Food allergy is everywhere, and everyone should know what food allergy is.
Parents, teachers, extended family members, those who work in food services, and the public in general should be able to recognise and manage food allergy reactions appropriately.
Find out the basics you need to know about food allergy with this quick Q&A:
What is a food allergy?
A food allergy usually begins when a person is young and may continue throughout their lives. Food allergies involve your immune system which can sometimes get confused and react to the proteins in certain foods – mistakenly thinking they are dangerous, which starts an immune response. Some people can also react to foods if they have a pollen allergy (hay fever). This is because their body can confuse the proteins in pollen with the proteins in certain foods.
What types of food are people usually allergic to?
Common food allergies include peanuts, tree nuts such as walnuts and cashews, eggs, cow’s milk, seafood, soy, and wheat.
What are the symptoms of a food allergy?
Usually, the symptoms of food allergy appear quickly – within seconds or minutes. But they can take up to a few hours to develop. Some of the symptoms of food allergy include:
- wheezing or breathing difficulties
- itchy red patches on the skin (hives)
- itching or tingling in your mouth
- feeling sick
- dizziness
- stomach pain
- anaphylaxis, a severe and potentially life-threatening reaction, which can lead to a sharp drop in blood pressure and possible cardiovascular collapse; the airways can become constricted due to swelling, making it difficult to breathe; and multiple organs can fail.
How do you test for a food allergy?
An allergy specialist will take a very detailed history of any symptoms encountered with foods and then usually look for antibodies against food using the following methods:
- Skin Prick Test, where small amounts of potential allergens are introduced into the skin using a tiny needle to see if they cause a red, itchy bump – which indicates an allergy.
- A blood test which measures the level of IgE antibodies in the blood in response to specific allergens.
A high level of antibodies to foods means the person may have a food allergy, but unless the levels are very high, does not mean the person is definitely allergic. In some cases, the diagnosis must be confirmed (or disproven) by doing a food challenge:
- For severe types of food allergy, an oral food challenge is done where small amounts of the suspected allergen are consumed under medical supervision to observe any reaction.
- In milder forms of food allergy, suspected allergens may be removed from the diet and then reintroduced one by one to identify the culprit.
- Elimination of foods should never be done without the guidance of an allergy-trained doctor.
How do you manage and treat a food allergy?
Avoid trigger foods and check labels carefully to see if there are any traces of the allergen in the ingredients. Remember to check non-food items too – such as skincare or even cleaning products, as these can sometimes include allergens too.
Your doctor may also recommend having emergency treatments ready to use if needed. This can include an Epi-pen (adrenaline autoinjector) for people with severe reactions such as anaphylaxis. For those with severe food allergies, wearing an allergy alert bracelet is a good idea, and teaching family and friends how to use an Epi-pen safely is also recommended.
For more information and advice, reach out to the Allergy Foundation of South Africa.
