OC Family Magazine Article

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Food allergies: What can your child eat?
By Emily Watson Published: July, 2009
When passing out candy to each child during a preschool party, 4-year-old Alexis Fellows’ teacher instead hands her, for whatever reason, a pencil. Why can’t Alexis enjoy a snack? Alexis, along with an estimated 12 million Americans, suffers from food allergies. It’s easy for children with allergies and food sensitivities – which currently don’t have a definitive cause or cure – to feel singled out and deprived of a normal childhood. Each meal can be filled with danger for children with food allergies; severity levels range from mildly vexing to life threatening. The eight most common food allergens are milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, soy and wheat.

Does your child suffer from a food allergy or a food sensitivity/intolerance? And what is the difference between the two? Dr. Gin Lee-Hong, a pediatrician at Columbia Pediatrics in Long Beach, makes the distinction between them. Food allergies elicit an immune system response, while a food intolerance – the more common of the two – disrupts the digestive system. Research shows that 8 percent of children under age 10 have a food sensitivity/intolerance, while 2 to 4 percent have a true allergy. “There are patients who may have a positive blood test to a certain food item, but clinically they don’t show any symptoms,” says Lee-Hong. “In that case, I don’t say they have allergies to that food item.”

The symptoms of a food allergy may be as subtle as nasal congestion or as severe as anaphylaxis, a reaction characterized by fainting, hives, and facial and throat swelling. While doctors are recognizing more allergy cases, many children experience the subtle symptoms of colic behavior, acid reflux and hives without being diagnosed.

“Almost every story I’ve heard of a parent learning about food allergies is when their child is receiving treatment for a severe allergic reaction in the emergency room,” says Michele Fellows, mother of Alexis – now a second-grader – and founder of Sweet Alexis, an allergy-conscious bakery.

Food allergies have been linked to “genetic components, environmental factors and infections that comprise the immune system, triggering reactions,” says Robin De-Ivy Allen, nutritional wellness and life-design expert.

According to Lee-Hong, many medical and nutritional specialists believe that our culture is too clean; in fact, food allergies are less prevalent in Third World countries. While the safest treatment for a food allergy or sensitivity is avoidance of the offending foods, De-Ivy Allen encourages nutritional remedies to help build the body’s defenses. She recommends that children take supplements and consume flavonoid-rich foods, a compound with a high antioxidant capacity commonly found in plants.

Flavonoids, known for their anti-allergic effects, inhibit the development of histamines (compounds released during allergic reactions that cause the dilation of capillaries and contraction of smooth muscle) and prevent anaphylaxis. Good flavonoid sources include citrus fruits, berries, yellow fruits and vegetables, parsley, tea (especially white and green tea), red beans and dark chocolate. De-Ivy Allen also suggests taking probiotics, glutamine and vitamin C to build up the body. When introducing new foods to children, Lee-Hong encourages parents to introduce them one at a time, particularly if food allergies run in the family.

“For infants, we go very slowly,” she says. “I would say wait 10 days between foods. If you see a reaction, you know.” Parents can find hope in the fact that in 80 to 90 percent of cases, the child outgrows the food allergy by age 5, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. For children with persistent allergies, finding alternative food choices may be challenging, but it is getting easier.

Allergy-conscious Sweet Alexis, Fellows’ enterprise, makes homemade cookies, muffins and cakes without eggs, dairy products, tree nuts or peanuts. “The kids in Alexis’ school class literally beg her for her special cookies,” she says. “So instead of being singled out, it’s actually made Alexis well-known in a very positive way. It’s increased her confidence and boosted her self-esteem.” For more information about Sweet Alexis products, go to sweetalexis.com.

Emily Watson is an intern for OC Family magazine.KEEP 'EM SAFE!Millions of kids have food allergies.

Here are tips for avoiding reactions:> Keep food simple. Whole foods, without lots of additional ingredients, make it easier to identify trouble. Allergens can hide in dips and homemade goodies.> Check food labels. It’s important to check food labels every time, because manufacturers occasionally change ingredients. > Remind kids to think. Let them know that they have to ask themselves, “Is this food safe for me to eat?” > Know the symptoms. Kids should ask for help at the first sign of allergic symptoms. Make sure they know what they are. Source: Iowa State University Extension