Protecting Your Baby From Food Allergies

Babies are fragile beings. They need constant care and attention. You have to be careful what you feed your baby especially if they cause harm. Baby food allergy is still prevalently low despite the increase in number of individuals with food allergies. If your infant is having negative effects to certain baby food you might want to discontinue and see if your baby has baby food allergy.

Baby Food Allergy Symptoms

Any baby who has a food allergy will experience symptoms of that allergy. Common symptoms among infants are hives, chronic eczema and other food allergy rashes, gas, constipation, diarrhea, and inability to sleep due to excessive irritability. These symptoms are usually not life threatening and most likely point to a mild baby food allergy. However, continuing to give your child the allergen could possibly increase the symptoms and the severity of the reaction in the future.

Other more serious baby food allergy symptoms include excessive swelling, problems or inability to breathe, swelling of the throat, lethargy, excessive tiredness, and even death. If your child experiences any problems with breathing or swelling or even lethargy, call 9-1-1 immediately. Often times these reactions happen so quickly that you simply do not have time to rush your child to the hospital for help or to call your doctor. You need paramedic help immediately.

Baby Food Allergy Information

Baby food allergies are not very common, but when they do occur almost all of them are caused by eight main foods. Chicken eggs, wheat, peanuts, tree nuts (such as walnuts, brazil nuts, and cashews), soy, milk, fish, and shellfish (such as shrimp, lobster, and crabs). If you are allergic to any of these foods, the best idea is to delay giving them to your child until he or she is at least two years old. Many allergies in children are caused by introducing the allergen too soon to a child. The general guideline is that a child should not have peanut butter until he or she is at least one, and much later if the parents or other siblings are allergic. Baby food allergies can be caused by early introduction of the food, so it only makes sense to delay introduction as long as possible.

Baby food allergy has more or less the same symptoms of common food allergy. Allergy rashes, diarrhea, constipation and irritability due to discomfort are classic examples of minor baby food allergy. Extreme cases would involve severe rashes, difficulty in breathing, excessive swelling to name a few. Whatever kind of symptoms occur immediately contact your doctor for test and advice. You would not want anything bad happening to your child. There are types of food you should not be immediately be feeding your baby as early introduction of these foods may cause them to have allergic reactions. Foods that you are allergic to or your other family members should not be introduced to the diet of infants. Food allergies can be hereditary.

Any symptoms of allergies or if you feel your baby is suffering from baby food allergy don't hesitate to contact your physician. Early testing for baby food allergy can save your baby's life.