Allergies & Cures

It’s really important for you to become educated on baby food allergy especially if you are concerned that your baby may have such an allergy or someone in your own family has. A baby that is suffering from a particular food allergy will experience the symptoms that are specific to that allergy. Also, common symptoms may be experienced as well – they include rashes, constipation, gas, inability to sleep, diarrhea, hives, excessive irritability and chronic eczema. Keep in mind that continuing to provide your baby with the allergen will possibly increase the severity of his symptoms and reactions in the future to come.

Inability to breathe, excessive swelling of throat and mouth, excessive tiredness, lethargy and even death are among the most severe symptoms of a baby food allergy. Once your baby experiences one of the symptoms listed above, you must call 9-1-1 immediately or rush your baby to the hospital – you need paramedic help as soon as possible in order to avoid the most severe reactions. Baby food allergies are not among the most common ones. However, when they do occur, they are caused by the following foods: shellfish, chicken eggs, tree nuts, wheat, peanuts, fish, soy and milk. If you are also allergic to one of these foods, you must delay giving it to your baby until he reaches the age of 2.

Keep in mind that many allergies are usually caused by the too early introduction of a particular allergen to the baby’s daily diet. For instance, the general guideline when it comes to peanut butter is to give this food to your baby only after he is 1 year old. Also, if you are allergic to peanut butter too or some of your other siblings are allergic to is as well, you will have to delay the introduction of the peanut butter as long as possible. Once you get worried that your baby is suffering from a food allergy and that he exhibits some mild reactions to particular foods, you must talk to your health care provider in order to have your baby tested.

Remember that one of the major steps when it comes to your baby’s development is the right transition from bottle feeding or nursing to solid foods. During this particular time, food allergy may appear and change your baby’s life. Also, a baby may experience food allergy symptoms but without having a real food allergy. A baby may develop a food allergy even if he has already eaten a particular food before but without experiencing any symptoms.

Babies may inherit their parents’ tendency to become allergic to particular foods. Regardless of the moment, your baby will show the specific symptoms eventually. Usually, the symptoms occur within 2 hours of eating the allergic contained by a food and they can manifest in various ways – for instance, symptoms such as  diarrhea, gastrointestinal problems or eczema may become chronic.