclude allergy causing foods
Let all allergic foods be excluded immediately. Important foods like milk contain allergic proteins like whey, nougat, casein and lactose. Peanuts are regarded as the highest allergic food for kids as it contains most allergic proteins like arachic oil, goobers, hypogaeic acid, goober peas, and mandelonas. Even wheat contains allergens like bulgur, bran, germ, gluten, durum flour, malt and seitan. Eggs too need to be avoided because of their albumin, mayonnaise, simplesse, globulin, and meringue like proteins which are mistakenly regarded harmful by the body, causing allergy.
Besides you can have information about other allergic proteins through the packaging content information available under FDA recommendations on all baby food products in every food store. So make sure you read food labels on every food product and if possible read it twice.Whenever you are unsure about any food items , avoid buying them for your child at once.
3. Spread the awareness
Besides your own awareness , you need to aware other people connected to your child like teachers, coaches, grandparents and other kids so that they don’t share their food, spoons, utensils or bread etc with your child, you can do things like labelling your child lunchboxes, wristbands, school bag and spoon handles.You could also make a list of things to be done in case of an emergency. Paste this list at a prominent place at home. Also, pass copies of the same to anyone who would be watching over the child.
4. Train your child
You need to train your child by helping them learn how to deny food sharing with others and making them learn the stock answers to others, like “I cant share my spoon as I am allergic to various foods” so that others don’t feel that your child is rude and will understand its problem.
5. Concentrate on the foods that the child can have
Provide your child with your own home made cupcakes in the birthday parties of the others so that they don’t feel sidelined, as the cakes in birthday parties are made up of whole bread, eggs, brawn, and all allergic proteins that you won’t like for your child. It is better to be safe than sorry and so whenever there is a doubt, avoid that foodstuff. Focus on the foods that the child can consume rather than those he/she must avoid. To do this, make the meals ‘happy’ for the child. You could do this by things as simple as including a Pokemon card with the lunch box.
6. Know the signs
You must be able to recognize an allergy when your child suffers one. Learn from a doctor, the basic steps and medicines to be administered. Rush to the doctors if you feel anything is going slightly out of hand.
7. Do not build a phobia or pathological fear
Experts suggest that you should not create a look of fear and distrust for such foods in the child’s view. You should focus more on non allergic foods instead of creating a fear. Severe cases of allergy are very uncommon and touching and tasting minimal levels of the foods are not usually problematic. You too should not get too worried and become compulsively vigilant of the child. Relax and do not view the world as an evil minefield out to get your child!
8. Have a doctor’s note with you when you go out
There will be places like auditoriums and stadiums where you may not be allowed to carry your own food. The doctor’s note will help you reason with the officials and take in your own food.
9. Locate allergy-friendly places
Try to see if the classrooms in the child’s school are peanut-free. Explore those schools and day-care centers which are up-to-date on anti-allergic policies like no food sharing and availability of injectable epinephrine. You could also choose allergy-friendly restaurants that have specially cropped up for your special lunches and dinners. This way, the child will not feel left out from any food that is being ordered.
10. Create an allergy-free home
Everything begins at home. You could decide as a family to refrain from certain foods which the child is allergic too. If that is too much to do, you could at least have an ‘allergy-free larder’ from which the child can eat anything, anytime. This will also help the baby-sitters or caregivers know exactly what the child can partake. You could make the larder look very colorful and nice so that the child feels it as a privilege and special chance to eat out of it.