Food allergies and intolerance – Common reactions in children

What sort of reactions can my child experience?

If you have ever wondered why your local GP seems perplexed by a reaction your little one has had, this will help you will see why. Take a look at the symptoms for intolerance and compare them to allergy; they can be very difficult to tell apart without proper testing.

Symptoms of food intolerance

• Jittery behaviour, shaking, sweaty skin
• Heart flutters or palpitations, rapid breathing
• Tummy upsets, diarrhoea
• Burning or itchy feeling on the skin
• Headache
• Breathing difficulties
• Allergy-like reactions

Symptoms of food allergy

• Difficulty with breathing (e.g. wheezing and asthma)
• Diarrhoea, tummy upsets and cramps
• Sudden swelling, itching and burning in the body part that came in contact with the food
• Runny nose and hayfever
• Skin rash (e.g. eczema)
• Hives (urticaria – small red itchy lumps on the skin)
• Nausea and possibly vomiting

What do I do if I think my child may be reacting to a food?

The best thing to do is visit your GP, nutritionist or dietitian to confirm your suspicion. Then, if needed, your doctor will organize a referral for testing. Diagnosing a food allergy will generally involve a thorough case history (family history, life history, diet and so on), physical examination and in many cases diagnostic testing as well dietary trialing.

Be careful with the advice of well-meaning friends and family or even professionals who don’t specialise in child health. Your child’s growth and development depends on accurate diagnosis and comprehensive dietary and lifestyle advice. Most specialists will ensure you go home with a bundle of recipes, fact sheets, helpful hints and lists of books and supportive groups and websites. Be cautious where someone has recommended restricting your little one’s eating without compensating with other foods to ensure adequate nutrition.

Never be tempted to amend a child’s diet without professional advice as restricting a child’s diet can have serious health implications for fast-growing bodies.