Nowadays, it is pretty common for kids to be allergic to all kinds of things, especially certain foods. When it comes to allergies, the only way to truly know if your child has one is to take them to a specialist to have an allergy test.
However, before you do make the appointment, there are a number of things you should look out for that happen after they have eaten certain foods:
Symptoms to look out for:
After consuming a particular food look out for signs of itching around the mouth, swelling of any parts of the body, trouble breathing, fainting, lightheadedness, hives, or any other skin condition such as a rash. If they develop a reaction of any sort you should take them to a doctor. While they may only have a mild reaction this time, it could be a lot more serious if it happens again.
How you can help
Obviously ensuring your child doesn’t eat any of the offending foods - keeping it out of the home and informing the school - will go a long way to keeping them safe. But, it is also important you inform your youngster why they can’t consume certain items that their friends can or share foods with classmates. Make sure you are able to recognise any symptoms and regularly take them for checkups with their GP. If you do need to omit certain foods, make sure they are still getting their daily nutritional requirements.
How to tell if they are going into anaphylactic shock:
An allergy is when the body responds negatively to certain substances or foods and while most are pretty harmless, albeit uncomfortable, some can lead to anaphylactic shock. This can be pretty scary and requires immediate medical attention. It usually starts off with a warm feeling in the body and progresses into feelings of lightheadedness, swollen airways, rapid pulse, drop in blood pressure, chest pain, itchy nose, high-pitched breathing and/or tightness of the throat. It can happen either straight away or a little while after your son or daughter has consumed the item. If your little one has been diagnosed with a severe allergy they may be given an EpiPen to carry around with them wherever they go. This contains epinephrine which enters the bloodstream quickly and should give you enough time to get to the hospital.
When it comes to an allergic reaction, always trust your instincts.
