How Fast do Food Allergies Appear in Babies | And How to Know If a Baby is Allergic to Food
High allergen foods for infants
Though any food can create an allergy in infants or toddlers, as well as other children certain foods are more likely to cause symptoms. These nine food items make up around 90% of food allergies:
- Milk
- Eggs
- Peanuts
- Tree nuts (including brazil nuts, almonds cashews, and chestnuts hazelnuts, filberts, pecans, hickory, walnuts, pistachios, and almonds)
- Soy
- Wheat
- Fish
- Shellfish
- Sesame
The most frequent high-allergy food items in the first year are cow’s milk as well as eggs, peanuts, and peanuts. Certain foods, including peanuts (which are actually legumes) along with tree nuts as well as seafood, are the most frequently triggering factors for serious allergic reactions.
About 30 percent of kids who suffer from peanut allergies also are allergic to tree nuts. So consult your pediatrician before giving your baby an almond butter sandwich to eat for lunch.
The difference between a food allergy and food intolerance in babies
How do you know the difference between food allergies and food intolerance in your infant or toddler? Intolerance is influenced by the amount your child consumes or drinks. In the case of a food allergy, your baby may experience gas and stomach upset after drinking a large Cup of milk (after 12 months). However, if you suffer from an allergy to food, ingestion of even a tiny amount of food could trigger a reaction that can affect many areas within the human body.
Furthermore, although kids who are allergic to milk might be able to eat dairy-based foods such as cheese, yogurt, or ice cream without issue (especially in the case of lactose-free) those who are allergic to cow’s milk cannot eat dairy-based foods even without triggering a reaction. Some could also be allergic to milk from sheep or goats.
A reaction to an allergy refers to an immunological reaction that has gone wrong. It occurs whenever the body’s immune system attacks a particular substance (like food) in error, thinking the substance is an intruder. To defend the body against the inflicting of food it produces histamine (an inflammation chemical) and causes symptoms like itching and swelling.
Sensitivity to food however has nothing to do with the immune system. it is a matter of digestion. It is a sign that the body is deficient in some or all of the digestive enzymes required to digest an ingredient in a specific food. This can cause stomach upsets including gas and gastric bloating.
The issue is that food-related allergies and food intolerances can result in similar symptoms. If you’re unsure whether your child is allergic to certain foods, a pediatric allergist will determine the cause of your child’s allergy using tests of the skin or blood.
