Lil Jayden James Federline was recently rushed to the hospital after suffering an allergic reaction to something he ingested. He is going to be OK, but food allergies are scary and can be a source of worry for parents — especially those with babies just starting to eat solids.
Luckily, there are a few ways to detect if your child is reacting to something she ate. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), symptoms of an allergic reaction include: Skin problems (hives, itchy skin rashes, swelling), breathing problems (sneezing, wheezing, throat tightness), stomach symptoms (vomiting, diarrhea), and circulation problems (pale skin, light-headedness, loss of consciousness). Some symptoms occur right after eating while others take a few days, but BabyCenter recommends that you call 911 immediately if your baby has trouble breathing, swelling of the face and/or lips, or severe vomiting or diarrhea after eating. In the case of less severe symptoms, you should contact your pediatrician who will most likely refer you to an allergist since food allergies can often be hard to diagnose.
To find out if you can prevent your child from getting food allergies and how to pinpoint the culprit, just read more.
Unfortunately there is not much you can do to prevent an allergy from occurring in your child; contrary to popular belief even breastfed babies develop allergies. One way to keep on top of allergies from the beginning is to introduce one new food at a time — then you'll be able to tell which food your baby is reacting to. On the flip side, the AAP recommends the "Elimination Diet," which involves removing all the suspect foods from your child's diet and monitoring to see if the allergic symptoms go away.
Even though there is no cure, the good news is that food allergies may not stick around forever. Arming yourself with the knowledge of what triggers the reaction will go a long way in keeping your baby happy and healthy.