Food intolerance and food allergy

Food allergy is when the immune system responds to a food by releasing antibodies, causing allergic symptoms such as a rash, bloating, wheezing, runny nose and sometimes sudden and dramatic swelling of parts of the body in contact with the food. If your child suffers from food allergy, he's likely to show an obvious reaction soon after eating the offending food. The only treatment for food allergy is to avoid the particular food for life. Talk to your doctor if there is a history of serious allergy in your family, especially to peanuts.

Food intolerance is when your child suffers from an ongoing problem, for example stomach ache, glue ear, diarrhoea or hyperactivity, which has been triggered by certain foods. One of the main differences between intolerance and allergy is that if the trigger food is avoided for a period of time, you may find your child is then able to tolerate it in moderate amounts without any problems.

If you are concerned about the possibility of allergies you may like to think about:

• Breastfeeding your baby for as long as possible as this seems to help protect against some allergies
• Avoiding introducing solids until your baby is at least four months old
• Taking extra care to avoid common allergens in your baby’s diet
• Introducing foods one at a time, with several days between them, so you can more easily identify the food that is causing a reaction

True food allergy is not common, but it does exist. You should get a proper diagnosis if you suspect your child reacts to the same food each time. Your health visitor will be able to advise you and your doctor can refer you to a dietician. The most common foods to which people are allergic are:

• Wheat, rye, oats and barley
• Eggs
• Sesame seeds
• Nuts including peanuts
• Citrus fruits like oranges and grapefruit
• Cow’s milk and cow’s milk products
• Fish and shell fish

Serious reactions are thankfully very rare, but they do need emergency medical treatment. So if there is a history of food allergy in your family, ask your health visitor for advice on spotting potential reactions.

You can read more about food allergy and intolerance in The Complete Guide to Food Allergy and Intolerance by Professor Jonathan Brostoff and Linda Gamlin, Bloomsbury, £6.99.