COULD YOUR SYMPTOMS BE SIGNS OF FOOD ALLERGY?

                   Food allergies are caused by immunological reactions to foods, sometimes in individuals or families predisposed to allergies.  Following are the symptoms to watch for, testing methods, usual treatment options and websites from which more information is available.
Allergy vs. intolerance
                  Fortunately, food allergies are not common only about 3 percent of adults and 6 to 8 percent of children have clinically proven allergic reactions to food----but tey can be serious, as you'll read below.  Meanwhile, food intolerances (such as to lactose in dairy products) or sensitivities to certain foods are more widespread.
                 Common foods to which children are sensitive or allergic include eggs, milk, peanuts (often a severe allergy), fruit (especially strawberries), shellfish, soy, tree nuts (e.g., walnuts) and wheat gluten (celiac disease).  The good news is that many kids outgrow their food allergies by the time they're 5 years old.  That said, some allergies, most especially to peanuts, tree nuts and shellfish, tend to last a lifetime.
                 Common food allergies and sensitivities in adults include fish, shellfish (e.g., shrimp, lobster), peanuts and tree nuts.  Food additives, such as thickeners, preservatives and dyes, can also cause a reaction, although only rarely.
                 While food allergies can strike anyone, the ailment does tend to run in families.  Generally, people with allergies come from families in which allergies are common, including allergies to pollen, fur, feathers or medications.  Someone with two parents who have allergies is more likely to develop food allergies than someone with one allergic parent.


Symptoms to watch for
                   Oral symptoms, such as itching and swelling of the mouth, lips and tongue, may occur within a few minutes of eating a food-----usually a fruit or vegetable------to which you may be allergic.  That's because certain foods contain substances similar to ragweed pollen, and apples have allergens similar to tree pollen.
                    Meanwhile, the key symptoms to watch for----namely, hives over your body, a hoarse voice and wheezing----usually begin about two hours after eating a food, when it's in your digestive tract.  Other symptoms that may indicate you have a food allergy or intolerance include abdominal pain or cramps, diarrhea, difficulty swallowing, lightheadedness/fainting, nasal congestion, itchy eyes and throat, nausea or vomiting, running nose, shortness of breath, swelling, and itchy/scaly skin.  Severe reactions for which you may need to visit the emergency room include reduced blod pressure and blocked airways.
                     In infants, symptoms can include infantile coloc, blood in the stool and poor growth.
Testing
                     If you suspect you or your child have food intolerance, talk with your doctor about testing.  Your physican may ask that you keep a food log for a while to register your or your child's physiological reaction to eating certain foods.  He or she also may refer you to an allergy specialist who may perform blood or skin tests.
                     It's important to understand that diagnosing food allergies can be difficult.  One method is an elimination diet in which you avoid the suspected food to see if your symptoms resolve.  Another method, provocation (or challenge) testing, requires that you eat a small amount of the suspected food; this test is done under medical supervision, as it may provoke a severe allergic reaction for which you may need immediate medical intervention.
Treatment
                    There is no cure for food intolerance or allergy.  And the only proven way to prevent symptoms is to avoid the food to which you're sensitive.  Other treatments may include allergy shots (immunotherapy) or ingestion of probiotics.  Your doctor can explain these to you.  Antihistamines or bronchodilators may offer short-term symptom relief.
                    Those with severe, life-threatening food allergies (most especially those allergic to peanuts) may be prescribed injectable epinephrine they may have to carry with them at all times to use if they inadvertently ingest a forbidden food.
                    Your allergy specialist may counsel you on how to read food label ingredient lists so you can identify foods and additives to which you're intolerant.  Children allergic to cow's milk may be placed on soy-based milk or formula instead.  Note that food allergies can worsen underlying health conditions, such as asthma or eczema.
                    Exclusive breastfeeding (i.e., excluding all other foods) for at least the first four months may help protect high-risk babies from developing milk allergy and eczema in the first two years of life, note medical experts.  That's because breast milk contains less "foreign" protein and is less allergenic than cow's milk or soy formula.  It has not been proven, however, that breastfeeding prevents the development of allergies later in life.
For more info
                    The following websites can help explain food allergies and sensitivities in more detail:
       * The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network, http://www.foodallergy.org/
       * MedicineNet.com, www.medicinenet.com/food_allergy/article.htm
       * U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, www.niad.nih.gov/topics/foodallergy
       * Drexel University College of Medicine, www.drexelmed.edu/Home/HealthEncyclopedia/Diseases andConditions/Foodallergy.aspx