What is food allergy. Classification of the main types of reactions

Food allergy is a disease that, despite its seeming insignificance, greatly affects the quality of life. This is the body's response to the action of an irritant found in food.

About 1% of the adult population of the planet and 8% of babies have this disease. food type diagnosed in 60-70% of allergic patients.

Why is there a reaction

As shows medical statistics, the number of reported cases of food allergy has been steadily increasing in recent years.

The reasons that cause its manifestation are:

1. Hereditary and genetic predisposition. It has been proven that if one of the close relatives suffers from a food form of allergy, then this disease can be inherited.
2. Wrong way of life. Addictions significantly reduce the body's immune defenses.
3. Problems with the gastrointestinal system. The reason to come for a consultation to a gastroenterologist is the unexpected appearance of an allergy.
4. Lack of proper nutrition. Nutrition should be balanced, the use of seasonal products should not be excessive.
5. Quality modern products nutrition. Almost every second purchased food contains dyes, emulsifiers, preservatives, and various chemical additives. These substances are alien to us, and the immune system perceives them as aggressors.

These causes reduce the body's ability to resist the penetration of foreign antibodies, increase the risk of developing the disease.

What is an allergen

There are many allergens that can cause allergies. Studies have shown that 90% of all cases of this disease are caused by eating only eight foods.

In descending order of allergic significance, the following products are distinguished:

• eggs;
• peanut;
• milk and dairy products;
• seafood;
• cereals (wheat, buckwheat);
• citrus;
• legume crops.

Often it is from these products that deaths occur in anaphylactic shock.

General therapy

Exclusion from food of the causative type of allergen (elimination) is considered the main method of the course of therapy.

If there is a reaction to infrequently consumed foods, then elimination is the only therapy that has a positive effect.

This method requires the complete removal from the diet of a specific type of allergen and products in which it is found even in small quantities.

An elimination diet is characterized by replacing the causative allergen with a non-allergenic product.

It is necessary to use enterosorbents - substances found in the fibers of fruits and vegetables, bran and whole grains.

All dishes must be steamed, stewed, boiled, baked, but not fried. Significantly reduce your salt intake.

If a patient is prescribed a strict elimination diet, then it is necessary to ensure that the content of all its food components strictly corresponds to his age and weight.

If all the doctor's prescriptions are followed and this diet is followed, the condition improves for 4-6 days.

How to cure food allergies in adults, depending on its manifestations

You can observe the manifestation of symptoms from the side:

1. skin: its dryness, itching, redness, rashes;
2. respiratory system: profuse nasal discharge, coughing, sneezing, shortness of breath, shortness of breath, persistent nasal congestion;
3. digestive system: vomiting, stool disorder, nagging pain in the stomach, perspiration.

Skin rash

In the treatment of the symptom, medications are good and folk remedies. When administered intravenously, "Calcium chloride" or "Sodium thiosulfate" are used. They help the body eliminate the allergen.

With an extensive rash, Prednisolone or Dexamethasone is added to these drugs.

An appointment is made at the same time antihistamines three generations:

1. "Suprastin", "Diphenhydramine", "Tavegil", "Diazolin" - their duration is short, they can cause drowsiness.
2. "Fenistil", "Cetirizine", "Loratadine" - have more long-term action may not cause drowsiness.
3. "Tigofast", Erius", "Telfast" - have a minimum number of side effects, a long duration of action.

At chronic manifestation symptoms are assigned hormonal agent"Prednisolone" tablet. The course of its reception can reach up to two months. Often the reception is combined with antihistamines.

Itching

This symptom is treatable following groups drugs:

• antihistamines of any generation (with existing problems with the liver, their use is possible only after consulting a doctor).
• preparations and ointments based on corticosteroid (a natural human hormone). They help relieve inflammation and have an analgesic effect. The course of their intake should not exceed 10 days (only a doctor prescribes a longer intake).
• non-hormonal ointments and creams. For healing, relieving dryness, inflammation of the skin, Fenistil-gel, Protopic, Panthenol, Bepanten are used.

Gastrointestinal disorders

The manifestation of symptoms from the gastrointestinal tract is reduced by the appointment of:

• strict diet;
• preparations that restore the microflora ("Colibacterin", "Bifidumbacterin", "Lactobacterin");
• agents that displace pathogenic microflora (if necessary): "Baktisubtil", "Intetrix".

If the treatment of food allergies with drugs is started in a timely manner and is carried out in a complex manner, then its effectiveness increases several times.

Differences in therapy between children and adults

Timely detection of the product that causes the reaction of the body, the fight against the signs of its manifestation, is the main condition for the effective treatment of the disease.

The best and easiest way, suitable for adults and children, is to eliminate the problematic product from the diet or the food where it is located. Everyone around (relatives, friends, colleagues) should know about its existence.

Treatment of an adult patient acute form Allergies must be under the supervision of a specialist. The patient may be prescribed injections of "Epinephrine".

This drug stops the release of histamine, makes breathing easier. With further treatment, combined treatment with drugs is prescribed. antihistamine group and epinephrine.

Treatment of food allergies in children includes internal therapy in complex with outdoor. Second-generation antihistamines are more commonly prescribed.

There are many drugs: some can be taken from the first days of life, others only after reaching a certain age.

All these medicines reduce itching, relieve swelling and hyperemia (redness) of the skin. With atopic dermatitis, the use of infusions, compresses, herbal baths is prohibited.

A child, like an adult with an acute form of the disease, must constantly wear a bracelet indicating the type of allergen. This is necessary to quickly provide assistance and exclude anaphylactic shock.

The use of drugs

The complexity and phased therapy are the main principles of the treatment of the disease, which are aimed at eliminating its symptoms and preventing exacerbations.

Drugs used in treatment:

• antihistamine group. Most antihistamines can be used prophylactically;
• glucocorticoids. They are designed to stabilize a serious condition. The course of their intake depends on the severity of the allergy and ranges from 3 to 14 days;
• cromolyn. The drug is intended for oral administration before meals and is prescribed for a long time;
• adrenalin. Patients should always have this drug in their home pharmacy. In anaphylactic shock, adrenaline is the first emergency aid.

If the attacks of the disease occur often enough, they are difficult, immunotherapy is prescribed. This method significantly reduces the manifestation of the disease, and in some cases eliminates it.

A prerequisite quality treatment disease is the use of drugs prescribed by a doctor.

Their independent choice and dosage setting may not only be ineffective, but, on the contrary, worsen the condition.

Use of herbs

During treatment food form allergies are often helped by traditional medicine. But their use is dangerous without consulting a doctor.

There are often cases when, instead of the expected positive effect an allergic reaction can only intensify and lead to a critical condition.

Many plants in their composition may contain substances that provoke short-term itching, rashes, difficulty breathing, etc. Therefore, herbal treatment should be treated responsibly and with caution.

To ease the symptoms of the disease and after consulting a doctor, you can use the advice of traditional medicine.

For the preparation of decoctions, infusions, you can use:

• freshly squeezed celery root juice. It is recommended to drink 1 teaspoon up to three times a day;
• decoction from a series: 1 sl. steam a spoonful of the plant with a glass of boiling water, drink immediately after brewing.
• decoction of calendula flowers: 10 gr. plants are brewed with 2 glasses of water, infused for 2 hours, filtered, taken according to Art. spoon 3 times a day.
• nettle flowers pour boiling water in the ratio of 1 tbsp. spoon of flowers in 1 glass of water. Leave for 30 minutes, strain. Take up to 5 times a day, 0.5 cups warm.

Food Allergy Treatments Used folk medicine have not proven their full effectiveness and have not refuted. Therefore, their use is possible only as an additional to the main drug therapy.

To prevent food allergies or reduce the severity of their manifestations, you must follow a few rules.

1. Do not delay the visit to the specialists.
2. The maximum duration of breastfeeding (at least half a year).
3. Exclusion from the diet of a pregnant or lactating woman highly allergenic foods.
4. When replacing highly allergenic products with non-allergenic ones, it is important to take into account the ratio of new nutrients with the physiological needs of the patient.
5. Heat treatment of products reduces the risk of allergic reactions (milk should be boiled, cereals should be soaked, melted butter should be used).
6. As a measure of prevention is a way of natural hyposensitization. It consists in daily use in nutrition in minimal doses of an allergenic product with a gradual further increase in its use.
7. Do not try to treat allergies on your own.

Prevention

In order to exclude the further manifestation of food-type allergies in children, and in adults to reduce the risk of its reappearance, it is necessary to take preventive measures.

Allergy prevention measures include:

1. Correct and balanced diet pregnant and lactating woman.
2. Timely diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the digestive system.
3. Partial or complete (if possible) exclusion from the diet of allergenic foods.
4. Avoid smoking society because tobacco smoke only increases the response.
5. Allergenic products must be subjected to heat or cold processing.
6. Stick to a diet.

Food allergies make you think differently about your lifestyle.

To paraphrase the well-known expression "Your health is in your hands", from the side of this disease we can say "Our health is what we eat."

To avoid the disease, you should eat right, and if necessary, follow all the recommendations and prescriptions of the doctor.

food allergy- an allergic response of the body to food, due to the reaction of food antigens with the corresponding antibodies, lymphocytes.

Sometimes eating food, which is supposed to give us strength, brings only pain. The body, due to circumstances, is not able to fully perceive the substances coming from environment, in this case, along with food.

In humans, the development of food allergies is stated - intolerance to certain foods. Let's talk in more detail about the measures that prevent the occurrence, about the ways to counter the "food threat".

Causes of pathology

Heredity- a factor that provokes the appearance of an allergic reaction to the consumed products.

Availability hypersensitivity- Guarantees immediate response. Almost instantly, after using a “dangerous” product.

Sometimes the time interval for responding to food allergen stretches for 10-12 hours, sometimes up to a day.

Given the above, changes should be made in the morning, so that it is possible to control the reaction of the child to the product used.

Possible food allergens:

• milk
• chocolate
• chicken eggs
• wheat
• beet
• nuts
• tomatoes
• oranges
• grenades
• strawberry
• raspberries
• chicken meat

A reaction to the food additives included in the composition is possible: preservatives, dyes. The list is extensive, all of them, to a large extent, contribute to the allergization of food. It is advisable to make every effort so that the diet consists of exclusively natural products.

GMOs can cause considerable harm, causing a significant blow to immunity. Altered foods are “unrecognizable” by liver and stomach enzymes. Refusing to perceive them, they do not digest such food, which provokes the allergization of the body.

Similar problems created by modified products are "fixed" at the gene level, and violations are inherited.

Food allergy symptoms

By itself, an allergic response to the food taken is not the cause of an independent pathological condition. However, it accompanies allergic diseases:

• laryngeal edema
• hives
• shortness of breath
• dyspnea
• fainting

Anaphylactic shock- a life-threatening complication, in order to avoid which, an allergic person must not forget to take the necessary medications before going outside.

You should have a card (passport) of an allergic patient, a mini-first aid kit for primary care.

Such measures will contribute to the correct diagnosis, early assistance in emergency situations.

Within a couple of minutes, after contact with an allergenic product, the symptomatic picture described above can appear.

However, the list of features is not limited to this.

It will take 2-3 hours, and tangible anxiety to the patient will be delivered by another negative symptoms, which is expressed in the following manifestations:

• diarrhea
• stomach ache

With an allergy to food, the skin gets “damaged”, becoming dry, rough. Probably the appearance of a rash, the occurrence of itching. The result of these manifestations is the presence allergic vasculitis, diathesis. In addition, with an allergic reaction to food, manifestations of a respiratory nature are possible, in the form of conjunctivitis, a runny nose.

Often, the patient is diagnosed with sensitivity to a group of similar products, for example, berries, citrus fruits.

The stomach and intestines are the first to protest. It is expressed by intestinal disorders, vomiting. List of possible accompanying signs:

• rashes in the form of blisters
• skin redness
• asthma attacks
• edematous manifestations
• headache

Disorder of the stool, nausea -. The question is how to distinguish pathological condition from food allergies. The answer is the main parameter, this is the time interval. In case of poisoning, the desire of the body to remove the “negative product” as soon as possible, reducing toxic effect on the gastric mucosa, is expressed by transient manifestations of the above symptoms.

An allergic reaction to food can manifest itself with a time delay from half an hour to a day. In addition, the “bells” from allergies are accompanied by skin problems.

Sometimes, allergies appear immediately after eating an allergenic product. For example, if the allergen is nuts, then diarrhea, vomiting, occur after a couple of minutes. Many people ignore going to the doctor in such situations, which is a mistake, especially with recurring symptoms. Ultimately, such negligence can create prerequisites for the development of anaphylactic shock.

People who have problems with the gastrointestinal tract (gastritis, pancreatitis, cholecystitis,) are prone to food allergies.

How to deal with the problem

If the presence of an allergy is not detected in a timely manner, having begun to treat such manifestations in a qualified manner, then negligence of this kind threatens the body serious consequences. Allergic dermatitis will appear in all its glory. Scroll allergenic products will grow.

A few years later, to food, add animal hair, cosmetics.

The respiratory organs will be at risk, the likelihood of asthma is high.

In case of acute allergic manifestations, the stomach and intestines are washed. The main task is to carry out “neutralization”, with the further removal of a dangerous allergen product.

To reduce the level of intoxication, sorbents (lactofiltrum, enterosgel), antihistamines are present in medical prescriptions. These anti-allergic drugs, which have practically no side effects, include claritin, kestin. Reception coursework, according to the appointments of an allergist.

If you suspect an intolerance to a particular product, you should visit allergist. Only a doctor, carefully analyzing Current state the patient will be able to diagnose the presence of an allergy.

Scroll therapeutic measures, involves taking skin samples, taking the necessary medications (vasoconstrictive, cardiac, eliminating pain), laboratory research, provocative tests.

Having identified the culprit, the idealized option would be to exclude this product from the diet. If it is not possible to state an allergenic product, then all products that are prone to increased allergenic effects fall under suspicion.

A specific hyposensitization is carried out - a procedure based on the appointment of an intolerable product to the patient, in gradually increasing portions. Functionality is normalized endocrine system, metabolism is stabilized, which helps to reduce the sensitivity of the body.

The course duration of such therapy is several months.

In case of possible complications, the intervals between injections are increased, the dose of the allergen is reduced.

Depending on the symptoms present, antihistamine, antibacterial drugs are connected to the therapy.

Development mechanism reduced sensitivity organism to the allergen is extremely complex, so far, is under study. It is better not to carry out such testing on your own, only under the full control of an allergist.

Allergy sufferers should keep a diary. The state of health is meticulously recorded, the food taken, the sensations that arise, and the changes taking place in the body are described in detail.

Correctly selected diet, makes a positive contribution to the accurate diagnosis of the disease. With improvement in well-being after the exclusion of a suspicious product, the relationship between these events is stated. To cast aside doubts, provocation tests are used.

There is a method of blind provocation, when no one (the patient, the doctor) is aware of whether allergens are present among the products used. Thus, the effect of the psychological factor is neutralized.

Many, at the sight of an allergen product, knowing in advance about the possible negative consequences, experiencing negative emotions, choking on them, vomiting occurs. The “secret” use of products minimizes such negative consequences.

At home, it is permissible to carry out skin tests, exclusively with natural products, only after a consultation conversation with an allergist. Having placed, for example, a drop of milk on the forearm, it is carried out using a short needle, gently scratching the skin through this product. , the appearance of puffiness, will indicate that the test for this product is positive, its further consumption is unacceptable.

However, I repeat once again, it is still better that such procedures be carried out by experienced specialized specialist. The main meaning of all diagnostic procedures- exclude "meetings" of the patient with food allergen, get rid of unnecessary diets.

Approved Products

Allowed in the diet:

• almost all types of cereals cooked on water, with the exception of semolina
• a large selection of vegetables (cabbage, potatoes)
• meat dishes (rabbit, beef)
• the list of fruits is limited ( green apples, pears, plums)

In more detail, the diet is agreed with the allergist. Sometimes there are exceptions when there is intolerance to a “permitted” product. After conducting an examination, identifying a specific allergen, the doctor adjusts the diet.

Prohibited Products

• any red foods, such as tomatoes, beets, strawberries
• citrus
• chocolate
• nuts
• mushrooms
• seafood
• cow's milk
• meat, chicken eggs

It is worth paying attention to products that did not fall into strict list prohibited, but their use is not recommended. The likelihood of an allergic response increases, the body's reaction to other, familiar products nutrition. So, you should refrain:

• avocado
• parsley
• bananas
• sauerkraut
• strong meat broth

• with intolerance to birch pollen, a similar response of the body is possible after eating apples
• when a mold fungus is recognized as an allergen, then kefir, kvass, products based on yeast dough are excluded from the diet
• in case of drug intolerance, remember that some manufacturers, in order to increase the shelf life, add antibiotics to the meat

Since the list of intolerable foods is extensive, there are plenty of diet options, but this is a topic for a separate article. We'll talk about it in the near future.

It is necessary to diagnose the presence of food allergies promptly, in a timely manner, so as not to give possible complications a chance for further development. An allergic predisposition will accompany the patient all his life, but the degree of its manifestation depends on the reliability of the person's immunity, current lifestyle, and compliance with the doctor's recommendations.

Take an interest in health in time, goodbye.

Allergens in food are the ingredients that are responsible for "igniting" an allergic reaction. They are proteins that are usually preserved after heat treatment, withstand the effects of stomach acid and intestinal enzymes digestion. Eventually, the allergens survive, pass through the gastrointestinal lining, enter the bloodstream, and cause allergic reactions throughout the body.

Mechanism of food allergy

An allergic reaction involves two components of the immune system. One of the components is a type of protein, the allergy antibody immunoglobulin E (IgE), that circulates in the bloodstream. The other is the mast cell, a specialized structure that stores histamine and is found in all body tissues. Mast cells are especially abundant in areas of the body that are commonly involved in allergic reactions (nose and throat, lungs, skin, and intestines).

A food allergy is a hypersensitivity reaction. This implies that before a reaction to an allergen in a food can occur, a person must first "sensitize" the food. Upon initial exposure, the allergen stimulates lymphocytes (specialized white blood cells) to produce an IgE antibody specific for the allergen. This IgE is then released and attached to mast cells in various body tissues.

When a person repeatedly eats this particular food, its allergen removes a specific IgE antibody from mast cells and induces cells to secrete the substance histamine. Depending on the area where histamine is released, different food allergy symptoms occur.

Causes

Allergies of any kind are on the rise for many reasons:

• Foods that may not have caused allergies in the past may affect children and adults differently in our changing world. Climate and chemicals affect what we eat and what we feed our children;
• an individual's tendency to produce IgE against something seemingly innocuous, like food, is inherited. As a rule, such reactions are common in children with allergies in families. Not necessarily food. You may have allergies to pollen, wool, feathers, or medications. Children with allergic parents have a 40-70% chance of developing allergies. The risk drops to 20 to 30% if only one parent has an allergy, and it drops to 10% if neither parent has the reaction.

Thus, a child with two allergic parents is more likely to develop a food allergy than a child with one parent with an allergy.

Symptoms of food allergies in children

All manifestations of food allergy in a child become noticeable from a few minutes to an hour after eating.

1. A food allergy may initially present as itching in the oral cavity and difficulty swallowing and breathing.
2. Then, when the food is digested in the stomach and intestines, symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain may begin. Incidentally, the gastrointestinal symptoms of a food allergy are those that are most often confused with signs of various types of food intolerance.
3. Allergens are absorbed and enter the bloodstream. When they reach the skin, they cause hives or eczema, and when they get into respiratory tract they can cause asthma.
4. If allergens leak through blood vessels, they can cause confusion, weakness and anaphylaxis (this is a consequence of a sharp drop in blood pressure).

Anaphylaxis is a serious reaction, even when it starts with mild symptoms (tingling in the mouth, throat, or abdominal discomfort). The reaction can be fatal if you don't react quickly.

Food allergy not mediated by IgE

Non-IgE mediated food allergies are caused by a reaction involving components of the immune system other than IgE antibodies. Reactions do not appear immediately after eating and are usually related to intestinal manifestations such as vomiting, bloating and diarrhea.

The mechanism of non-IgE-mediated allergy is not well understood. Although it is assumed that the immune system involved, IgE antibodies are not associated with this condition.

Non-IgE mediated food allergy is less well understood than IgE mediated food allergy. Because symptoms are usually delayed compared to IgE-mediated food allergy, it is more difficult to find a link between eating certain foods and symptoms.

The most common causative foods for this type of allergy are cow's milk and soy proteins in infants, and wheat in older children. Unlike IgE-mediated food allergies, this category is very rarely life-threatening because they do not result in anaphylaxis.

How does non-IgE food allergy manifest itself in children?

Dietary Protein Enterocolitis Syndrome

It is an immune response in the gastrointestinal system to one or more specific foods. Usually characterized by profuse vomiting and diarrhea. When the problematic food is removed, all symptoms disappear.

The presence of enterocolitis syndrome does not exclude the possibility of other manifestations of allergy.

The most common foods that cause enterocolitis syndrome are cow's milk and soy. However, any food can provoke such a reaction. Even those that are not usually considered allergenic (rice, oats and barley).

Enterocolitis syndrome often manifests itself in the first weeks or months of life or at an older age in an infant. Reactions usually occur with the introduction of the first products (baby cereals) or formula.

As with all cases, the severity and duration of symptoms can vary. In contrast to traditional IgE-mediated allergies, enterocolitis syndrome does not present with itching, hives, swelling, coughing, or wheezing. Signs usually only involve the gastrointestinal system, with no other organs involved.

Eosinophilic esophagitis

Is an allergic disorder swallowing reflex. This disorder affects the esophagus - part gastrointestinal tract which connects the back of the throat to the stomach. Eosinophilic esophagitis occurs when a type of white blood cell called eosinophils builds up in the esophagus. It is often caused by food.

An eosinophil is a cell that performs many roles. Some roles are specific, others are not, which means that there is whole line various processes which lead to the appearance of eosinophils.

Eosinophilic disorders may occur in different areas gastrointestinal tract. Eosinophilic esophagitis occurs when an abnormal amount of eosinophils accumulate in the esophagus.

Not only various foods, but also diseases can cause this abnormal production and accumulation of eosinophils in the esophagus, and these sources should also be considered.

Some other reasons include:

• gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD);
• other forms of esophagitis that damage the lining of the esophagus;
• infection;
• inflammatory bowel disease.

Eosinophilic esophagitis affects people of all ages, gender, and ethnicity. There may be a hereditary tendency in families.

Symptoms in infants and children under 3 years of age are irritability, eating problems, and poor weight gain. Older children may have acid reflux, vomiting, chest and stomach pain, and a feeling that food is "stuck" in the throat. Manifestations may occur within days or weeks after consumption of the food allergen.

Eosinophilic esophagitis is treated special diets, where the state-causing products are excluded. Medications may also be used to reduce inflammation.

Allergic proctocolitis

Allergic proctocolitis is an allergy to a mixture or breast milk. In this condition, it becomes inflamed Bottom part intestines. The disease affects infants in their first year of life and usually ends at 1 year of age.

Symptoms include bloody watery stool with slime. Babies also have green chair, diarrhea, vomiting, anemia and excessive moodiness. With a correct diagnosis, symptoms resolve after the allergenic food is removed from the diet.

What is cross reactivity?

Cross-reactivity is the occurrence of reactions to a product that is chemically or otherwise associated with products known to cause allergies. When a child has a severe reaction to a particular food, the physician will advise that patient to avoid associated foods that may also cause the same reaction.

For example, when a child has a history of severe allergies to shrimp, they may also have reactions to crabs, lobsters, and crayfish.

oral allergy syndrome

Oral allergy syndrome is another type of cross-reactivity. This syndrome occurs in children who are very sensitive, for example, to nectar or plant pollen. During the period when these plants are pollinated, you may find that when eating fruits, mainly melon and apple, the child quickly develops an itchy sensation in the mouth and throat. This syndrome affects 50% of patients with allergic rhinitis provoked by pollen.

Symptoms appear quickly after consumption of fresh or raw foods. Itching, irritation, and mild swelling of the lips, palate, tongue, and throat develop. Cooked fruits and vegetables usually do not cause a reaction.

Symptoms usually go away after a few minutes, although up to 10% of people will develop systemic symptoms, but not a large number of(1 - 2%) may experience anaphylactic shock. Tree nuts and peanuts tend to cause more severe reactions than other foods.

Food allergy triggered by exercise

Exercise can trigger an allergic reaction to food. A common scenario is when a child eats some food and then performs physical exercise. As the action progresses, his body temperature rises, itching and dizziness appear, and characteristic allergic reactions soon develop in the form of hives, difficulty breathing, abdominal symptoms, and even anaphylaxis.

Treatment (in fact, preventive measure) for the called physical activity food allergies - do not eat 2 hours before training.

Conditions similar to food allergies

It is extremely important to distinguish true food allergy from other abnormal reactions to food, that is, from food intolerance, which occurs with many other diseases or food poisoning when spoiled food is eaten.

If you say to the doctor, "I think my child has a food allergy," the specialist needs to consider a number of diagnoses. Possible diagnoses include not only food allergies, but also other diseases that have symptoms caused by the use of certain foods.

These include reactions to certain chemicals in food, such as histamine or food additives, food poisoning and other gastrointestinal pathologies.

Histamine

Some natural substances(e.g. histamine) in foods can trigger allergic-like reactions. Big number histamine is found in cheese, some types of fish, especially tuna and mackerel.

If a child has consumed a product that contains a lot of histamine, poisoning with this substance may occur, which is very similar to an allergic reaction.

Nutritional supplements

Another type of food intolerance is a negative reaction to specific compounds added to food to taste improvement, to provide color or to prevent the growth of microorganisms. Consuming excessive amounts of these substances can cause symptoms that mimic the full spectrum of allergic reactions.

Although some physicians attribute childhood hyperactivity to the use of nutritional supplements, the evidence is not conclusive and the reason for this behavioral disorder remains undefined.

A compound often associated with adverse reactions that can be confused with food allergies is the yellow dye monosodium glutamate. Yellow dye can cause hives, although rarely.

Monosodium glutamate enhances the taste, but if consumed in excess can cause redness of the face, a feeling of heat, confusion, headache, a feeling of fullness in the face, pain in the chest. These symptoms appear almost immediately after eating an excessive amount of food containing added monosodium glutamate and are temporary.

Food poisoning

Food contaminated with bacteria and toxins is a common cause of food poisoning. Eating contaminated eggs, lettuce, meat, or milk causes symptoms that mimic a food allergy. Common microbes that can cause poisoning are Campylobacter jejuni, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella, Vibrio vulnificus, and E. coli.

Lactase deficiency (lactose intolerance)

Another cause of food intolerance that is regularly confused with food allergies, especially milk, is lactase deficiency. This common food intolerance affects one in 10 children. Lactase is an enzyme in the lining of the small intestine. It digests (breaks down) lactose into simple sugars.

If a child is lactase deficient, they do not have enough of this enzyme to digest the lactose in most milk products. Instead, other bacteria in the gut use the undigested lactose, thereby producing gas. Manifestations of lactose intolerance include bloating, abdominal pain, and diarrhea.

Generally food intolerance shares some symptoms with allergies, so people often confuse the two.

A food intolerance is completely different from an allergy because it is not associated with the functioning of the immune system. Intolerance occurs due to the inefficiency of the digestive system in digesting certain components.

celiac disease

This condition is associated with gluten intolerance.

Celiac disease is caused by a unique abnormal immune response to certain components of gluten, which is integral part grains of wheat, barley, rye.

Although sometimes referred to as a gluten allergy, studies have shown that this immune response involves a different branch of immunity from that of a classic food allergy. It refers to a misdirected response of the immune system called an autoimmune response.

Children have an abnormality in the lining of the small intestine. There is diarrhea and indigestion of nutrients, especially fat. Treatment for this condition includes avoiding foods with gluten.

Allergen products that provoke a reaction

A food allergy is specific in the sense that a child is allergic to a particular food or category of food that has a type of protein that the immune system sees as a threat. Any food can create an allergic reaction. The foods mentioned below are the most common allergens.

According to the rules, manufacturers must indicate the presence of the following products on the labels:

• peanut;
• hazelnuts;
• milk;
• wheat;
• egg;
• shellfish;
• fish;
• meat.

Together, these nine foods are responsible for over 90% of food allergies.

Peanut

Peanuts are a legume (belongs to the same family as soybeans, peas, and lentils), not a tree nut. About 20% of children with a peanut allergy eventually outgrow it.

Peanuts are one of the allergens often associated with anaphylaxis, an unpredictable and potentially fatal reaction that requires prompt treatment. Symptoms include trouble breathing, swelling in the throat, a sharp decline blood pressure, pale skin or blue lips, fainting and dizziness. If not treated immediately with epinephrine, anaphylaxis can be fatal.

Less severe symptoms:

• itchy skin or hives, which may appear as small spots or raised streaks above the skin level;
• itching, tingling in the mouth or throat, around it;
• nausea;
• runny or stuffy nose.

tree nuts

According to studies, 25 to 40% of children with peanut allergies also react to at least one other nut.

Along with peanuts and shellfish, nuts are one of the allergens that are often associated with anaphylaxis.

Symptoms:

• abdominal pain, cramps, nausea and vomiting;
• diarrhea;
• difficulty swallowing;
• itching of the mouth, throat, skin, eyes, or other area;
• nasal congestion or runny nose;
• nausea;
• irregular breathing, shortness of breath;
• anaphylaxis.

Milk

Milk allergy refers to an immune response to a protein cow's milk.

Although milk is one of the most important products for a child, it is also a common allergen.

Between 2 and 3% of children under 3 years of age are allergic to milk. Although experts once believed that the vast majority of them would outgrow this allergy by age 3, latest research contradict this theory. In one study, less than 20% of children outgrew their allergies by age 4. But about 80 percent of children are likely to outgrow a milk allergy by age 16.

A child with a cow's milk allergy is allergic to milk from other animals, including sheep and goats.

Within a short period of time after drinking milk or its protein, the following symptoms occur:

• hives;
• stomach upset;
• vomit;
• bloody stools, especially in infants;
• anaphylaxis.

soy allergy

A member of the legume family, soy is a common ingredient in infant formula and many other processed foods.

Soy is a very common allergen in young children.

Soy allergy symptoms include:

• rash or hives;
• itching in the mouth;
• nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea;
• nasal congestion, runny nose;
• wheezing or other signs of choking.

Soy allergy rarely causes anaphylaxis.

Wheat

A wheat allergy makes life difficult for a child, given the number of foods that include this ingredient.

Symptoms of wheat allergy in children are similar to those of other food reactions:

• hives or skin rash;
• sneezing and headaches;
• stuffy nose or runny nose;
• suffocation;
• abdominal cramps and diarrhea;
• anaphylaxis, although not very common.

Eggs

Allergies occur when the immune system becomes sensitized and overreacts to protein compounds in eggs.

When an egg is eaten, the body detects the protein as the invader and releases chemicals to protect it. These chemical components give rise to the symptoms of an allergic reaction.

A child allergic to chicken eggs may have a reaction to this product from other birds such as goose, duck, turkey or quail.

Experts estimate that 2% of children are allergic to eggs. But the stakes are high: Children with egg allergies can experience reactions ranging from mild rashes to anaphylaxis.

Within a short period of time after eating (or even touching) eggs, symptoms may occur:

• skin reactions (edema, rash, hives or eczema);
• wheezing or difficulty breathing;
• runny nose and sneezing;
• red and watery eyes;
• abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea;
• anaphylaxis (less common).

clam

Shellfish allergies affect a large number of people every day.

Please note that a shellfish allergy is not a fish allergy. Thus, children who are allergic to fish are not necessarily allergic to shellfish and vice versa.

Within the mollusk family, a group of crustaceans (shrimps, lobsters, and crabs) causes the largest number allergic reactions. Many people with allergies can eat shellfish (scallops, oysters, clams, and mussels) without problems.

However, anyone with a shellfish allergy should consult an allergist before consuming any other type of sea creature.

Although true cross-reactions between mollusks are rare, they occur because different kinds sea ​​creatures are often kept together in restaurants and markets, causing pollution.

Shellfish allergy most often develops in adulthood.

Shellfish allergy symptoms:

• vomit;
• stomach cramps;
• indigestion;
• diarrhea;
• urticaria all over body;
• dyspnea;
• wheezing;
• recurring cough;
• hoarseness, trouble swallowing;
• swelling of the tongue and/or lips;
• weak pulse;
• pale or cyanotic (cyanotic) color of the skin;
• dizziness.

Fish

Unlike other food allergies that are common in infants and children under 3 years of age, a fish allergy may not become apparent until adulthood. In one study, up to 40% of people who reported allergies did not have problems with fish when they were children.

An allergy to finned fish (tuna, halibut or salmon) does not mean that you also have the same reaction to shellfish (shrimp, lobster, crabs). Some allergists recommend that people with fish allergies should avoid eating all types of fish. But it is possible that it is safe for a person who is allergic to one type of fish to eat other types.

As with other food allergies, fish allergy symptoms range from mild to severe:

• hives or skin rash;
• nausea, stomach cramps, dyspepsia, vomiting and/or diarrhea;
• stuffy nose, runny nose and/or sneezing;
• headache;
• suffocation;
• rarely - anaphylaxis.

Meat

Meat of any kind of mammal - beef, lamb, pork, goat, and even whale and seal - can provoke a reaction.

Allergy to meat can occur at any time in life. When a child is allergic to one kind of meat, it is possible that he will also have a reaction to others, including poultry such as chicken, turkey and duck.

Studies have shown that a very small percentage of children with milk allergies also have this same reaction to beef.

Manifestations:

• hives or skin rash;
• nausea, stomach cramps, dyspepsia, vomiting, diarrhea;
• nasal congestion/runny nose;
• sneezing
• headache;
• suffocation;
• anaphylaxis.

Diagnostics

To diagnose a food allergy, the healthcare provider must first determine if the child has a negative reaction to specific foods.

The food diary and the symptoms that occur are key information for the doctor on early stages diagnostics.

The doctor makes an assessment using detailed description parents, the patient's dietary diary, or the elimination diet. He then confirms the diagnosis with more objective skin tests, blood tests.

Disease history

It is usually the most important diagnostic tool in diagnosing food allergies. The doctor conducts an interview with the parents and the child himself to determine if the food allergy facts are consistent.

The specialist will ask you to answer several questions:

1. The time of the reaction. Does the reaction come quickly or an hour after eating?
2. Was the treatment of the reaction successful? For example, if hives are due to a food allergy, antihistamines should work.
3. Is the reaction always associated with a particular food?
4. Has anyone else gotten sick? For example, if a child ate a fish infected with something, then everyone who ate the same food should have become ill. But with allergies, only those who have a reaction to fish get sick.
5. How much did the child eat before the reaction appeared? The severity of the patient's reaction is associated with the amount of suspicious food eaten.
6. What is the cooking method? Some children will have a severe allergic reaction solely to raw or undercooked fish. Thoroughly cooking fish destroys allergens so that a child can eat it without an allergic reaction.
7. Were other foods eaten at the same time as the food that triggered the allergic reaction? Fatty foods can slow down digestion and thus delay the onset of an allergic reaction.

Diet diary

Sometimes the history alone will not be able to help determine the diagnosis. In this situation, the doctor will ask the parents to keep a record of the products of each meal of the child and the presence of reactions that are associated with allergies.

A dietary (food) diary contains more detailed information than an oral description. So the doctor and patient can better determine whether there is a consistent relationship between food and reactions or not.

Elimination Diet

This is the next step that some doctors use. Under the guidance of a doctor, the child does not eat foods that are tentatively provoking allergies (for example, eggs), they are replaced by other foods.

If the symptoms disappear after the product is eliminated, the doctor is more likely to diagnose a food allergy. When the child resumes the product (under the direction of the doctor) and the symptoms return, this sequence confirms the diagnosis.

The child should not start consuming the product again if the allergic reactions were severe because it is too risky to try again. This method is also not suitable if the reactions were infrequent.

If a patient's history, dietary diary, or elimination diet indicates that a particular food allergy is likely, the doctor will use tests, such as a skin test, blood tests, that will more objectively confirm the food allergy.

Skin test

A diluted extract of the suspected product is placed on the skin of the forearm or back. The skin is punctured through a drop of diluted allergen with a needle, then the doctor observes swelling or redness, which would mean a local reaction to food.

But a child may have a positive skin test result for a food allergen in the absence of reactions to this product. A specialist diagnoses a food allergy only when the child has a positive skin test for specific allergen and history confirms an allergic reaction to the same product.

But for people with severe allergies, especially if they have had anaphylaxis, skin tests should not be done, as they will provoke another dangerous reaction. Also, skin tests cannot be performed on children under 5 years of age and people with extensive eczema.

Blood tests

In those situations where skin tests cannot be performed, the specialist uses blood tests such as radioallergosorbent test, solid phase linked immunosorbent assay. These tests measure the presence of food-specific IgE antibodies in a child's blood.

The results become known after a certain period of time. As in the case positive tests on the skin positive tests blood tests confirm the diagnosis of a specific food allergy when clinical history matches.

How to treat food allergies in a child?

1. dietary exception. Avoidance of the allergen in the diet is the main treatment in the child. Once an allergenic food has been identified, it must be removed from the diet. To do this, parents need to carefully read the ingredient lists on the label for each product.Many foods that trigger allergies, such as peanuts, milk, and eggs, are found in foods not normally associated with them. For example, peanuts are regularly used as protein supplements, eggs are found in some salad dressings, and milk is found in baked goods. The label is a crucial resource for those with food allergies.In restaurants, avoid ordering foods that are believed to contain ingredients that your child is allergic to.
2. Medications.Several medications are available to treat other allergy symptoms. For example, antihistamines can relieve gastrointestinal symptoms, hives, runny nose, and sneezing.Bronchodilators can help relieve asthma symptoms.

These medicines are taken after a child has accidentally ingested a product to which they are allergic. However, they are ineffective in preventing an allergic reaction when taken before meals. In fact, there are no medications to reliably prevent an allergic reaction to food before eating it.

How to treat an anaphylactic reaction in a child?

Parents of children with severe food allergies should be prepared to treat an anaphylactic reaction. Importance has awareness of the signs of a reaction and how to manage it.

To protect themselves, people who have had anaphylactic reactions are required to wear medical bracelets or necklaces with the warning that they are allergic to food and that they are susceptible to serious reactions.

• act quickly if your child has a severe allergic reaction;
• call immediately ambulance if the child has trouble breathing or becomes very irritable or lethargic;
• try to keep your child calm when talking to him. Stay calm yourself;
• if the doctor gave you step by step plan action in an emergency, follow it carefully. You may be advised to give your child antihistamines or epinephrine through an auto-injector if the reaction is severe. If you are unsure if the reaction is severe enough to warrant an adrenaline injection, give it anyway, as it will not harm the child. If anaphylaxis is quickly treated with adrenaline, most children make a full recovery and experience no long-term complications;
• do not try to make your child vomit;
• if the child is unconscious but breathing, lay him on his side. Perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation if breathing or heart stops.When the doctors arrive, they will save the child on the spot with an injection of adrenaline. It works within minutes blood pressure, relieving breathing difficulties and reducing swelling. The child may be given an oxygen mask to help with breathing and intravenous fluids to raise blood pressure;
• in most cases, after an attack of anaphylaxis, you will need to go to the hospital for observation within a day. If symptoms return, the child may need to be treated with medicines such as an antihistamine or a corticosteroid by injection or drip.

Forecast

As described above, avoidance of allergenic foods is the main treatment for food allergies. The outlook is positive for those who are able to avoid consumption of the allergen and who are always ready for treatment. strong reaction such as anaphylaxis.

There are no long-term complications associated with food allergy other than the risk of serious reactions.

Conclusion

Food allergies are caused by immune responses to food in a child. A number of foods, especially shellfish, milk, eggs, and peanuts, can trigger allergic reactions (urticaria, choking, abdominal symptoms, confusion, and anaphylaxis) in children or adults.

When a food allergy is suspected, medical evaluation is key to proper disease management.

It is important to distinguish true food allergies from other abnormal food reactions. There is a food intolerance that is much more common than a food allergy.

Once the diagnosis of a food allergy is established (primarily by history) and the allergen is identified (usually by skin tests), the treatment of food allergies in children is mainly to avoid the food that triggers the reaction.

A person consumes many products throughout his life. But among them there may be those who pose a great danger to him, being completely safe for other people. The reason for this situation is that foods can cause food allergies - a pathological reaction of the immune system to a particular food.

Causes of food allergies

After entering the body, food decomposes into its constituent parts - proteins, fats and carbohydrates. In some cases, some of these components may enter the bloodstream. As a result of the absorption of antigens into the blood, they are perceived by the body's immune system as a threat. As a result, the immune system forms a response, which involves special proteins - immunoglobulins and inflammatory mediators - histamines.

In order for the immune system to prepare everything necessary for a response to the allergen, it needs some time. Over a period of time, the cells of the immune system produce specific antibodies directed to a particular allergen. Therefore, the first encounter with a potentially dangerous product may not be anything out of the ordinary. An acute immune response may occur much later. This is the insidiousness of allergies, as diseases.

However, it should be noted here that a true allergy, that is, pathological process, which includes the resources of the immune system, is relatively rare. Food intolerances or food poisoning are often confused with food allergies.

In many cases, psychogenic pseudo-allergy can be observed. This is the name of the situation when a person psychologically cannot tolerate certain products and feels bad after taking them.

Physiological food intolerance to certain substances contained in products is often caused by the lack of enzymes necessary for their breakdown. For example, intolerance to cow's milk may be due to the lack of enzymes to break down milk sugar- lactose.

All types of pseudo-allergies do not threaten human life. It is quite another thing - a true allergy. A severe allergic reaction can cause life threatening states. And that is why it is important to know in which cases an allergy develops, and how to protect yourself from it.

Most often, children suffer from food allergies. Moreover, the younger the age, the greater the chance that the child will be susceptible to allergies. With age, the body's immune system strengthens and learns to properly respond to external stimuli, including food. However, in some cases, a formed allergy to a certain type of food can remain for life.

In addition, studies show that the likelihood of developing an allergy in childhood influence and hereditary factors. The presence of an allergy to any product in one of the parents increases the likelihood of an allergy in a child by 50%, and in both parents at once - by 75%. Thus, food allergies can be considered some kind of hereditary disease.

In the vast majority of cases, an allergy to a product develops in childhood, and only in 5% of cases does an allergy first make itself felt only in adulthood.

Children who are allergic to aerosols and pollen are at especially high risk of developing food allergies.

As a rule, proteins act as allergens in food allergies, much less often fats, carbohydrates and other components. In some cases, heat treatment of food can reduce the allergenicity of the protein, while in others it has little to no effect on it.

The reason for the development of allergies can sometimes be not only the use of the allergen in food, but also the inhalation of its smell.

Foods that cause allergies

As practice shows, there are no products, the occurrence of an allergy to which would be completely excluded. However, there are a number of foods for which the prevalence of allergies is much higher than for others. Also, different foods differ in the sense that allergies to some may go away with age, while allergies to others remain for life.

Which foods are the most allergenic:

• milk,
• wheat,
• peanut,
• hazelnuts (this group includes only hazelnuts, but also walnuts, cashews, pistachios and some other exotic nuts),
• Fish and seafood,
• eggs,

Foods such as citrus fruits, chocolate, honey and cocoa are sometimes included in this list, but these foods are most often responsible for the occurrence of false rather than true allergic reactions, the main cause of which is their excessive use. In the case of true allergic reactions, a small amount of allergens, even in trace amounts, is enough to cause violent attack allergies.

There is also a cross type of allergy, when there are reactions associated not with a specific product, but with a whole class of related products. For example, an allergy to wheat proteins can lead to an allergy to all types of cereals, an allergy to shrimp leads to an allergy to crab meat, and so on.

In a separate group, allergic reactions to food additives can be distinguished - auxiliary components, contained in most products produced by the food industry - preservatives, flavor enhancers, dyes, stabilizers, etc.

Food allergy symptoms in adults

Allergic reactions can develop both immediately after the allergen enters the body, and after some time - hours or even days. In the latter case, they speak of a delayed allergic reaction. As a rule, it proceeds less severely than immediate.

Food allergies in adults in some cases can affect only individual organs - the skin, digestive tract, respiratory organs, and in other cases, a systemic allergic reaction develops that affects the entire body.

The clinical symptoms of food allergies are most often manifested in the following forms:

• hives,
• rash,
• atopic dermatitis,
• bronchial asthma,
• angioedema,

Early symptoms of an allergy may include coughing, itching in the mouth, numbness of the tongue, and swelling of the oral mucosa.

Food allergies differ from other types of allergies in that they cause reactions associated with the digestive tract - nausea, abdominal pain, vomiting, etc.

If the patient, after the development of an allergic reaction, develops symptoms of anaphylactic shock - difficulty breathing, spasm of the larynx, blanching or blue skin and mucous membranes, a drop in pressure, then he must be immediately hospitalized.

The development of anaphylactic shock may depend on some contributing factors. For example, if you suffer from asthma, then the likelihood of anaphylactic shock increases many times over.

Diagnostics

Before treating an allergy, it is necessary to identify the allergen responsible for its occurrence. If this is difficult to do, then resort to skin tests. The tests are carried out directly on the patient's skin, into which a certain amount of a substance suspected of being allergenic is injected. There are several types of skin tests, which differ in the method of conducting and sensitivity to the allergen.

Diagnostic methods such as radioallergosorbent test and enzyme immunoassay can also be used.

Allergy treatment

If a person has a true form of food allergy to a product, then usually this condition persists throughout life. Although some forms of allergies can go away with time.

The main methods of treating food allergies include diet and medication.

Diet

A diet for a certain type of food allergy or food intolerance is developed by a dietitian, taking into account the products that cause allergies, the severity of allergic reactions, and the age of the patient. First of all, products for which their allergenicity has been accurately established should be excluded. Other elements of the diet are selected in such a way that they do not contain products that can cause cross-allergies or other products with high level allergenicity.

What can you eat with a food allergy

There are a number of products with a low degree of allergenicity. They should be included in the menu in the first place.

The group with an average degree of allergenicity includes products such as:

• mutton;
• turkey;
• veal;
• peaches;
• buckwheat;
• legumes;
• corn.

Also, with allergies, you can eat vegetables and fruits with a low degree of allergenicity:

• zucchini,
• apples,
• bananas,
• salad,
• watermelon,
• gooseberry.

What not to eat

The elimination diet is one of the important treatments. With food allergies, you can not eat not only foods with substances - allergens, but also foods containing these substances, even in small quantities. For example, if you are allergic to peanuts, you should not only avoid eating the nuts themselves, but also confectionery with peanuts. If the patient is allergic to eggs, then mayonnaise, fancy products, soufflé, etc. should be excluded from the diet. Also, when allergic to peanuts, it is not uncommon for a cross-allergy to tree nuts to occur, therefore, they should also be excluded from the diet.

People with food allergies should eat as much as possible fresh food avoid eating canned food.

Drug treatment of allergic reactions

Drug therapy is usually given if there is no improvement with an elimination diet, if you are allergic to many foods, or if the type of allergen cannot be identified.

With mild varieties of allergic reactions, it is possible to use antihistamines. The most popular drug names are Suprastin, Tavegil, Cetirizine, Loratadin. These drugs should be taken when characteristic symptoms allergies.

However, taking antihistamines will be ineffective if the allergen still remains in the gastrointestinal tract. For its withdrawal, sorbent preparations are used - Smecta, Polysorb, Enterosgel, activated carbon.

Hormonal anti-inflammatory drugs based on glucocorticoids are also used for food allergies. For the relief of acute allergic principles, it can sometimes be prescribed intravenous administration drugs based on epinephrine.

Folk remedies for severe food allergies are usually ineffective, primarily because many medicinal herbs themselves are strong allergens. Nevertheless, in the treatment of certain types of food allergies, decoctions of string, chamomile, yarrow and swamp duckweed, mummy solution have proven themselves well. However, it is best not to self-medicate with herbal decoctions, but first ask your doctor for advice.

Prevention of food allergies

It is impossible to completely protect yourself or your child from a potential allergen - after all, there are a lot of substances that can cause allergies. However, you should still follow a number of simple rules. People with a tendency to allergies (even to its non-food variety) should be careful to eat unfamiliar foods, as well as foods with increased allergenicity. In addition, you should also carefully introduce new foods into the child's diet and give them to him in small portions.

When using unfamiliar products, you should carefully read the labels and check for the presence of components that can potentially cause allergies. Particular attention should be paid to products intended for the nutrition of young children.

Food allergies in babies

Breastfeeding women also need to watch their diet and avoid potentially highly allergenic foods, as certain allergens can also pass into breast milk. Allergies can also be caused by the introduction of complementary foods in the baby's diet. An allergy to complementary foods is due to the fact that the child's digestive system is still being formed, and it still lacks many important enzymes for breaking down food. Factors contributing to the appearance of allergies in infants and young children are short term breastfeeding, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and liver.

The main symptoms of food allergies in baby include skin rashes such as urticaria, vomiting, diarrhea. As a rule, after the allergen is canceled, the allergy in the baby disappears in 1-2 weeks.

Does not allow a person to eat certain foods. The body ceases to perceive certain kind food, the reactions that accompany the consumption of this food can be very different. There is an opinion that food allergy is a very common disease. In fact, allergic food manifestations are not so common.

Most often, allergies make themselves felt in childhood. According to A. Nogaler, people with pathology of the gastrointestinal tract and bile excretion systems are more prone to allergies. People from healthy organs digestion rarely suffer allergic reactions to food.

All manifestations of food intolerance are divided into two varieties: toxic and non-toxic nature.

The toxic variety provokes food intolerance due to the content in products of certain toxic substances. Here, the reactions are associated with the harmful chemical effects of the constituent components of the products, and not with the products themselves. Non-toxic reactions, in turn, also have two varieties:

1. reactions, the cause of which lies in the body's immune processes (food allergy proper).
2. reactions not related to immunity (food intolerance).

The latter option develops in situations where there are lesions of the gastrointestinal tract, endocrine system, biliary system, there is a history of fermentopathy and some other diseases. If the digestion process is complete without disturbances, allergic manifestations do not arise.

Another factor that leads to the appearance of allergic reactions is heredity. Sometimes a person who has a healthy gastrointestinal tract still begins to suffer from allergies, because he has a genetic tendency to develop this pathology.

According to studies, 50% of allergy sufferers have ancestors with a similar disease. Also, food intolerance develops as an addition to other allergic manifestations, such as bronchial asthma or hay fever.

Causes of food allergies

The development of allergies in children

Often, eating disorders in pregnant or lactating women lead to allergies to these products in babies. So, if a woman ate a lot of eggs during pregnancy, then the child is likely to develop intolerance to this product.

Among the provocateurs of allergies, the following are traditionally distinguished:

• defective breast-feeding(short term);
• diseases biliary tract, liver;
• malnutrition (too much diet).

gastrointestinal tract, biliary tract, liver, gastric juice, microflora and intestinal immunity are the factors on which the digestion and assimilation of food entering the body is based. If there are no deviations in the operation of these systems, all products will be broken down to such compounds that do not have any allergic properties. Since the intestinal wall prevents the penetration of undigested products, healthy body reliably protected from allergies.

The development of allergies in adults

In the adult population, allergies may appear due to certain reasons that also affect the development of such a problem in children:

• inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract, as a result of which the intestinal walls become permeable to undigested products;
• violations of the functioning of the pancreas, leading to deviations in the rate of absorption of substances, dyskinesia of the biliary tract, intestines leads to the same result;
• eating disorders leading to gastritis and other disorders of the stomach, they can lead not only to the development of allergies, but also pseudo-allergies;
• the level of acidity of gastric juice is another factor that provokes the development of allergies in children and adults.

True allergy is based on an increase in sensitivity to a particular product, with the subsequent introduction of which an allergic reaction occurs. At the time when the problematic product enters the body for the first time, antibodies from the immunoglobulin A class begin to be produced in response to food antigens.

If the allergy has a genetic basis, then the reaction to food antigens will be carried out using antibodies of the immunoglobulin E class.

If a person is healthy, then there is no immune reaction to the introduction of food antigens. Each new food intake is under genetic control, there are no problems with digestion. It is not uncommon to develop an allergy to certain food additives. Especially often the body does not tolerate azo dyes. For example, tartrazine.

Nutritional supplements, used throughout food production, cause violent reactions. Such additives are used to improve the taste, color, smell of the product. They are also needed for long-term storage. Food additives include several groups of substances: flavors, dyes, antioxidants, thickeners, emulsifiers, preservatives, bacteriostatic substances.

The body often reacts to the dye tartrazine, which gives food a yellow-orange color. Sodium nitrite also has a negative effect, thanks to it, meat and sausages have a pink or red color. Preservation often takes place using acetylsalicylic acid, monosodium glutamate, salicylates. In chocolate, cheeses include a vasoactive amine (betaphenylethylamine), it provokes pseudo-allergies.

Allergy symptoms

The manifestations of allergies are completely different: they can be in different place, different sizes, shapes, severity. The prognosis depends on the general condition of the body.

by the most typical manifestation food allergies are considered "mouth" syndrome. It consists in changing the state of the oral cavity after taking a problematic product. There are itching sensations near the lips, the tongue becomes numb, it can, as it were, expand, sometimes there are bursting sensations in the soft or hard palate. Swelling may develop. The most common gastrointestinal allergy symptoms are

• constipation,
• vomit,
• diarrhea,
• allergic enterocolitis.

If a product that causes an allergy is eaten, vomiting may occur within 4 to 6 hours after that. The eaten food comes out. The cause of vomiting is the contraction of the turner, which occurs due to the ingress of allergens into this zone. Sometimes vomiting can become uncontrollable.

The second manifestation may be pain in the abdomen of a colicky nature. They begin immediately after food enters the stomach. Sometimes there is a certain time gap.

Appetite may decrease completely or be selective. Appearing constipation is associated with spasms of the intestinal muscles, which are localized in different areas.

The cause of pain is spasms of the muscles of the intestine. The pains are not very strong, but they do not stop. The stool may include mucus. There are other signs of the disorder.

But much more often after eating food containing an allergen, it appears liquid stool. This symptom is seen in people different ages. If milk intolerance exists, then loose stools will occur in almost all cases.

Another manifestation is . Its signs: flatulence, sharp pain in the abdomen, vitreous mucus that accompanies loose stools. Headache, dizziness, manifests itself general weakness, decreased appetite. Among all the manifestations of allergies, allergic dermatoses, that is, rashes on the skin, are most common. With a true allergy, the following symptoms appear on the skin:

• hives,
• atopic dermatitis;
• angioedema.

Another common manifestation of allergies is allergic rhinitis. A person suffers from copious discharge of a mucous-watery consistency. The nose is stuffy, sometimes nasal breathing is almost completely blocked.

Allergy symptoms in babies

Allergies in babies are not uncommon. Among the manifestations of such a problem are persistent diaper rash, which persist and increase, despite careful comprehensive care behind the skin. There may also be rash in the area. anus. This place itches and irritates the baby. The situation worsens after feeding.

Diagnostics

To establish an accurate diagnosis, the patient is examined and interviewed. Then special examinations are carried out using food allergens. Examinations are carried out when the allergic reactions have completely stopped and the person will be on a completely allergen-free diet.

When diagnosing, it should be borne in mind that problems with the gastrointestinal tract can be confused with a simple allergy, helminthic invasion, mental disorders, fermentopathy.

To clarify the cause of the disease (allergy or infection), swabs are taken for cytological examination. For analysis, a swab is taken from the nasal cavity, conjunctiva, and sputum will also have to be taken.

Skin tests are of great importance. Provocative tests give a very good, truthful result. Such a test can end unpredictably, so it is done exclusively in a hospital.

It is carried out on an outpatient basis only when there is an equipped allergy room based on hospitals with an intensive care unit.

In preparation for a provocative test, the patient eats only foods that do not include the suspected causative substances for two weeks. Do the test in the morning, on an empty stomach, if the patient feels fine.

For the test, dry products are taken: egg powder, flour, milk powder, nuts, meat and other products. The patient drinks a food allergen, the reaction to which is presumably present in the patient. A person drinks a capsule, inside which there is a given allergen. Then, during the day, he is fully monitored. Track stool, blood pressure, heartbeat, skin condition, mucous membranes are examined, complaints are analyzed.

If after the first dose no signs of allergy are detected, then a second attempt is made. It is done in a day, only the dose from 8 mg is increased to 20 mg. If the second attempt did not give a result, then the dose continues to be increased. This continues until the allergen is introduced in the amount of 8000 mg. If in this case there is no reaction, then the person has no allergies to this product.

If small age the child does not allow him to swallow the capsule with the allergen, it is opened and the allergen is dissolved in food. Then they feed the child completely. The difference in testing is that maximum dose for children - 2000 mg.

If there is a food allergy, then its signs will definitely manifest themselves. Most often this happens 2 to 12 hours after taking the capsule. Problems with the gastrointestinal tract, skin rashes begin. If severe manifestations are possible, then the provocative test is excluded.

The existing "hemocode" method for diagnosing a true food allergy is not used, because it does not provide an opportunity to detect antibodies to certain foods. Much more effective are studies such as:

• radioallergosorbent test;
• test using MAST-CLA-system САР-system;
• linked immunosorbent assay.

Treatment

Allergies must be treated comprehensively. Following several steps. All therapeutic actions should serve two purposes:

• elimination of manifestations of the disease;
• prevention of subsequent exacerbations.

Mandatory appointment correct mode nutrition. A person must eat properly. The choice of dishes should depend on the condition of the person, the quality of food, the amount of food eaten should correspond to the age of the patient. Treatment methods can be divided into two varieties: specific and non-specific.

The purpose of non-specific drugs: to stop the process that has begun. They stop existing manifestations, contribute to the prevention of further cases of exacerbation.

Allergy remedies go back several generations. For example, first-generation drugs (suprastin, tavegil) are taken by mouth. Their action is short-lived, but stable.

If the allergy is manifested by simple cases, then the drugs must be chosen latest generation, they will have to be taken regularly to suppress the signs of an allergy in a mild or moderate manifestation. The preparations are as follows:

• Ebastin (Kestin);
• fexofenadine (telfast);
• Cetirizine (Zyrtec, Letizen);
• Loratadine (clarisens, claritin).

A specific method of treatment is based on a ban on the use of a product that provoked allergic manifestations. This is the most effective treatment. It acquires particular relevance in cases where the allergy is caused by foods that a person rarely eats. For example, honey, chocolate, oranges.

In the case of such an allergy, potentially dangerous products are completely banned. Moreover, the use of the products themselves in any form is prohibited. Also, you can not eat dishes, which include in any volume elements that are prohibited for consumption.

The exclusion of one or more foods from the diet should not adversely affect the quality of the child's nutrition. The diet should be full-scale, have an age-appropriate weight.

Allergen-specific therapy is indispensable in the case when the product to which the allergy has arisen is necessary for nutrition. A case in point is some infants.

Food allergy, food intolerance. detailed information in the video:

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