By Hatoon Al Toukhi
Allergies: how to make it easier for your child.
We hear a lot these days about food allergies; you hear allergy stories from other mommies in your child’s daycare, on social media, or on Baby Center’s portal. Food allergies are common amongst children nowadays. The reason? Some say it is genetic, pollution, or the type of diet your child consumes.
Do you suspect that your child has a food allergy?
Well, from my personal experience with my child, there are signs. My daughter, 3 months old and formula fed, started having diarrhea and vomiting. Being a new mom, I couldn’t think of anything but a virus.
Then after several blood tests, we discovered she was lactose intolerant. So, we switched to lactose-free formula. By the age of one, she started having asthma-like coughs and since it runs in the family, the doctors assumed she has it. We started the asthma medications, but still it didn’t subside. I went to a pediatric respiratory specialist who then discovered that she was not asthmatic; she was cow milk intolerant.
There are common foods that are known to cause allergies such as peanuts.
But dear mothers, monitor the symptoms and follow your instinct. Sometimes children refuse to eat a single food like fish, or throw up after digesting. If this happens, contact your doctor or read about the symptoms.
When introducing new food in your child’s diet, like fish, strawberries or peanuts, start with small doses and monitor his body’s reaction to it. Most common reactions to food allergies are either on the skin, in the gastric system, or will show in their bowel system.
On the other hand, if you find these symptoms happening once or twice, it might just be the normal case of your child not wanting to eat or not liking the food. Keep an eye out for reactions and symptoms.
Finally, intolerance isn’t a disease, it is just the body’s reaction to certain items around your child and not all intolerances are from food. Other elements around you may cause intolerance, like certain types of flowers, pollen, dust, etc.
I would like to recommend some doctors in Jeddah who specialize in children intolerances:
- Hammam Kandil; Pediatric Neonatologist. The First Clinic
- Dr. Mohammed Barzanji; Pediatrics Allergist Consultant. Medical Reference Clinics
