First Food Fights

Could Your Baby Have a Food Allergy?

By Alexandria Powell

By the time her daughter was 3 months old, Sheree Godwin knew something was wrong. Her baby had sores that wouldn't heal, slept poorly and simply seemed miserable. But getting a diagnosis proved tough.

"The pediatrician kept saying it was eczema and colic," says the Madison, Wis., mom. When her baby was finally referred to an allergist, skin prick testing confirmed several food allergies, including allergies to milk, eggs and tree nuts. Her younger child has also developed severe food allergies.

Food allergy – when the immune system mistakes a food protein for a harmful substance – can cause reactions that range from mild to life threatening, says Dr. Christopher Healy, a pediatric allergy and immunology specialist in Madison, Wis. Reactions often appear within an hour of the child's ingesting the offending food. The skin, respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract and the cardiovascular system can all be affected.

Rates of people diagnosed with food allergies are climbing, though researchers aren't sure why. They do know, however, that some children may be at a higher risk to develop these allergies. A family history of any type of allergy is the most significant risk factor, followed by early exposure to allergenic foods.

There's no cure for food allergies and no real treatment. "Avoidance of the specific food is the only thing we really have right now," says Dr. Healy.

In babies, the first allergy symptom noticed is often atopic dermatitis or eczema. Babies with allergies may also be colicky or have gastrointestinal symptoms such as vomiting.

When your child's doctor suspects a food allergy, testing is usually the next step. According to Dr. Healy, allergy testing can be done at any age. This usually involves a skin prick test. For the test, tiny drops of allergen are placed on Baby's back, which is then lightly pricked and observed for a reaction. A blood test, called the specific RAST, may also be used. "With a good history, skin testing and perhaps blood testing, you can almost always diagnose a food allergy," says Dr. Healy.

Early diagnosis is a good thing, says Debra Indorato, a registered dietitian in Chesapeake, Va., who specializes in food allergy. Many food allergies can be outgrown, and strict avoidance of the allergen helps increase the odds that your baby's allergies will one day be a distant memory. "Once a lot of children hit age 4, they show significant improvement," says Indorato.

Beth Ramos, a mom of three, would agree. Her oldest son was 18 months old when he was diagnosed with multiple allergies, including allergies to milk, eggs and nuts. His allergies were severe, and the Wisconsin mom was extremely careful about avoiding triggers. After two and a half years, she is optimistic. "Last summer, when we took him in for his antibody test, he had gone down by almost a third," she says. "So hopefully he will be outgrowing [his allergies]." Her second son is allergic only to eggs, and her youngest, aged 2 months, has yet to develop allergies.

Want to see more?

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• Talk about it!