FOOD ALLERGIES: TYPES, TESTS AND TREATMENTS
Rise and Shine shared in its blog that ccording to Children’s National Director of the Food Allergy Program, Hemant Prashad Sharma, M.D, about 1 in 13 kids have a food allergy. A food allergy is an adverse reaction to a specific food that the body thinks is harmful, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The immune system in someone with food allergy produces immunoglobulin E (IgE), an antibody, to fight the food allergen. As a result, when the person is exposed to that food, IgE binds to it and causes the release of a number of chemicals, including histamine. This leads to an allergic reaction.
Some common food allergens include:
- Cow’s milk
- Eggs
- Peanuts
- Tree nuts (walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, almonds, cashews, pistachios, and macadamia nuts)
- Fish
- Shellfish
- Soybeans
- Wheat
Common food allergy symptoms include:
- Skin and mucous membranes:
- Hives, redness, and swelling of the face or extremities
- Itching and swelling of the tongue, lips, mouth and throat
- Gastrointestinal tract:
- Nausea, abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea
- Respiratory system:
- Runny nose, sneezing, coughing, wheezing and shortness of breath
- Cardiovascular system:
- Hypotension (low blood pressure), dizziness and syncope (fainting)
Any of these food allergies can lead to a severe, life-threatening reaction called anaphylaxis. It is estimated that food-induced anaphylaxis is the reason for about 200,000 emergency department visits each year.
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