According to the U.S. webmd website, the number of children with food allergies in the U.S. has increased by 50 percent over the past two decades. about 8 percent of children under the age of 18 have food allergies, and 38.7 percent of them have had severe food allergic reactions. Food allergies have become one of the most serious public safety and health issues of the 21st century, and we all need to take it seriously. What exactly is the commonly referred to food allergy? 1, the meaning of food allergy The individual’s immune system to one or more usually harmless food protein antigens produce excessive adverse reactions (food intolerance) According to research, in the past decade, the number of children with food allergies doubled, nut-based food allergy children increased by two times. Due to the immaturity of the immune system of children, as well as the gastrointestinal tract mucosa protection function is not perfect when infants and young children, children under 6 years old are more allergic to high protein foods such as eggs, milk and soy. 2.Find out the real culprits of allergy Milk, eggs, soybeans, fish, inner shells, shrimp, wheat, tropical fruits, peanuts and nuts, etc. The above foods are most likely to cause allergies in babies, so mothers should be careful about what they give their babies. 3.What are the signs of food allergy? Children are the main group of people with food allergies. Children have a variety of food allergy symptoms, including skin and gastrointestinal symptoms are the most common, and some children can have serious allergic reactions, which may even be life-threatening. Children who eat suspected allergenic food can appear, even with facial swelling, narrowing of the trachea, breathing difficulties or convulsions and vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhea, etc. Serious allergic reactions should never be delayed, to seek medical attention in a timely manner, there will be serious life-threatening, and therefore cause much concern. 4.What are the factors that cause allergies? There are many factors that can cause allergies, such as genetics, history of allergies, cesarean section, introducing solid foods too early or too late, excessive intake of vitamins, etc., are all factors that can cause allergies, so parents must consider many aspects when determining the source of allergies. 5. What are the symptoms of food allergy? Symptoms such as atopic eczema (classical eczema), vomiting, loose/frequent stools, constipation, blood in stool or mucus, perianal redness, fatigue, pallor, poor growth and development, non-lgE food allergy can occur. If you have any of these symptoms, it is recommended that you seek immediate medical attention and do not be sloppy. The World Health Organization recommends the addition of complementary foods at 6 months of age. However, some babies will add complementary foods at 4 months, or delay it until 7 months. In this case, it may cause food allergy. Some parents, who are always afraid that their babies will lack some nutrition, give them a lot of vitamins, which will also lead to food allergies. 6. Is a rash necessarily an allergy? Actually, it is not true. Besides eczema, diarrhea, vomiting, cough, even constipation, growth retardation, etc., all of these may be caused by food allergies. For food allergies, the reaction is not as strong by the age of three or so. But for other symptoms, such as allergic rhinitis and asthma, instead, the reactions get stronger as the age increases. Eczema, on the other hand, becomes less reactive with age. It’s not just a rash that’s called an allergy, and it’s not that if a child is allergic to something, he can never eat it. When it comes to this, I think many mothers will think of the word “food intolerance”. We know that sometimes when you feel uncomfortable eating something, it may be because you are intolerant to that food. What is the difference between a food allergy and a food intolerance? Food intolerance: It refers to the non-physiological reaction of the body to a component or metabolite of food. For example, when some children eat tomatoes, watermelon or peaches, mild redness and swelling occurs around the mouth, tongue and neck, accompanied by itching and pain. This phenomenon is caused by some acids or enzymes in the food and usually resolves on its own after a few hours. Food allergy: Food allergy is an adverse reaction to food mediated by the immune system. When a food enters the body, the digestive degradation products of the food enter the bloodstream through the gastrointestinal mucosa, because the allergic substance (allergen) stimulates the mast cells in the bloodstream to produce deliberate IGE (protein), and when the child eats this food again, the IGE will command the mast cells to release the substance that causes the allergy, histamine, thus making baby’s skin to develop an itchy, painful rash, vomiting, diarrhea, and in severe cases, asthma and breathing difficulties. The biggest difference between a food allergy and a food intolerance is whether or not the immune system is involved in this reaction. What are the symptoms of food intolerance? Food allergies all belong to adverse food reactions, that is, all adverse reactions caused by food intake. Food allergies, which are adverse reactions caused by immunological mechanisms can appear as bloating, abdominal pain, diarrhea, itching and rashes. In addition, people who are lactose intolerant can often tolerate relatively small amounts of milk, or low sugar cheese, and yogurt. However, people who are allergic to food proteins are not tolerant to a little bit of milk. Do allergy-prone children suffer from nutritional deficiencies? Will an allergy-prone child with a restricted diet be nutritionally deficient? If his diet is restricted and not supplemented, it will definitely affect the nutritional intake. There is research data that shows that roughly one in four children with food allergies are deficient in nutrients. There are also studies that have found that children with allergies will grow weaker than the average child. Children with multiple food allergies will grow slightly worse than children with a single food allergy, and will be prone to low immunity and easy illness. What do babies with allergies need to pay attention to? What are the precautions in nutritional management for babies with clearly identified allergens? 1.First of all, to prevent the occurrence of allergic reactions, once it happens will bring discomfort to the baby. 2. The second thing is to ensure the maximum nutritional intake with restricted food. To put it more bluntly, that is to say, the things that can be eaten, the things that the baby is not allergic to must be eaten enough to ensure that there is no lack of nutrition. 3. Finally, it is necessary to insist on long-term observation and monitoring (such as the baby’s height, weight and other aspects of development). What are the traditional treatment methods for food allergies? The first thing that can be thought of is to use food avoidance. There are two types of food avoidance: complete avoidance and partial avoidance. After a period of avoidance, it is necessary to reintroduce it again. Generally, if the food is to be reintroduced, the strength of the child’s allergic reaction varies, and the duration of avoidance varies, generally from 3 to 12 months. The American Academy of Pediatrics issued guidelines in 2000 that breast milk is the best source of nutrition for healthy infants and children, and that while breastfeeding is encouraged, the mother needs to avoid foods that her baby develops allergies to, and also needs to supplement with other nutrients. After two weeks of avoidance, it is important to observe if the baby’s symptoms disappear and if there is an improvement. It is recommended that exclusive breastfeeding should be done for 6 months and continue until the first year of age or even longer if possible. Breastfeeding can significantly reduce the occurrence of food allergies. However, for babies aged 6 months or less, if they cannot be breastfed through breastfeeding, they need to consume formula. Which one do you need to consume? It needs to be determined based on the individual baby’s condition, the collection and analysis of clinical data in all areas, and then only. What should parents do when avoiding the diet? What do parents need to know when their child needs to avoid the diet? 1. All children need the same nutrients. It is not that babies with allergies need more nutrients than others. 2. Parents need to be clear about which specific foods to avoid. Is it true that if a food cannot be eaten, many things in the same category cannot be eaten either? If you need to avoid this food, which nutrients it has an impact on intake, and how much it affects nutrient intake? 3. Are there any other concerns, such as feeding difficulties, chewing, and psychological problems, etc.? How can I tell if my allergic baby’s nutrition is adequate? How can you tell if your allergic baby’s nutrition is adequate? There are four aspects to determine. 1, rarely seen sick, that means the baby’s resistance is relatively good. 2, all aspects of the baby’s developmental appearance, such as hair and skin, are well developed. Intelligence level is also in the range of well-developed. 3, read whether the baby’s nutritional status is good, growth, weight, height are within the standard range. 4.Some tests can be done to determine. Allergy-prone foods, to give baby to eat or not to eat? For food allergy, the latest treatment method is called tolerance induction. This means that the allergy and tolerance are in a dynamic process of change, and through training, the child will not react to these foods to which he/she has been allergic. For example, alternate diets, step by step, give your baby a little bit after a while, and then a little bit after a while. Let his body’s ability to resist allergies, gradually improve, accept the adaptation to this allergic food. It has been the majority view that children prone to food allergies should not be exposed to allergenic foods too early. However, there is a degree of potential health harm associated with delayed supplementation, whereas there are clear benefits to early, selective exposure to allergenic foods. Recent evidence suggests that exposure to some food allergens early in infancy may have a preventive effect on the development of food allergy. If a baby is diagnosed with a food allergy, mothers should learn all they can about food allergies, including which foods to avoid and how to determine the first signs of an allergic reaction.