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How to Detect Allergies in Babies
March 6, 2007
How to detect allergies in babies and toddlers
Tracking down a food or environmental allergy in babies and
children can be a frustrating task. The easiest way is
this: write everything down and pay close attention to your
child. True food allergies are rare, but many children are
born with food intolerances, especially to cow's milk
products. This includes formula, as well as breast milk
from moms who consume dairy. If you are breastfeeding, you
will need to write down the food in your diet as well. An
intolerance may have the same symptoms as an allergy, but
children will eventually grow out of the intolerance.
By eliminating foods that are common allergens, like cow's
milk, soy, nuts, shellfish and eggs, you can slowly
introduce one food back in and wait to see if there is a
reaction. This is called the elimination diet. Babies can
also be sensitive to tomato products, citrus and other
stongly acidic foods. A baby may continue to have a symptom
like diarrhea for a few days after you have eliminated
allergens, simply because the intestinal tract was
irritated, and will need a few days to heal.
When creating your food diary, be sure to read labels on
suspected foods. You may find common ingredients that will
lead to the source of an allergy. For instance, casein and
caramel food colors usually are made from dairy. Some
children are sensitive to food dyes that are named with a
color followed by a number.
Common allergic reactions include:
Irregular stools – this can be hard to define in a newborn,
because stools vary greatly. If you notice green, mucus or
blood in the stool, suspect a problem.
Gas and cramping – most babies get gas, but some really
seem to be in pain just before releasing gas.
Fussiness or colic – some babies are labeled as having
colic, when they actually are experiencing gastrointestinal
distress. Some babies get extremely distressed when you try
to lay them down on their back. (This is also true if they
have reflux.)
Rash, hives or eczema – many babies have sensitive skin,
but if you notice dry, red patches of skin or hives in
addition to some of the other reactions, it could be caused
by something they are eating.
Runny nose – this can also happen during teething, so watch
for it if you notice other symptoms.
Hyperactivity, sleeplessness – less common in babies, but
more common in older children. It can be caused by many
different foods, including those that contain artificial
dyes.
Vomiting – not to be confused with spitting up, which all
babies do to some degree. Vomiting in babies is more
projectile, and may really upset or scare the baby.
Wheezing, asthma – can be caused by both food and
environmental allergies, such as cleansers, pets, pollen or
mold. Be sure to discuss with a doctor immediately if you
suspect asthma.
Severe inability to gain weight – this one is serious, and
should immediately be discussed with a doctor. Failure to
thrive is not an allergy, but an entirely separate problem.
However, a very small part of the population has an allergy
to wheat products, which can cause serious health problems.
All children are unique, so discuss any symptoms and the
results of your findings with a doctor. These are just some
of the reactions I encountered while tracking allergies in
my oldest child. To keep an organized journal, I developed
the Baby Love Carebook, which is available on
www.babylovecarebook.com.
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