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Manage baby's allergies

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Does your child have a food allergy? Don't panic. Most allergies are outgrown.

Common triggers are eggs, cow’s milk, peanuts, tree nuts, seafood, sesame, soy, fish and wheat. Peanut, tree nut, seed and seafood allergies are usually for life.

How do allergies start?
“Babies tend to be most allergic to the foods they've been offered first. While a baby is exclusively breastfed, he's only exposed to the foods his mother eats and secretes in her milk, so his exposure to potential allergens is minimised,” says the International La Leche League.


They cite a long-term study of children who were breastfed. The results showed that breastfeeding reduces food allergies at least through adolescence. From the study: “Protection from allergies is one of the most important benefits of breastfeeding. The incidence of cow’s milk allergies is up to seven times greater in babies who are fed artificial baby milk instead of human milk.”

La Leche also says that cow’s milk is the most common trigger for an allergic reaction. “There are more than 20 substances in cow’s milk that have been shown to be human allergens. Colic and vomitting are often caused by cow’s milk allergy.

Eczema (dry, rough, red skin patches which can progress to open, weeping sores) is another common symptom among children allergic to cow’s milk. Cow’s milk has been found to cause sleeplessness in infants and toddlers.” It's however, important to first understand the difference between an allergy and an intolerance.

A food allergy is classified as an immune system response. If a person is allergic to a food substance, the immune system “reacts” by creating an antibody to fight it. If it's a severe food allergy, the reaction could be life-threatening.

A food intolerance is a digestive system response where the food that cannot be “tolerated” irritates the digestive system and the person is unable to digest or break down the food.

Common signs of a food allergy:

  • Coughing.
  • Wheezing.
  • Itchy throat and tongue.
  • Itchy skin or rash.
  • Swollen lips and throat.
  • Diarrhoea and/or vomitting.
  • Runny or blocked nose.

If you suspect a food allergy, consult your paediatrician. Babies and toddlers aren't usually given antihistamines unless the doctor has clearly identified the allergy as the cause of his symptoms and there's a very good case for treatment. Depending on how bad the allergy is, the doctor may recommend that you carry injectable adrenaline.

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