Summer seems to be the season parents discover their infants have allergies. Allergens come in the form of food, insects or medicines – the most common triggers for anaphylaxis, a life-threatening reaction.
Dr. Rebecca Doro, a family medicine physician at ThedaCare Physicians-Kimberly, joined Focus Fox Valley to talk about ways to detect allergies in infants and treatment. Most times, the only way a parent knows if their child has a food allergy is when the child eats food that results in an adverse reaction. Food allergies are the most common among all the potential allergens. According to the most recent data published from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Health Interview Survey (2014), nearly five percent (4.7%) of children under age four suffer from a food allergy.
“For infants under two, peanut allergies seem to be most prevalent,” notes Dr. Doro. “In addition to peanuts, top foods children tend to be sensitive to ingesting include tree nuts (almonds, cashews, pistachios, etc.), cow’s milk, eggs, wheat, fish and shellfish (shrimp, lobster). Small
children also could be sensitive to fruits like strawberries, mango and pineapple.”
To help reduce a baby’s food allergy risk, the American Academy of Pediatrics now suggests parents slowly introduce foods like peanut, egg and milk in small amounts when their baby is four to 11 months old.
“And you want to be sure to be in a safe environment at home, where you have access to a phone to call 911, or a car to drive your child to the hospital, in the event there is a severe allergic reaction,” Dr. Doro said. “It’s important to keep safety in mind when allowing your child
to try new foods If a parent suspects their child might be experiencing an allergic reaction to food, medicine or the environment, they should know the symptoms:
- Coughing
- Sneezing
- Itchy eyes, mouth or ears
- Runny nose and scratchy throat
More severe symptoms, which can present a few minutes to an hour after the allergen exposure, include:
- Skin rashes, hives and red swollen welts that come and go
- Facial and lip swelling
- Under the eye lids inflammation
- Low blood pressure
- Breathing trouble
- Vomiting
- Wheezing
Babies can have intolerance to certain foods – when food doesn’t agree with their system – but it is not a true allergy. Those symptoms are less severe and include bloating, diarrhea, gas and pain.
Dr. Doro said parents who see their child having a severe allergic reaction, called anaphylaxis, need to take the situation seriously.
“Call 911 right away,” she said. “The greatest concern is the blockage of an infant’s small airway, which can be very dangerous.”
The most common treatment for anaphylaxis is an epinephrine auto-injector device. The swelling typically goes down quickly. It is short acting.
Environmental allergies are not as common in children, explained Dr. Doro. She said babies can react strongly to bee stings and mosquito bites.
If a child has a known allergy and has been prescribed an epipen by a doctor, they should always have it with them and all caregivers should be trained in proper administration. The time from reaction to epinephrine administration is critical. If epinephrine is administered, they still need to seek medical attention, as it is short acting and a child can experience rebound symptoms. Epinephrine is the treatment for anaphylaxis. It is carried by all EMS personnel, so is one of the big reasons behind the recommendation to call 911 for any severe allergic reaction.
