Kids and Allergies: Food Allergy Basics

Food Allergy

Basics

A food allergy is an immune system response to a food protein that the body mistakenly believes is harmful. When the individual eats food containing that protein, the immune system releases massive amounts of chemicals, triggering symptoms that can affect a person’s breathing, gastrointestinal tract, skin and/or heart.
Symptoms of food allergy can include; hives, swelling of the lips, face and eyes, swelling of the tongue, breathing difficulty, abdominal pain, vomiting or a sudden drop in blood pressure.

If left untreated, these symptoms can be fatal.
It is estimated that up to 2% of Australians, including 1 in 10 children*, have food allergy and some of them will experience a life-threatening allergic reaction (anaphylaxis).
There are more than 170 foods known to have triggered severe allergic reactions. Examples include kiwi fruit, banana, chicken, mustard and celery.
Currently, there is no cure for food allergy. Avoidance of the food is the only way to prevent a reaction.
Adrenaline is the first line treatment for severe allergic reactions and can be administered via an auto-injector called the EpiPen® or the Anapen®.
Food allergy is the leading cause of (severe reactions) anaphylaxis outside the hospital setting.
Approximately 10 people die from anaphylactic reactions each year in Australia.
* Osborne et al. Prevalence of challenge-proven IgE-mediated food allergy using population-based sampling and predetermined challenge criteria in infants. J Allergy Clin Immunolol 2011; 127: 668-676
Permission is granted to make copies of this document for educational and awareness raising purposes only. Last updated Jun 2011