Baby Food Allergy Article

Understanding Egg Food Allergies in Children

Food allergies in children are extremely common. That does not mean that the devastation that a food allergy causes is any easier to deal with. Many parents have to come to terms with the fact that their child has a food allergy. There are many types of food that are known to create food allergies in children. One of the most common food allergies is the allergy to eggs. If your child is diagnosed with a food allergy to eggs, it is going to mean many dietary changes in your home. The changes will not be just for the child, but for the family unit as a whole.

Normally, an egg food allergy results when a child is first introduced to eggs. This normally occurs in the toddler years. When the child eats eggs, or a meal that involves an egg product, the body recognizes the egg as something that is harmful. Immediately, the body will put up some natural defenses in order to take down the substance, which it believes to be harmful. As a result, the child experiences a food allergy to the eggs or the egg product and starts to exhibit many symptoms.

When a child experiences food allergy symptoms to eggs, those symptoms may range from mild to severe. It all depends on the child and what level of tolerance the body has for the eggs or the egg product that the child has consumed. The child may experience swelling of the mouth area, itching, skin rashes, vomiting, gastrointestinal products, difficulty in breathing, and numerous other symptoms. If your child experiences any of these symptoms, it is important that you contact the child’s pediatrician immediately.

There are many food products that contain eggs and/or egg products. If your child is diagnosed as having a food allergy to eggs, it is very important that you read the labels of all purchased foods, beverages, and seasonings prior to purchasing them. Most dessert foods, cereals, various types of candy, and things that you use to bake with contain eggs or egg products. Many parents do not realize that other types of foods that children enjoy contain eggs and/or egg products as well. Some examples of these foods may be hotdogs, pizza, and crackers.

After the year 2006, companies have been forced to put labels on food that indicate if a product contains eggs or egg products. However, it is still important that you check all food ingredients. If a food was made prior to this year, it is not required to have the proper egg-warning label on it. Look for things that contain the word “egg” in it, and avoid these foods. Other keywords that you should look for include albumin, ovalbumin, vitellin, silici albuminate, and others. Research ingredients and other non-obvious words that describe eggs so that you do not purchase this and take the chance of putting your child’s safety at risk.