Allergy to pumpkin in a baby photo - Allergy

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Published: 08/23/2020

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• 1 The real causes of allergic abyss
• 2 Are children allergic to pumpkin? 2.1 Risk factors
• 2.2 Exclusion therapy
• 2.3 Folk remedies

The real causes of allergic abyss

The main reason is individual intolerance to a particular element or vitamin contained in the vegetable.

In addition, a reaction may occur:

• when the body's immunity fails;
• in case of hereditary predisposition;
• on the chemicals with which the vegetable was treated during the growing process.

Pumpkin is rich in carotene, which gives it a bright color and can cause a negative reaction. The f225 protein contained in the product is an individual allergen, which, when it enters the human body, is recognized by the immune defense as a foreign body, and as a result of a protective response provokes an allergic rash.

Allergy to pumpkin practically does not occur in adults, since their immune system is well developed and provides excellent protection.

What is the likelihood of allergies

Today, the population has many unresolved disputes regarding the pressing issue of the allergic effect of pumpkin on the body of children. Some believe that the origin of an allergy to such a vegetable is simply unthinkable, because it is completely hypoallergenic and is recommended for patients with severe food intolerance. At the same time, it is necessary to highlight that the body of any person has individual characteristics, which does not make it possible to predict his reaction to the food product consumed ahead of time.

It happened that adults were allergic to this product. The likelihood of such a phenomenon is insignificant, so the awakening of a reaction after eating a vegetable is puzzling.

Women who are breastfeeding need to select food products with special care. After all, a baby’s body’s reaction to an allergenic vegetable is not excluded. When an allergen enters a child’s body along with breast milk, it contributes to the appearance of a negative reaction. Taking antihistamines in such a situation will not help, and may cause even greater harm. The positive aspect is that such cases are rare.

Are children allergic to pumpkin?

Pumpkin is a healthy, rich source of components, minerals, vitamins, especially group K and T. It is rich in important proteins, essential amino acids, fats and fiber. That is why pumpkin and products made from it are considered especially beneficial for a newborn.

Infants may experience a food reaction to this vegetable. Moreover, it occurs in infants much more often than in adults.

Despite the fact that pumpkin is a hypoallergenic product, each child is unique, and therefore can react to the same type of product in completely different ways.

Can a baby be allergic to pumpkin? Yes, it can be caused by its components, for example, intolerance to a vitamin or macronutrient. The fact is that pumpkin is a bright yellow, often orange, product, and doctors often do not recommend giving a child bright fruits or vegetables as complementary foods. The color of this product is directly related to the high content of vitamin A - carotene in it. Therefore, if the body does not absorb carotene well, it may experience an allergic reaction.

Another reason is a malfunction in the baby’s immune system, which is triggered by an infectious disease or a malfunction of the body system. Pumpkin also contains an allergen protein, which is considered a high-protein food product and therefore very nutritious.

Nursing mothers should be more attentive to their diet; any allergenic product can cause a reaction in the baby. Mothers need to carefully read the ingredients of the products they consume.

There is also a false-positive pumpkin allergy, which means the reaction is not to the pumpkin itself or pumpkin products, but to the chemicals, fertilizers and pesticides that were used to grow it.

Risk factors

For a child to develop an allergy, the body must be predisposed to it or weakened. That is why there are risk factors that increase the likelihood of an allergic reaction to a pumpkin product. These include:

• Recent acute respiratory infection;
• The presence of other allergic reactions;
• Pathologies of organs or body systems;
• Birth through cesarean section, infectious diseases in the mother during pregnancy;
• Genetics, heredity;
• Bad ecology;
• Mother's smoking, baby's passive smoking.

There are also other risk factors for infants in the first year of life:

1. Mother's consumption of allergenic foods, for example, citrus fruits, cow's or goat's milk;
2. Incorrect or early transfer of a baby to complementary feeding or artificial feeding;
3. Feeding your baby highly allergenic foods.

Pumpkin contains the two most common allergens:

1. Protein.
2. Vitamin A.

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The vegetable is considered nutritious, containing a large amount of proteins to which the body reacts violently.

Vitamin A or carotene is also present in large quantities in the product, due to which it has a bright sunny color. It is carotene that often causes allergies to pumpkin and pumpkin products, since during production the protein is broken down into amino acids and simpler components, and therefore is easier to digest and causes less of a reaction in the body.

Most often, doctors do not prescribe medication for infants. Drugs are needed only in severe cases of allergic exacerbation.

Features: Food allergies often occur due to a weak immune system or deficiency of digestive enzymes in the infant's body. With age, all processes in the body stabilize, so children often outgrow diseases, and they go away on their own.

Most often, ointments and herbal preparations are used to relieve symptoms, a special diet, and traditional medicine.

Diet therapy is an important component of treating a child’s illness. A nutritionist will help you create the right diet for your baby so as not to cause signs of allergies. Also, a special diet is prescribed for nursing mothers.

Thus, they will give more vitamins and minerals, and also become less allergenic.

From the child’s diet, first of all, you need to remove the vegetable, as well as all the products that contain it. If possible, the vegetable is replaced with an analogue for the allergic person, but excluding cross-reaction. Mothers are also recommended to keep a diary of their baby’s diet, in which they need to write down the type of product, its quantity and the newborn baby’s reaction to it. This way, it is easier for the mother to plan a menu in the future, avoiding a negative reaction.

Exclusion therapy

Exclusionary therapy means the complete exclusion of pumpkin products from the baby’s diet, as well as any contact with it. The product is also prohibited for use by mothers.

Products similar in composition to the allergen are also excluded so as not to cause a cross-allergic reaction.

Atopic dermatitis or Diathesis: overview, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, prevention.

When the signs of allergy are mild, it is better not to give the newborn’s immature body any medications. But what to do in case of severe exacerbations?

In this case, there is a list of medications that should be in the first aid kit for allergy sufferers:

• Preparations for neutralizing allergens by absorption - adsorbents. Enterosgel and activated carbon are used here;
• Drugs that relieve swelling, rhinitis, lacrimation, rash - internal agents are prescribed (Suprastin, Diazolin);
• Preparations for relieving itching and swelling for external use - Triderm, Sinaflan;
• A remedy for eliminating severe dermatitis or wounds for external use – Elidel.

Folk remedies

Traditional medicine methods effectively help with many diseases, including pumpkin food allergies. These remedies are sometimes offered by doctors along with medications. This is due to the fact that folk remedies produce much fewer side effects.

Here, to prevent and eliminate symptoms of the disease, decoctions and tinctures of medicinal herbs are used. The most commonly used tinctures are celandine, St. John's wort, and plantain. Chamomile decoctions and grated onion ointments are often used to soothe skin itching.

Skin care for a child with atopic dermatitis

List of allergenic foods

Allergic reactions begin to be observed from an early age . Products of plant and animal origin contain many foreign proteins. If a person is healthy and tolerates proteins well, then his body copes with digestion on its own and does not cause any reaction.

Many favorite foods from our diet cause allergies and people have to give them up. There are foods to which the body did not react in childhood, but over the years the body changes and can cause a reaction that you do not expect.

Products are divided into degrees of allergenicity: high, medium and low.

High degree

• Mushrooms;
• Cereals (barley, rye, wheat);
• Bird eggs;
• Honey;
• Seafood;
• Nuts;
• Vegetables (carrots, yellow and red bell peppers, tomatoes, celery);
• Freshwater fish;
• Whole milk;
• Citrus fruits, melon, persimmon.

Milk causes an allergic reaction in children and adults. But first, determine whether you have a milk allergy or dairy intolerance (lactose). These are two different things. For example, an allergy may be to goat's milk, but not to cow's milk, or vice versa. Goat's milk is not recommended for children under one year of age.

In adults (after 60 years), the enzymes that break down lactose are lost. They are not recommended to consume whole milk; they can cook porridge with diluted milk. The exception is fermented milk products.

People with gastrointestinal diseases also have restrictions on milk intake. They should not even eat dishes prepared from it. They have practically no enzymes that process lactose. They also have an exception for fermented milk products, since they contain lactobacilli, which help in the digestion process.

Fish (river and sea) is a very strong allergen and the condition can lead to anaphylactic shock.

Eggs , especially if consumed with chicken broth or meat, can cause severe attacks. Therefore, feeding the baby begins with a small amount of yolk. Only quail eggs are hypoallergenic.

Products with medium degree

• Meat: chicken, beef, veal, broths;
• Cereals (buckwheat, oats, rice);
• Root vegetables (beets, turnips, potatoes);
• Apricots, nectarines, peaches;
• Wild berries (lingonberries, blackberries, cranberries, blueberries);
• Cherry, black currant, rosehip.

After heat treatment, the protein is broken down well and becomes more accessible for consumption in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. The exception would be meat fried in a large amount of fat.

Berries with a coloring pigment cause allergies not only in children, but also in adults. And after heat treatment they may not cause a reaction at all.

root vegetables and legumes taking into account the characteristics of your body, they can cause flatulence.

Products with low degree:

• Fermented milk products with low fat content;
• Turkey and rabbit meat, lamb and low-fat pork;
• Cereals (corn, millet, pearl barley, oatmeal);
• Cabbage (white, cauliflower and broccoli);
• Zucchini and cucumbers;
• Parsley, caraway seeds, dill;
• Cherries and white currants;
• Yellow varieties of cherries and plums;
• White and green varieties of pears and apples.

These products cause allergies in adults in rare cases, and are recommended to be introduced into complementary foods first for children. When buying finished products in a store, be sure to read their composition; any additives can lead to allergies. Products are treated with chemicals to extend their shelf life. Pay attention to the container, it may also contain allergens. Be sure to check expiration dates and storage conditions to ensure everything is in accordance with the norm. Because mold fungi and decay products are powerful allergens that cause poisoning and lead to anaphylactic shock.

Preventative measures for the risk of withdrawal

It is important for parents to know whether their baby may be allergic to pumpkin. Most often, a negative reaction to eating pumpkin occurs in young children. It is not advisable to introduce it into the diet of a child under 4 months. If an infant develops the first symptoms after consumption, you need to exclude the product from the diet and re-introduce it after a couple of months, observing the reverse reaction.

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Women during lactation need to be careful when eating pumpkin products, since they enter the baby's body with milk. Children of all ages can have a reaction to pumpkin, especially if one of their parents has it.

When an infant grows up, he needs complementary feeding. The pediatrician gives the mother a list of hypoallergenic foods that do not cause changes in the body. Pumpkin is on this list, but every baby's body is different. It is unknown how he will react to the new product.

If a child has been fed pumpkin puree from a jar and has redness on his skin, the first thing you need to do is pay attention to the composition indicated by the manufacturer. Perhaps it's a different ingredient.

According to allergists, the best preventive measures are proper nutrition and walks in clean air.

Experts advise:

• walk in clean air more often and ventilate the room every day;
• drink enough water;
• keep the house clean at all times;
• arrange walks with your child regardless of the time of year;
• carry out vitamin therapy to increase the protective properties of the immune system and fight allergens;
• introduce pumpkin into complementary foods little by little, control the body’s reaction;
• Keep a food diary in which you record all the foods your baby eats and how they affect them.

Pumpkin is recommended for infants from 4 months of age, but if after administration there are even minimal manifestations of exposure to allergens, it is better to delay introducing the product until 8 months of age.

In case of allergic manifestations, you should seek help from a doctor who will conduct diagnostic procedures and prescribe the necessary treatment. You cannot self-medicate to prevent the disease from developing into a severe form.

Prevention

The main prevention is moderate consumption of any food. In addition, it is important to pay attention to their quality. Sunflower has long been famous for its beneficial properties. You can reduce the risk of an allergy to its seeds by processing them yourself.

Every person should eat seeds. They are very healthy and are hypoallergenic products. Therefore, individual intolerance to a certain variety rarely occurs.

Strengthening your immune system will help reduce the risk of developing allergies. Often its violations cause an aggressive reaction. Your diet should always include fermented milk foods. Particular attention should be paid to sports. They help strengthen the bones and the body as a whole.

Proper nutrition and spending time in the fresh air are considered ideal for preventing the development of allergies.

Experts recommend:

• breathe fresh air more often. To do this, you can ventilate the room several times a day, walk with your baby in the fresh air;
• relax with your child in nature at different times of the year;
• observe drinking regime;
• maintain order and cleanliness in the apartment or house (dry cleaning daily, wet cleaning three times a week);
• carry out vitamin therapy. Strengthening the body's immune system is an important point in the treatment of allergies in children;
• You need to include pumpkin in your baby’s complementary foods gradually, observing the body’s reaction;
• keep a food diary. It will help to detect and explore the relationship between the introduction of a food product and the body’s allergic reaction.

How does pathology manifest itself in young children?

The symptoms of a pumpkin allergy are similar to other food allergies, so they also affect the mucous membranes, skin and stomach and intestines. An allergy to pumpkin causes symptoms in an infant: rash, itching and moodiness. A little later, abdominal pain and gastrointestinal disorders appear. Further signs appear on the mucous membranes.

Skin manifestations of food allergies include:

• Rash of varying severity;
• Itching - begins with scratching, and can end with scratching into blood or sores;
• Swelling – affects both the skin, especially the eyes and neck, and mucous membranes.

At this time, the mucous membranes swell and swell; swelling of the throat is especially dangerous. The eyes also begin to water heavily, the nose becomes stuffy, and frequent sneezing appears.

The first symptoms in the gastrointestinal tract are regurgitation. Afterwards the following symptoms may appear:

1. Vomiting – frequent, severe, with undigested lumps of food;
2. Abdominal pain, colic, in which the baby cries and presses his legs to his stomach;
3. Frequent gases, constipation, followed by diarrhea.

In case of acute symptoms of the gastrointestinal tract, the child is given activated charcoal or Enterosgel.

Mild to moderate symptoms

The degree of manifestation of symptoms depends on the individual characteristics of the organism, the amount of allergen and the time of its exposure. Mild symptoms do not threaten human life and go away on their own after eliminating the irritant.

These include:

• redness and slight swelling of the skin and mucous membranes without compromising the integrity of the epidermis;
• lacrimation, sneezing, runny nose;
• itching, redness in the mouth.

Symptoms of moderate severity worsen the patient’s quality of life and lead to complications.

The most dangerous signs are:

• Quincke's edema, in which swelling covers large areas - the face, throat, internal organs;
• bronchial asthma;
• extensive dermatitis;
• swelling of the eyelids with subsequent damage to other eye tissues.

The symptoms are clear and are included in our list

Signs of an allergy to homemade or store-bought pumpkin:

• a small rash with a feeling of severe itching, which, if untreated, over time develops into atopic dermatitis, eczema;
• swelling of the mucous membranes of the mouth and throat (very dangerous due to rapid swelling);
• disturbances in the functioning of the digestive system;
• lacrimation and conjunctivitis;
• runny nose and cough.

Signs may appear immediately as soon as the child eats the product, or after a couple of hours or even days.

Even with minimal manifestations in the child’s body, parents should definitely consult a doctor.

Very rare consequences in children include angioedema and anaphylactic shock. They require immediate medical attention, otherwise death may occur.

An allergic reaction to pumpkin is not very different from reactions to other foods.

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How to deal with allergies

The main method of dealing with food allergies is to eliminate the food that causes it from the diet. Next, symptomatic treatment is carried out.

To eliminate skin manifestations of allergies, ointments, creams and gels are used. Each remedy has a different degree of effectiveness. Hormonal drugs have the most pronounced effect, but they have a large list of contraindications and side effects.

Common ointments for treating allergies:

1. "Fenistil" - relieves itching and redness, contains antihistamines, is indicated for use in children from the second month of life.
2. Zinc ointment has a drying effect, disinfects and promotes healing of affected areas, does not contain hormones, and is safe for children.
3. “Bepanten” – promotes healing, eliminates excessive dryness in allergic dermatitis, has no contraindications, and in rare cases can cause allergies.
4. "Advantan" is a hormonal drug of the latest generation, it can be used in children from the age of four months, it requires compliance with the dosage and period of use, and it effectively suppresses allergic reactions on the skin.
5. "Gistan" is a hormonal drug. Not recommended for long-term use and requires gradual withdrawal. It has a number of contraindications; in children it is used from two years of age under the supervision of a doctor.

To treat skin manifestations of allergies, lotions, compresses, ointments with medicinal herbs and other natural ingredients are used.

The following plants have an antihistamine effect:

• pharmaceutical chamomile - in addition to the antiallergic effect, its decoction has anti-inflammatory and antiseptic effects;
• the pharmaceutical series relieves allergies, suppresses the inflammatory process, and disinfects;
• yarrow accelerates tissue regeneration processes and reduces allergies.

For increased dryness and flaking of the skin, use vegetable oils: olive, sunflower. To achieve a pronounced effect, lotions and compresses are used. It is not recommended to lubricate damaged areas of skin with oil.

Avoiding pumpkin is the main way to treat food allergies. Not only the main product is excluded, but also related vegetables.

If you have a strong reaction to pumpkin, it is important to avoid processed foods that contain pumpkin. This could be baby cereals, purees, cereal bars. Such information is indicated on the packaging when describing the composition.

If the reaction is caused by the bright skin of the pumpkin, you should be wary of other red and orange vegetables: apples, tomatoes, peppers, carrots and others.

To more quickly cleanse the body of the allergen, the doctor may prescribe sorbents. The most popular include:

• Activated carbon;
• "Enterosgel";
• "Polysorb";
• "Atoxil".

Sorbents are taken as soon as possible after consuming the allergen, while it is in the digestive system. The medicine binds fatty acids and reduces their absorption in the intestine.

Pumpkin allergy treatment

To accurately determine the cause and prescribe the correct treatment for an allergy in an infant, you need to consult a doctor. A doctor who deals with allergic reactions is called an allergist - he treats both children and adults. Often parents immediately go to a neonatologist or pediatrician, but they, in turn, still give a referral to an allergist.

The doctor first collects anamnesis, looks at the child’s medical record, and finds out about the parents’ hereditary diseases. Afterwards, he conducts an initial examination, and if an allergy is suspected, he prescribes tests to identify the allergen.

There are several diagnostic methods:

1. Elimination is a time-consuming method that does not produce accurate results. The bottom line is that the suspicious product is excluded from the baby’s diet and his health is monitored. If there is no further allergic reaction, then the test is considered positive for this allergen.
2. Skin testing is also not an accurate method. Here the baby's skin is dripped or rubbed with an allergen, that is, pumpkin, and then small punctures are made nearby. If a rash or blisters appear, the reaction is considered positive.
3. A blood test is the most accurate diagnostic method. The essence of the method is that blood is taken from infants, which is then checked for the production of immunoglobulin antibodies to a given allergenic product.

After determining the exact type of allergen, proper treatment can begin, and the doctor will also help eliminate cross-allergies.

To understand whether pumpkin is an allergen for a particular baby, you need to seek medical help. Self-medication of the disease can lead to its development in a severe form.

Diagnosis of manifestations is made using the same methods as for other allergens. In the laboratory, a specialist prescribes skin tests for adults and children over 7 years of age or does a blood test for the presence of immunoglobulin E. If the immunoglobulin level is exceeded, it means that an allergic reaction is occurring in the body. Once it has been determined whether pumpkin is an allergen for your children, you can proceed further.

Diagnostics

To make an accurate diagnosis, a set of diagnostic methods is used:

• allergy test;
• food diary;
• elimination tests or exclusion of a product from the diet.

The body's immune response to pumpkin is associated with an increase in the blood protein IgE - immunoglobulin E. Symptoms can appear immediately after consuming the product or within two hours after that.

Laboratory testing can detect elevated IgE levels. Venous blood is used for analysis. A special pumpkin protein is introduced into the biological material. An increase in IgE levels is considered a positive result and almost certainly indicates intolerance to the product.

Treatment tactics - proven practice

Therapy requires the first symptoms, then the treatment will be successful and without consequences.

To treat allergies, your doctor may prescribe the following medications:

• antihistamines (Suprastin, Diazolin; Xyzal), which will relieve inflammation, relieve itching, swelling, and improve digestion;
• creams or ointments for rashes on the epidermis (Bepanten, Fenistil);
• nasal sprays for rhinitis;
• traditional medicine (onion gruel to relieve itchy skin; bay leaf decoction for drinking, celandine infusion for oral use).

In addition to medication therapy, the doctor recommends a diet without pumpkin and other foods high in allergens.

For successful treatment you need to know the following:

• allergies occur more often in children;
• allergy symptoms are the same as for other products;
• Any allergic manifestation requires consultation with a doctor.

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Complex therapy should be prescribed exclusively by a doctor; self-medication can be harmful.

ethnoscience

To prepare the medicine, you need to peel and chop a medium-sized onion on a grater.

Pour the gruel with two tablespoons of warm boiled water. The components are mixed, the medicine is applied to painful areas for twenty minutes, after which the paste is removed and the skin is wiped with a napkin.

The procedure is performed once a day.

Bay leaf

Excellent against allergies. For treatment you need 20 g of raw materials and 500 ml of boiled water.

The solution is boiled for ten minutes, then it is filtered and cooled. You should use 3-5 drops per day.

You can drop the medicine onto painful areas, or you can dilute three drops of the product with water and drink. This will lead to recovery.

Celandine

It is recommended to take an infusion of celandine.

For therapy, mix two tablespoons of raw materials and 500 ml of boiled water. The solution is infused and cooled.

Take two tablespoons twice a day.

Children can be treated with the same folk remedies that adults are treated with.

In this case, the dosage will not differ much: children need to take the medicine not twice a day, but once.

Otherwise there are no special features.