Toddler Food Allergies Explained

Recent stats on toddler food allergies show a marked increase over 20 years. Every school and kindergarten today keeps a list of children who certain food allergies and from time to time we hear of tragic stories where a toddler's allergy was not known with fatal results. With some foods where there are mild reactions a parent can build immunity by gradually increasing the amount over a long period however this ought only to be done under the guidance of a specialist in allergies

A most common toddler food allergy is contained in cow's milk. This may be related to a lactose intolerance or reaction to the milk protein. The allergic reaction is often in continuous diarrhea or even vomiting in the toddler. While milk is vital to a toddler's growth you may have to search for a substitute food, which provides the same nutrients without the reactive nature of cows milk. Some have turned to goat's milk and soymilk and there are other options, which can be provided by the specialist.

In understanding the risks in toddler food allergies you need also to recognize other names used for cows milk - albumin, casein, lactalbumin, whey, lactose and if soy is a problem food you need to know that it can be listed as Soya or lecithin. Labeling today can be misleading and there are not a few cases where toddlers have eaten foods, which the parents thought were free of cow or soy.

Fish and Honey and eggs are also danger foods because they can be a source of botulism which man make the adult ill but can be fatal in small children. An added problem is the vaccines that are grown in eggs and unwittingly given to a child with an allergy to eggs. There are other food products that contain particles of foods that would be avoided if known for instance many pastas are made with eggs as are cookies or biscuits- so it is important to have a list of ingredients in all foods that come packaged and commercially produced.

There is a range of nut foods from peanuts to almonds that should be avoided till after the toddler stage, as they can be the source of severe reactions in a child less than two years. It should also be noted that in some toddler food allergies there are children who are affected by just being in the same room or sitting at the same table or just touching the food but these of course are the extreme cases however it does occur and parents have a duty of care until a child gets past the age of two where immunity is more established.

Its important to mention Strawberries too which are such a delight to adult palate and yet with some very young children or infants can give the typical anaphylactic response with the swelling of the throat and mouth leading to airway problems. Most Pediatricians recommend avoiding strawberries until after the first birthday of the child just to be sure. Also should be noted that some baby foods contain strawberry. After the first birthday a parent may start serving small amounts of strawberry for the infant or toddler to adjust and so that in later years they may enjoy this delicious fruit.

Finally there is the most common allergy cause to both children and adults and that is Wheat. How to avoid wheat is not easy for it is included as an ingredient in so many foods from breakfast cereals to pasta to bread. Of course when we speak of wheat most times we mean the gluten, which is contained in the wheat. There are many alternatives today for wheat and most supermarkets and health stores have good supplies.