Food Allergy Help Recipes Food Cooking International Guide
Food Allergy Help For Long Term Treatment Options
By Julia Taylor-Fernandez
For some parents, the first stop for food allergy help is their
pediatrician. "My child breaks out in hives every time he
has eggs... is it possible he has an egg allergy?" a concerned
parent may ask.
Or perhaps a parent will observe, "My baby doesn't seem
to keep any milk down -- she is always throwing up!" In more
serious cases, the first instance of food intolerance can lead
to a trip to the Emergency Room, particularly with shellfish or
peanut aversions. Long term solutions can also be discussed with
researchers and allergy specialists as well.
Get Help Immediately
When an acute emergency situation occurs, parents of kids with
food allergies must get help immediately. First, parents must
recognize the signs and symptoms of anaphylactic shock, such as
difficulty breathing, wheezing, light-headedness, confusion, rapid
swelling, hives, blue skin, severe abdominal pain, severe nausea
and/or diarrhea. Shellfish and peanut allergies usually have the
most severe reactions.
Second, parents must call 9-1-1 or drive their child to the hospital
immediately, phoning to let them know they're coming so special
support can be set up in advance. Patients whose doctors have
identified them as high-risk candidates for anaphylactic shock
often provide them with an Epi-Pen, which will deliver a dose
of epinephrine/adrenalin to save a person who has lost consciousness.
Lastly, parents must know how to administer CPR in the event
that their child loses consciousness or stops breathing.
Allergy To Eggs And Peanuts
Some parents turn to researchers for food allergy help for long-term
treatment options. Melissa Bernard of Roanoke, Virginia was terrified
the first day she took her two-year-old son, Justin, to participate
in oral immunotherapy at Duke University.
He was diagnosed with an allergy to eggs and peanuts at 15 months
that had him breaking out in hives. "Our local allergist
told us he may outgrow his egg allergy, but he's never going to
outgrow his peanut allergy, so we'd better learn to live with
it," she recalls.
A Pinch Of Peanut Flour
On the first day, he broke out in hives and found it hard to
breathe after swallowing less than one-tenth of the protein in
a single peanut kernel. "All during this time, they're drawing
up the epinephrine to give him. To us, it seemed forever,"
Bernard says.
Yet, the very next day, Justin was given a pinch of peanut flour
just under his allergy threshold and he was fine. Every other
week for seven months, the Bernards took the three hour drive
to the clinic to monitor Justin's progress.
Now Can Eat Peanut Butter Sandwiches
After that, they reduced their trips to once every four months.
Now Justin can eat peanut butter sandwiches without reaction and
he eats six peanut kernels a day to maintain his tolerance.
People who suffer more serious allergy symptoms and reactions
should carry medical food allergy help with them at all times.
For instance, the Epi-Pen, a self-administered shot of epinephrine/adrenalin,
is the only proven allergy medication that saves lives in the
event of a serious medical emergency.
Please Note: All information given
on this site is for information purposes and is not to replace
any medical opinion or medical diagnosis or any other medical
expert, as individual circumstances may vary. Please see your
medical doctor, before any action is taken to alleviate symptoms.
About the Author:
Julia Taylor-Fernandez has written a number of articles on food,
cooking and dieting including General
Nutrition, Salad
Dressings, Low
Carb Cheese Cake, Teen
Weight Loss, Low
Carb Dinners, Health
Food Store, Organic
Baby Food.
Keep a lookout for more of her articles on this website.
Did You Know?
How can I inform other parents about child food allergies my
child has if they go to their house?
The best way to inform other parents about
child food allergies your child has is to sit down and talk with
them. If your child visits them often then you definitely need
to make sure the parents know what your child is allergic too
and how bad the reaction can be.
You also may need to caution them about
preparing certain foods near a food that is going to be given
to your child. It may seem like a burden and you may even feel
like it is a hassle for the other parent but most adults would
prefer you telling them then finding out the hard way after a
child in their presence has had an extreme allergic reaction.
It is also important that you, as a parent
or adult, ask other parents if their children have any food allergies
before their children come to your house. That way you can be
prepared as well.
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