How to Identify Food Allergies in Children

Many children have food allergies, which are characterized by the body reacting in response to a food that is not typically harmful to people. When this food is eaten and its proteins enter the bloodstream, the immune system produces antibodies to attack the proteins and releases chemicals that cause the characteristic signs of an allergic reaction. If you suspect your child might be allergic to something she has been eating, it is important to identify the source of that food allergy.

Instructions

Identify Allergy Symptoms

• 1

  Be attentive to any changes in your child's normal baseline health and behavior.

• 2

  Note the physical symptoms your child is experiencing that lead you to suspect he has an allergy. These may include upset stomach, gas, runny nose, swollen or itchy lips and throat, hives and skin rashes.

• 3

  Pay attention to the cues your child gives you. Even if you do not notice physical allergy symptoms, if your child has behavior shifts, changes in her typical sleeping patterns, or expresses discomfort that you cannot attribute to any other source, these may be signs of a food allergy. Some food allergies are even misdiagnosed as ADD or ADHD.

Allergy Testing

• 4

  Take your child to an allergist, who will perform an allergy test. In a skin test, the doctor will prick your child's skin with small samples of a number of potential allergens and watch for redness and swelling. A blood test looks for the antibodies the body produces in response to specific allergens.

• 5

  Remove the foods identified as potential allergens from your child's diet.

• 6

  Watch for recovery from allergy symptoms. If your child's symptoms do not subside within a week, you may need to make another trip to the allergist or try a food elimination diet to pinpoint the problem foods.

Food Elimination Diet

• 7

  Keep your child from eating all potential allergens until his allergy symptoms disappear, which is usually within about a week. Common allergenic foods include wheat, corn, eggs, soy, dairy products, citrus fruits, strawberries, peanuts and shellfish, but you can eliminate any food you suspect your child may be allergic to.

• 8

  Reintroduce one potential allergen into your child's diet, starting with a small quantity and increasing the amount over the next day.

• 9

  Wait 1 to 2 days to check for the reappearance of symptoms before introducing each subsequent potential allergen.

• 10

  If you notice symptoms of an allergic reaction, immediately stop giving your child the most recent potential allergen you have tried.

• 11

  Continue this process until all suspect foods have either been identified as allergens or successfully reintroduced into your child's regular diet.