It's food allergy month. We do have a growing population of kids with food allergies, over 3 million children. Food allergies can be a very serious condition and anyone who works with children or cares for children should know some basics about food allergy.
Here are some quick highlights for the eight most common foods kids may be allergic to:
Milk
- A milk allergy is a harmful reaction to the protein in milk. Do not confuse a milk allergy with lactose intolerance which is a problem in digesting the sugar in milk and is not actually an allergy at all.
- Like all food allergies, reading labels is a must for a milk-allergic child! Milk is in so many processed foods that cooking from scratch might be a safer alternative.
- Milk is in virtually all cheeses, butter creams, yogurt, whipped cream and sour cream. The lactose free milks do have milk protein, so make sure to avoid them.
- Casein and whey are other names that milk can be called on a label. Goat milk and sheep milk are very similar to cow’s milk. They are cross reactive which means that if your child reacts to one, they are likely to react to the others.
- Be careful when eating out or when eating food prepared by others. Ask for information about how the food was prepared. Milk can show up in unexpected places. A good example is grilled steak or chicken. Many restaurants will melt butter on the top right before serving it.
Eggs Some children allergic to eggs can eat eggs in baked products because the protein changes during the baking process. But remember, if your child is severely allergic to eggs, completely avoiding them is the only cure.
- Most children allergic to eggs are allergic to the protein that is in the egg white. Very few children react to the protein in the egg yolk.
- Eggs can be found in cakes, cookies, egg substitutes and mayonnaise.
- There are other names for eggs that can be used on food labels such as “Ovalbumin, albumin or globulin.”
- There are egg free substitutes sold in the grocery stores that can be used for cooking and baking.
- An easy substitute for baking cookies or brownies is to use 1 ½ tablespoons oil and 1 teaspoon baking powder for each egg.
Fish and Shellfish If your child has been diagnosed with an allergy to fish or shell fish, it is likely that he/she will have the allergy for life. These allergies can come on even as an adult.
It is possible to be allergic to one and not the other. While some children are allergic to both. Separate testing is available to determine if there is an allergy to a specific type of fish.
Some dishes to avoid with a fish or shellfish allergy:
- Caesar salad dressing because most of them contain anchovies
- Fish sauce can be made with shellfish as well as fish
- Oriental sauces, pastes and prepared meals may have traces of fish or shellfish
- Caponata, a sweet and sour Italian relish may contain anchovies
- Deep-fried foods at restaurants. The same oil might be used to make chicken tenders as the deep fried fish.
Wheat allergy The best way to avoid breads made with wheat is to make your own. Invest in a bread machine. There are several different kinds of flour to make bread. Almond flour, white rice flour, brown rice flour, arrowroot, tapioca and soy flour to name a few. Add some xanthan gum or guar gum to any recipe as a binding agent. First make sure that your child doesn’t have an allergy to these products To maintain a wheat-free diet, your child must avoid the following:
- Wheat, spelt, rye, barley in flour
- Gluten (a protein that is in wheat, rye barley and some oats)
- Distilled vinegar
- Modified food starch
- Dextrin
Make sure to check the ingredients list on salad dressings, sauces, flavorings and processed meats. Usually rice and corn are tolerated for the wheat intolerant or allergic child.
Peanuts
Peanuts are in the legume family along with peas, lima beans, and lentils to name a few. Just because your child is allergic to peanuts does not mean an allergy to any of these legumes will also be present. An allergy test can be done on each of these foods. Here are some ingredients that you will want to stay away from:
- Anything that says nuts
- Peanut oil •Peanut flour
- Peanuts can be in Chinese dishes, egg rolls, chocolates, and candy bars
- Plain M&M’s ® and Jelly Bellys (jelly beans) label states, “processed in a plant containing peanuts.”
Always check the label and if you or your child do not recognize the ingredients – don’t eat it!
Tree Nut Family
Tree nuts include cashews, almonds, pecans and walnuts to name a few.
- Almonds are in the plum, apricot, nectarine, peach and cherry family. Many children can be allergic to almonds yet be able to eat cherries or peaches.
- Cashews are in the cashew botanical family along with mangos and pistachios.
- Coconuts are part of the palm family. It is certainly possible to be allergic to coconuts however they do not cross react with tree nuts meaning your child is not more likely to be allergic to coconuts just because he/she is allergic to tree nuts.
Soybeans Soy is used in fast food restaurants and most manufactured products like salad dressing, and cereals. Over half of processed foods have soy in their ingredient list.
Foods to stay away from include:
- Soybeans, soy protein, soy sauce, basically anything that has “soy” on the ingredient list.
- Soy is a legume and is related to peas, green beans, peanuts and carob. Some children are able to tolerate one legume and not another.
- Edamame and miso
- Textured vegetable protein (TVP)
- Canned chicken broth and vegetable broth
- Bouillon cubes (beef, chicken, vegetable, etc )
- Hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP) This is a food additive
Again, separate allergy testing is available for each of these legumes if you suspect your child might have an allergy.
Resources
Read Food Allergies and Children-This month's 'Nourish Healthy Kids' article features food allergy facts, food allergy action plan pdf, and links to helpful resources for parents, caregivers, and teachers
Kids story page about food allergies. One of the kids explorer can't eat peanuts.
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