IgE Food Allergies in Children: A guide for parents to understand food allergies

Should I completely eliminate the allergenic food(s) from my child's diet, or are there situations where small amounts can be tolerated? 

My advice is to completely remove the suspected allergen. This is important in diagnosing and finding a long term solution. But it doesn’t mean forever either. Month by month we’ll systemically remove and reintroduce each potential allergen, noting the changes your child experiences each time. If the symptoms return upon reintroduction, we know which allergen is causing the issue and can develop a nutrition plan based on the evidence. Without entirely eliminating the suspected allergen, we’ll never know for sure the full impact it’s having on your child.  

 

Is there a chance of outgrowing the allergy? 

Absolutely! My goal is to provide you with a long term solution by addressing the root cause. We’ll work together from diagnosing to outgrowing the allergy, whether it’s an IgE or non-IgE allergy. It’s a clinical technique known as allergy ladders. I’m fully trained in this process and have applied it with great success with many patients.   

 

How do allergy ladders work - for milk, eggs, wheat and soy?

An allergy is a reaction to specific proteins found in certain foods. By changing the structure of the protein, the body no longer identifies the protein as the allergen. Essentially we’re tricking the body into not reacting the way it would have previously reacted. By restructuring through baking and mixing, we can sneak the protein in, under the radar.  

 

The more we can include the allergen in the diet, without creating an adverse response, the more your child’s immune system is learning to ‘tolerate’ the allergen. Progressing up a ladder mean we are heating the allergen less and less. Meaning it is slowly becoming fresher and fresher. By allowing your child to build tolerance on the baked allergens will bring greater success when  trying the fresher form of the allergen like a glass of milk or soy milk or a soft scrambled egg. 

 

This is the principle in practice:

 

Let’s take a child who is allergic to milk. 

We wouldn’t just have them drink milk on its own. Instead they consume milk as an ingredient in a product. For example, an arrowroot biscuit which contains milk and other ingredients, baked together. Through mixing and baking we have changed the structure of the milk protein. We give this to your child and observe the body’s reaction. If there is no reaction, we know your child is able to tolerate milk, in its restructured format. 

 

I use the arrowroot biscuit just as an example to show how the allergy ladder concept works for one allergen, milk. In many instances we are dealing with multiple allergies. These are more complicated cases but rest assured, I have years of clinical experience to help your child get through multiple allergens at once. 

 

How can I ensure my child's nutritional needs are met despite the food restrictions? 

Cue Cubs!  This is my job. I identify your food triggers then work out the appropriate alternatives that suit your child’s needs. For example, a milk allergy. I find the most calcium dense and protein dense milk alternatives (cheese/ yoghurt/ milk) able to replace the nutrients lost from cow’s milk. If you cannot tolerate wheat I know multiple alternatives you can try. If eggs are a problem, we’ll discuss yummy recipes without them. 

 

Doing this alone can seem daunting. And missing out on key nutrients is a common concern when on an exclusion diet. I’m here to help make it easier by giving you the support you and your child need. 

 

How should I handle food allergies at school? 

There are many things you can do! Together we will create a lunchbox menu you can easily give your child everyday at school and keep them nourished. 

Luckily, most daycares and schools are aware of food allergies. You just need to tell them what your child is allergic to. 

And if your child has an IgE allergy, take your allergy action plan and an epipen to school, in case of reactions. 

 

How should I handle food allergies at parties? 

Tell the person holding the party your child has allergies. The sooner the better so they can also be prepared. Your heart might be warmed by how far another person will accommodate and support your child’s requirements. Alternatively, my advice is to have a treat bag ready to go! And make it special, filled with treats your child doesn’t usually receive. They will feel the love and be excited for their own special treat bag! 

 

How can I read food labels and identify potential allergens?

By Australian law, food labels with any allergens are required to be present in bold. This makes tracking your allergens easier. Go to ASCIA to find resources on your specific allergy and label reading advice. 

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And the Woolworths website allows you to search for products by removing the allergens. They make it very easy. Enter a product in the search box and then there is a dropdown filter called allergens, to remove the products you don’t want. This makes grocery shopping with allergies a million times easier. 

 

To reduce the anxiety of hunting for allergy free foods, I recommend using the online resources, such as Woolworths, to create your list before you go to the store. Or order online and have it all delivered. 

 

But we’ll also do a run through during our consult and I’ll show you exactly how to search for the right products. 

 

Please contact me and we can talk about your child’s particular challenge and get to the root of the issue.