What is latex food allergy
Go to the home sheet of DMD
NIHS / DMD / [email protected]
Food Allergy: Know the Facts
Do you, or someone you know own a food allergy?
Food allergies can be extremely serious or even deadly for those that are highly sensitive. While most food allergies in adults are caused by a little group of foods or food products, adverse reactions in young children can be caused by a wider variety of food.
What is a Food Allergy?
A food allergy is a specific immune system reaction that happens after a person consumes what is normally considered a safe food. Food allergies happen more often in children than in adults. Approximately % of children (aged 4 or under) and about 2% of adults own food allergies.
Allergic reactions to food lead to over 30, emergency room visits and 2, hospitalizations per year. There are approximately fatalities associated with food allergic reactions in the US annually.
90% of food allergies in the US are made with food allergens and products made with them.
- Peanuts
- Egg
- Shellfish (e.g., crab, lobster, shrimp, and crayfish)
- Milk
- Tree nuts (walnuts, almonds, cashews, pistachios, pecans, and hazlenuts)
- Wheat
- Soy
What Causes Food Allergies?
A true allergy is caused by a persons immune system reacting to a protein(s) in a specific food.
The process begins when the food is first eaten; the body remembers the specific protein(s) in the food. When the same food is eaten again, the immune system overreacts in an excessive and potentially True food allergies are caused by the rapid release of immunoglobin E antibodies after a person ingests the problematic food. This over-production of IgE is triggered by the food allergen and causes either a local or systemic effect, such as inflammation, sever swelling, or hypersensitivity reactions.
What Are Food Allergy Symptoms?
The reaction to an allergen is related to the overproduction of IgE after consuming the problematic food.
Symptoms can happen locally, in multiple locations, or can be spread over the entire body.
- Swelling of the lips or tongue
- Hoarseness and sensation of tightness in throat
- Abdominal pain or cramps
- Itching/tingling of lips, palate, tongue, or throat
- Nausea and/or vomiting
- Diarrhea
Who is at Risk?
People who had previous allergic reactions to food or non-food items such as insect bites and latex, or who own a family history of allergies, are most susceptible to developing allergies.
Generally, food allergies are developed at an early age, but some may appear at any time.
What is Anaphylaxis?
Anaphylaxis is a severe allergic reaction that rapidly affects the entire body and, if not treated, can be fatal.
The symptoms are caused by the bodys tissue releasing histamines and other substances. This results in tightening of airways, which makes the reaction more severe than a normal allergic reaction. Severe reactions can also cause unconsciousness due to decreased blood flow. Anaphylaxis is commonly seen in children and young adults, but can affect anyone.
Managing Food Allergies
If a person has an allergy to a specific food, any meal containing that food, even as flavoring, may cause an allergic response. It is significant to carefully read food labels and ingredient lists if a person has a known food allergy.
Almost any food that contains protein has the potential to cause an allergy or hypersensitivity reaction in a susceptible person. Food allergies are only triggered by proteins. Sugars and fats do not cause food allergies.
How to Deal with a Severe Allergic Reaction
If a person has an allergy to a specific food, the only proven therapy is strict avoidance of the food or its products. If a person has a minor allergic reaction to a food, oral antihistamines can be taken, but in the case of severe reactions, the medication of choice is an injection of epinephrine.
A person suffering from anaphylaxis should be taken to a hospital immediately.
While there is no cure for food allergies, there are some promising studies of new treatments. Guidelines and regulations are updated as more research is conducted. With every new finding, the most precise information is passed on to the consumers, thus minimizing the risk of adverse allergic reactions.
If you would love to know more about food allergies, visit or contact your local extension office.
Jana Hart-Extension Agent- FCS, 4-H
Category: Food Safety, Health & Nutrition, Relationships & Family, Work & Life
Tags: allergy, awareness, food, food allergy, health, nutrition, peanut allergy
Managing Students with Life Threatening Allergies
In order to minimize the incidence of life threatening allergic reactions, the Belmont Public Schools (BPS) will do the following:
Request information from parents re: life threatening allergy
- Ask parent about history of past reactions, interventions and outcome
- Provide parent with cover letter and Emergency Health Care Plan to be completed with health care provider, preferably an asthma/allergist specialist.
Implement an Individualized Health Care Plan (IHCP) for each student.
- Discuss allergens and possible student specific symptoms.
- Identify student to his or her teachers and cafeteria staff
- Review emergency response in the event of a reaction.
Send letter home to classroom parents, grades K-4, that requests foods sent in for snack or breakfasts avoid containing the stated allergen(s).
- All foods sent in for sharing must be prepackaged and unopened with an intact ingredient label.
Schools will urge parents and teachers to own food free school parties and celebrations. Birthdays will not be celebrated with food.
Provide an allergen free table in the cafeteria when necessary.
Nurses will maintain a red Life Threatening Allergy binder on desk which will contain Emergency Health Care Plans for every identified students for whom parents own provided information.
- The Emergency Health Care Plan, contained in the Substitute Teacher folder, will be identified on the exterior of the folder with a special alert.
- Emergency Health Care Plans will be updated annually and as information changes. Copies of this plan may be located in the classroom, in the substitute folder and in the cafeteria (when appropriate).
- Substitute teachers will be asked to check in with the school nurse, prior to the start of the school day, to review this plan.
In September, nurses attend a faculty meeting to provide staff with information including a presentation regarding:
- how to recognize symptoms of an allergic reaction
- the most common allergens that cause life threatening allergies such as foods, medications, latex and stinging insects
- the emergency response in the event of an allergic reaction
Staff training in istration of EpiPen is offered according to Department of Public Health guidelines for every Belmont Public School employees who come in contact with the identified student.
Nurses will determine who will be designated to ister EpiPen in his / her absence.
- Parents will monitor the expiration date on their childs EpiPen and replace it as needed.
- EpiPens (belonging to the school and those prescribed to the student) will be available in the nurses office and other clearly designated locations as specified in the IHP.
- Staff will be informed of the location of the EpiPens.
Review / update training for staff in January.
Email reminders to staff re: food allergies and risk for anaphylaxis at high risk times of year.
i.e. Halloween, winter holidays; Easter; finish of year celebrations
Field Journey procedure (student packet includes EHCP; EPI PEN; laminated card with instructions.)
- Insure that a communication device is available to the identified staff person.
- Identify staff person responsible for istering Epi Pen in the event of an allergic reaction.
- Instruct parent to contact school nurse when they sign a permission form for trip/event.
- Locate nearest emergency response unit to field journey site and provide telephone number to that unit.
- Teachers will discourage students from eating foods on the bus unless medically indicated.
School bus drivers will be notified of the student(s) who own life threatening allergies, by parents, if they wish the driver to be informed.
Telephone procedure — laminated cards in office(s)/nurses clinic Emergency Allergy Procedure
Assist parents in reading food labels and urge communication with Belmont food service.
Parents are reminded (in writing) to share information with coaches, KED, before and after school programs.
End of year request for update/ review of EHCP mailed home.
The schools will work with food allergic students and parents to address the students social and emotional needs, as well as provide for their health and safety.
Reviewed August
Allergy
Food Allergy
search
- Soy
- Wheat
- Children
- Cow’s Milk Allergy
- Peanuts
- Tree nuts
- Adults
- Crustaceans (e.g.
shrimp, lobster)
- Egg Whites
- Peanuts
- Common Food Allergies
- Causes
- Fish
- Wheat
- Egg Whites
- Cow’s Milk Allergy
- Soy
- Peanuts
- Peanuts
- Tree nuts
- Crustaceans (e.g. shrimp, lobster)
- Fish
- Hazelnuts
- Hazelnuts
- Birch pollen allergy
- Hazelnuts
- Birch pollen allergy
- Carrot
- Kiwi
- Celery
- Fresh fruit (apples, cherries, nectarines, peaches, pears)
- Grass pollen
- Kiwi
- Potatoes
- Parsnips
- Ragweed pollen
- Bananas
- Causes
- Avocado
- Tomato
- See Oral Allergy Syndrome
- Latex Allergy
- Banana
- Cross-reactivity with contact or air-borne allergens
- Melons (canteloupe, honeydew, watermelon)
- See Oral Allergy Syndrome
- Latex Allergy
- Kiwi
- Banana
- Avocado
- Birch pollen allergy
- Birch pollen allergy
- Hazelnuts
- Celery
- Parsnips
- Carrot
- Potatoes
- Fresh fruit (apples, cherries, nectarines, peaches, pears)
- Grass pollen
- Grass pollen
- Kiwi
- Tomato
- Ragweed pollen
- Ragweed pollen
- Melons (canteloupe, honeydew, watermelon)
- Bananas
- Angioedema (IgE mediated)
- Angioedema (IgE mediated)
- Skin reactions
- Angioedema (IgE mediated)
- Skin reactions
- Acute Urticaria (IgE mediated)
- Laryngeal Angioedema
- Contact Urticaria (IgE and non-Ige mediated)
- Eosinophilic Esophagitis (IgE and non-IgE mediated)
- Food protein-induced enterocolitis (non-IgE mediated)
- Gastrointestinal food allergies
- Dietary Protein-induced Proctocolitis (non-IgE mediated to milk in infants)
- Allergic Contact Dermatitis (cell-mediated)
- Immediate GI hypersensitivity (IgE mediated)
- Types
- Emergent presentations
- Food-induced Anaphylaxis
- Clinical Presentations of Food Allergies
- Oral Allergy Syndrome (cross-reactivity among foods; prevented by cooking offending food)
- Emergent presentations
- Food-induced Anaphylaxis
- Laryngeal Angioedema
- Skin reactions
- Skin reactions
- Allergic Contact Dermatitis (cell-mediated)
- Acute Urticaria (IgE mediated)
- Angioedema (IgE mediated)
- Contact Urticaria (IgE and non-Ige mediated)
- Gastrointestinal food allergies
- Gastrointestinal food allergies
- Immediate GI hypersensitivity (IgE mediated)
- Food protein-induced enterocolitis (non-IgE mediated)
- Eosinophilic Esophagitis (IgE and non-IgE mediated)
- Oral Allergy Syndrome (cross-reactivity among foods; prevented by cooking offending food)
- Airway Foreign Body
- Dietary Protein-induced Proctocolitis (non-IgE mediated to milk in infants)
- Postprandial collapse
- Airway Foreign Body
- Postprandial collapse
- Non-allergic food reaction
- Airway Foreign Body
- Postprandial collapse
- Non-allergic food reaction
- Monosodium glutamate
- Differential Diagnosis
- Sulfite reaction
- Scombroid Fish Poisoning (vasoactive amines)
- Airway Foreign Body
- Non-allergic food reaction
- Sulfite reaction
- Monosodium glutamate
- Scombroid Fish Poisoning (vasoactive amines)
- Differentiate from Infantile Colic
- Differentiate from Infantile Colic
- Colic will resolve spontaneously after months
- Milk Allergy or intolerance with GI Symptoms
- Milk substitution is unnecessary
- Management
- Substitute Casein Hydrolysate (Cow’s Milk) Formula
- Nutramigen, Pregestimil, Alimentum
- Soy-based formula is not appropriate substitution
- Differentiate from Infantile Colic
- Colic will resolve spontaneously after months
- Milk substitution is unnecessary
- Substitute Casein Hydrolysate (Cow’s Milk) Formula
- Substitute Casein Hydrolysate (Cow’s Milk) Formula
- Nutramigen, Pregestimil, Alimentum
- Soy-based formula is not appropriate substitution
- Mix with other foods
- Mix with other foods
- Eggs in baked products (instead of scrambled eggs)
- Reintroduction of prior food allergies
- Management
- Milk in Cheese or yogurt (instead of glass of milk)
- Do not reintroduce foods with previous Anaphylaxis
- Do not re-introduce nuts, seeds or seafood if prior Allergic Reaction (especially if history of Anaphylaxis)
- Mix with other foods
- Eggs in baked products (instead of scrambled eggs)
- Milk in Cheese or yogurt (instead of glass of milk)
- Do not reintroduce foods with previous Anaphylaxis
- Do not reintroduce foods with previous Anaphylaxis
- Do not re-introduce nuts, seeds or seafood if prior Allergic Reaction (especially if history of Anaphylaxis)
- Fish Allergy
- Fish Allergy
- Avoid unused and saltwater fish
- Skin Testing for Influenza Vaccine reaction is not recommended due to high Untrue Positive Rate
- May be given if egg Allergic Reaction was limited to Urticaria (especially if tolerates egg containing foods)
- Consider monitoring for 2 hours after Vaccination
- Contraindicated Vaccines (if hives, Angioedema, Anaphylaxis to egg)
- Rabies Vaccine
- Avoid unlabeled candies and desserts
- Avoid ice cream parlors
- Nut allergy (often associated with Anaphylaxis)
- Do not eat at buffets
- Most fish-allergic patients can tolerate canned tuna
- Avoid butter or margarine containing milk
- Management
- Yellow Fever Vaccine
- Milk allergy
- Avoid not only cow’s milk, but also sheep and goat’s milk
- Egg Allergy and Vaccinations
- Indicated Vaccines regardless of egg allergy severity (these Vaccines contain only minute egg amounts)
- Measles Mumps Rubella Vaccine (MMR Vaccine)
- Possibly indicated Vaccines
- Influenza Vaccine
- Specific food Issues
- Varicella Vaccine
- Crustacean allergy
- Avoid every crustaceans (shrimp, lobster, crab)
- Egg Allergy and Vaccinations
- Indicated Vaccines regardless of egg allergy severity (these Vaccines contain only minute egg amounts)
- Measles Mumps Rubella Vaccine (MMR Vaccine)
- Varicella Vaccine
- Possibly indicated Vaccines
- Possibly indicated Vaccines
- Influenza Vaccine
- May be given if egg Allergic Reaction was limited to Urticaria (especially if tolerates egg containing foods)
- Consider monitoring for 2 hours after Vaccination
- Skin Testing for Influenza Vaccine reaction is not recommended due to high Untrue Positive Rate
- Contraindicated Vaccines (if hives, Angioedema, Anaphylaxis to egg)
- Contraindicated Vaccines (if hives, Angioedema, Anaphylaxis to egg)
- Rabies Vaccine
- Yellow Fever Vaccine
- Fish Allergy
- Fish Allergy
- Avoid unused and saltwater fish
- Most fish-allergic patients can tolerate canned tuna
- Nut allergy (often associated with Anaphylaxis)
- Nut allergy (often associated with Anaphylaxis)
- Avoid unlabeled candies and desserts
- Do not eat at buffets
- Avoid ice cream parlors
- Milk allergy
- Milk allergy
- Avoid not only cow’s milk, but also sheep and goat’s milk
- Avoid butter or margarine containing milk
- Crustacean allergy
- Crustacean allergy
- Avoid every crustaceans (shrimp, lobster, crab)
- Initial reaction (Sensitization)
- Initial reaction (Sensitization)
- IgE antibodies produced to food
- Brazil nuts
- Tree nuts
- Pistachios
- Fish
- Safe alternative to skin test (Anaphylaxis suspected)
- Short-term Elimination Diets
- Diet diaries
- Do NOT act out for food suspected of Anaphylaxis
- Strategies to avoid (not effective or unsupported)
- Maternal dietary restrictions during pregnancy and Lactation are not recommended
- Attention-Deficit Disorder (ADD)
- Myth: Attention Deficit Disorder related to dietary additives
- Dietary Salicylates
- Child under age 6
- Epinephrine () mg SQ (Epi-Pen Jr)
- Recommended strategies to prevent Food Allergy
- Exclusive Breast Feeding until months of age
- Cashews
- Prostaglandins and leukotrienes are released
- Reference
- Lipton () J Am Diet Assoc [PubMed]
- Crayfish
- Milk allergy: 85% resolve by age 5 years
- Food-induced Urticaria
- Food allergies account for 30% of acute cases but rarely cause Chronic Urticaria
- Nuts, fish, seed allergies persist
- Children: %
- Up to 15% of parents believe their children own Food Allergy, but most cases are unproven
- Food dependent Exercise induced Anaphylaxis (rare)
- Wheat is most common associated food trigger
- Epinephrine Self-Injectors for home/school (Should own 2 pens available)
- Child over age 6
- Epinephrine () mg SQ (EpiPen)
- Associated Conditions
- Results in severe, sudden, Allergic Reaction (Urticaria, Anaphylaxis) to beef, lamb, pork
- Anaphylaxis occurs only if specific food trigger ingested before Exercise
- Mahan () Ann Allergy [PubMed]
- Reality
- Only 2% ADD Children would benefit from diet change
- Oral Allergy Syndrome
- Pecans
- Reality
- No proven relationships
- Releases
- Histamine
- Macadamian Nuts
- Lifelong Food allergies
- Foods associated with systemic Anaphylaxis
- Pine nuts
- Sunflower seeds
- Sucrose has «calming effect» when c/w Aspartame
- Kruesi () Annu Rev Nutr [PubMed]
- Reality
- Sugar does not increase activity
- Milich () Clin Psychol Rev [PubMed]
- Walnuts
- Solid food introduction by 6 months of age
- Potentially allergenic foods may be introduced at this time
- Indefinitely avoid causative food
- Immediate Reacting IgE skin Test
- Epicutaneous stick with Unused Food Extract
- Atopic Dermatitis
- Improves when eggs, milk and peanuts are removed from diet
- Sugar «Allergy»
- Myth: Refined sugars aggravate behavioral problems
- Suggested to provoke hyperactivity, aggressive, inappropriate behavior
- Sensitive and Specific
- Lobster
- Incidence of Food Allergy
- Adults: %
- Tick Bite (lone star tick) predisposes to Alpha-gal Reaction
- Sensitization to galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose (alpha-gal), found in both ticks and red meat
- Caraway seeds
- Peanut allergy: % (based on parent or self-report)
- In-Vitro test for allergen-specific IgE Antibodies (RAST)
- Less sensitive than skin test
- Milk, eggs, wheat or soy allergies generally resolve
- Egg allergy: 70% resolve by age 5 years
- Conditions NOT associated with Food Allergy
- Tree nut allergy: % (based on parent or self-report)
- Subsequent Reaction
- IgE fixed to Mast Cells in Skin, GI, Respiratory
- Almonds (and marzipan)
- Reacts to allergen
- Family History of atopic disease (Atopic Dermatitis, Asthma, Allergic Rhinitis)
- Transient Food Allergies
- Most food allergies final only a few years
- Shellfish
- Crab
- Nuts (allergy often seen in Atopic Patients)
- Peanuts (legume)
- Prawns or shrimp
- Open Food Challenge
- Use for reintroduction of foods after years
- For foods with less serious reactions
- Example: Hives to milk or eggs
- Artificial food colors and flavors
- Feingold,
- Space Exercise at least 6 hours after trigger food is ingested
- Prevalence of most common specific food allergens
- Milk Allergy: % (up to 6% in studies based on parent or self-report)
- Bachorowski () Pediatrics [PubMed]
- Abnormal Kid Behavior
- Myths:
- Hyperactivity, Insomnia, Anxiety (Shannon,)
- Chemotactics attract Eosinophils
- «Allergic Attention Fatigue Syndrome» (Rowe, )
- Seeds
- Sesame seeds
- Seafood allergy: Up to % of adults (based on parent or self-report)
- Hazelnuts or filberts
- Egg Allergy: % (up to 1% in studies based on parent or self-report)
- Soy baby formula substitution for cow’s milk baby formula is not recommended
- Abnormal Kid Behavior
- Myths:
- Hyperactivity, Insomnia, Anxiety (Shannon,)
- «Allergic Attention Fatigue Syndrome» (Rowe, )
- Reality
- Reality
- No proven relationships
- Attention-Deficit Disorder (ADD)
- Attention-Deficit Disorder (ADD)
- Myth: Attention Deficit Disorder related to dietary additives
- Dietary Salicylates
- Artificial food colors and flavors
- Feingold,
- Reality
- Reality
- Only 2% ADD Children would benefit from diet change
- Reference
- Reference
- Lipton () J Am Diet Assoc [PubMed]
- Sugar «Allergy»
- Sugar «Allergy»
- Myth: Refined sugars aggravate behavioral problems
- Suggested to provoke hyperactivity, aggressive, inappropriate behavior
- Reality
- Reality
- Sugar does not increase activity
- Milich () Clin Psychol Rev [PubMed]
- Mahan () Ann Allergy [PubMed]
- Sucrose has «calming effect» when c/w Aspartame
- Sucrose has «calming effect» when c/w Aspartame
- Kruesi () Annu Rev Nutr [PubMed]
- Bachorowski () Pediatrics [PubMed]
- Incidence of Food Allergy
- Adults: %
- Children: %
- Up to 15% of parents believe their children own Food Allergy, but most cases are unproven
- Prevalence of most common specific food allergens
- Prevalence of most common specific food allergens
- Seafood allergy: Up to % of adults (based on parent or self-report)
- Egg Allergy: % (up to 1% in studies based on parent or self-report)
- Milk Allergy: % (up to 6% in studies based on parent or self-report)
- Peanut allergy: % (based on parent or self-report)
- Tree nut allergy: % (based on parent or self-report)
- Family History of atopic disease (Atopic Dermatitis, Asthma, Allergic Rhinitis)
- Tick Bite (lone star tick) predisposes to Alpha-gal Reaction
- Sensitization to galactose-alpha-1,3-galactose (alpha-gal), found in both ticks and red meat
- Results in severe, sudden, Allergic Reaction (Urticaria, Anaphylaxis) to beef, lamb, pork
- Nuts (allergy often seen in Atopic Patients)
- Peanuts (legume)
- Tree nuts
- Macadamian Nuts
- Almonds (and marzipan)
- Cashews
- Hazelnuts or filberts
- Brazil nuts
- Pecans
- Pine nuts
- Walnuts
- Pistachios
- Fish
- Fish
- Shellfish
- Fish
- Shellfish
- Crayfish
- Crab
- Prawns or shrimp
- Lobster
- Seeds
- Seeds
- Sunflower seeds
- Sesame seeds
- Caraway seeds
- Initial reaction (Sensitization)
- IgE antibodies produced to food
- Subsequent Reaction
- Subsequent Reaction
- IgE fixed to Mast Cells in Skin, GI, Respiratory
- Reacts to allergen
- Releases
- Chemotactics attract Eosinophils
- Histamine
- Prostaglandins and leukotrienes are released
- Immediate Reacting IgE skin Test
- Sensitive and Specific
- Epicutaneous stick with Unused Food Extract
- Do NOT act out for food suspected of Anaphylaxis
- In-Vitro test for allergen-specific IgE Antibodies (RAST)
- In-Vitro test for allergen-specific IgE Antibodies (RAST)
- Less sensitive than skin test
- Safe alternative to skin test (Anaphylaxis suspected)
- Open Food Challenge
- Open Food Challenge
- Use for reintroduction of foods after years
- For foods with less serious reactions
- Diet diaries
- Example: Hives to milk or eggs
- Short-term Elimination Diets
- Indefinitely avoid causative food
- Epinephrine Self-Injectors for home/school (Should own 2 pens available)
- Child over age 6
- Epinephrine () mg SQ (EpiPen)
- Child under age 6
- Child under age 6
- Epinephrine () mg SQ (Epi-Pen Jr)
- Oral Allergy Syndrome
- Food dependent Exercise induced Anaphylaxis (rare)
- Anaphylaxis occurs only if specific food trigger ingested before Exercise
- Wheat is most common associated food trigger
- Space Exercise at least 6 hours after trigger food is ingested
- Food-induced Urticaria
- Food-induced Urticaria
- Food allergies account for 30% of acute cases but rarely cause Chronic Urticaria
- Atopic Dermatitis
- Atopic Dermatitis
- Improves when eggs, milk and peanuts are removed from diet
- Transient Food Allergies
- Most food allergies final only a few years
- Milk, eggs, wheat or soy allergies generally resolve
- Egg allergy: 70% resolve by age 5 years
- Milk allergy: 85% resolve by age 5 years
- Lifelong Food allergies
- Lifelong Food allergies
- Foods associated with systemic Anaphylaxis
- Nuts, fish, seed allergies persist
- Recommended strategies to prevent Food Allergy
- Exclusive Breast Feeding until months of age
- Solid food introduction by 6 months of age
- Potentially allergenic foods may be introduced at this time
- Strategies to avoid (not effective or unsupported)
- Strategies to avoid (not effective or unsupported)
- Maternal dietary restrictions during pregnancy and Lactation are not recommended
- Soy baby formula substitution for cow’s milk baby formula is not recommended
RELATED VIDEO: