Food Allergies: Know What to Do When Your Food Really Doesn't Agree With You

Sep. 17 -- Food allergies have become more common, especially among children. According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, more than 2.2 million children have some time of food allergies.

More than 12 million Americans have them, according to The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network.

Many adults have learned symptoms they had blamed on other conditions such as the flu were, indeed, reactions from an allergy to a particular food or an ingredient in food.

"It's a growing problem, and people are becoming more aware of food allergies," said Scott Christiansen, a Kroger pharmacist who recently provided food allergy information during a health fair at the Beaver store.

Reading labels becomes an important tactic in avoiding allergic reactions, Christiansen said.

"Once people have been diagnosed with a particular food allergy or know they have adverse reactions to certain ingredients, it's really important for them to read labels carefully and avoid products that contain those allergens," he said.

Wheat, soy, peanuts, shrimp and shellfish, eggs and milk and tree nuts are among the most common foods that cause allergic reactions.

Symptoms of an allergic reaction can occur in minutes to several hours, Christiansen said.

"It's important for people to know the symptoms of an allergic reaction and to know what to do," he said.

According to the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network, those symptoms are:

• Tingling, itchiness on the skin or metallic taste in the mouth
• Hives
• Difficulty breathing or swallowing
• Swelling and/or itching of the mouth and throat area
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Cramps and stomach pain
• Paleness of skin (due to drop in blood pressure)
• Loss of consciousness

"You need to let friends and family members know if you have a particular food allergy, so that if you experience these symptoms, they can tell emergency personnel you might be having an anaphylactic reaction," Christiansen said.

Single doses of epinephrine are often prescribed for patients with food allergies. "If you have an epi-pen or medication to treat anaphylactic shock, you should have that with you at all times," Christiansen said.

School officials need to know which students have food allergies.

"Open and frequent communication between parents and school staff is a key ingredient to keeping food-allergic students out of danger," said Dr. Michael Pistiner, a member of the AAAAI Adverse Reactions to Foods Committee.

"Parents should be aware of expiration dates and keep in contact with their allergist to insure that all medication, especially self-injectable epinephrine, is replaced prior to expiration," he said.

Christiansen said people with food allergies should also learn about "hidden" ingredients that can trigger reactions.

"There are certain preservatives such as MSG (monosodium glutamate) that can cause allergic reactions. People should be aware so they can avoid the use of products with those ingredients," he said.

-- E-mail: bdavis@register-herald.com

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