Food allergies in infants: how long does it last and how does it manifest?

Allergies are a fairly common disease. It occurs in both children and adults. From a medical point of view, an allergy is a reaction of the body’s immune system to foreign proteins entering the bloodstream. In response to the invasion, the body begins to produce specific antibodies - histamines.

Under their influence, human receptors begin to “repel the stranger,” that is, well-known allergy symptoms arise. How long it takes for an allergic reaction to appear and symptoms to appear depends on the method of entry of the allergen into the body and the individual characteristics of the patient. Read the article about how long it takes for different types of allergies to appear.

Allergies and intestines

The human digestive system is a complex functional complex, the tasks of which include not only the digestion of ingested food and the subsequent removal of ballast components.

From the first days of life (and before that, in utero), the intestine influences the formation of the immune response.

The formation of protective mechanisms and their activity in the future depends on how stable and balanced the composition of the microflora that begins to inhabit the sterile surface of the mucous membrane of the digestive tract of a newborn is.

Thus, the prerequisites for the occurrence of disorders in the immune system appear in early childhood. The immature body of a small child is forced to adapt to new, sometimes hostile conditions. Initially, protection received from the mother helps cope with threats (antibodies, or special protein complexes, are transmitted through the placenta and breast milk). However, it only lasts for a few months - after this period, the child needs to have his own, albeit imperfect, immunity.

The gastrointestinal tract is a physiological barrier to antigens, that is, substances foreign to the body. It traps hundreds and thousands of pathogens every day - such as:

Comments

I can’t say exactly how long it takes, it’s different for everyone. For example, for my child it lasted a week, and for a friend it lasted about two or three weeks. In case of allergies, the doctor immediately prescribed us what to feed the baby, and cleansing the body with Polysorb, and that’s all.

almost a month - for accumulative allergies, if it breaks out on something specific for 3-5 days

Are new elements of the rash no longer appearing? In general, if the allergen is removed, the rash stops growing in the first days and within a week or two the main rash goes away, and the residual rash goes away for about a month. And it is unlikely to be allergic to breast milk!

5 days is very short; it takes a very long time for the allergen to leave the body. Take a course of enterosgel, both you and your child, it will help remove the allergen.

how do you take entorosgel, how many times a day?

Three times a day, a teaspoon for the child. In infancy, they did it with a coffee spoon, and for no more than four days.

What does Polysorb look like? Actually, it's from the same area. But I don’t know, my daughter always ate Enterosgesl without any problems, she was even amused by its gel-like consistency.

I forgot to add it. It’s better to do it an hour after and an hour before a meal, but with a small one I was able to wait at least half an hour before and after a meal. And for an adult, a tablespoon three times a day.

Hello, depending on how and how to treat food allergies, there are some unique people who do nothing at all))) we took polysorb for allergies for 10 days, but the allergen stays in the human body for almost a month! (((

Why do intestinal allergies occur?

However, dysbiosis is not a final diagnosis, since a violation of the composition of microorganisms is not an independent disease. Many scientific works emphasize the secondary nature of this pathology - it is formed as a result of such reasons as:

Diseases of the digestive system (enteritis, colitis, cystic fibrosis, celiac disease, lactase deficiency).
Poor nutrition, use of antibacterial drugs (especially important for children in the first months of life).
Late breastfeeding or lack of natural feeding.
Long-term stay of a newborn in a medical institution (where the intestines could be colonized by unfavorable microorganisms).
Infections in mother and child, complicated pregnancy and childbirth.

Allergies can be both a consequence and the primary cause of the development of dysbiosis.

It is formed not only due to changes in the composition of the microflora - this is only one of the factors. What matters is hereditary predisposition, massive intake of antigens against the background of weakened immunity (infections, incorrectly formulated diet, use of medications). When triggers come together, the result is sensitivity. In this case, disruption of the physiological intestinal barrier can play a decisive role.

Features of allergies

When faced with allergies for the first time, many people do not understand what this disease is, what manifestations it is characterized by, and how long its symptoms last.

Allergy is a consequence of a hypersensitive reaction of the immune system to an allergen entering the body from outside.

In general, the main task of the immune system is to protect the body from viruses and bacteria by producing antibodies to fight them.

In an allergic reaction, the immune system begins to fight substances that are generally harmless to most people, such as dust mites, pollen or medications. As a result, allergy symptoms appear, such as urticaria, itching and swelling of the eyelids, rhinitis (runny nose), difficulty breathing, nausea, Quincke's edema, etc.

An allergic reaction does not occur after initial contact with the allergen, since in this case the body only recognizes the substance. For example, the first time after a bee sting, a person may experience only pain, redness and slight swelling of the skin. But if the bee stings again, you may experience hives or breathing problems. This is due to the reaction of the immune system.

A significant number of people (and even very young infants) experience allergic reactions to some irritant at least once in their lives. Symptoms that occur with allergic reactions range from mild to severe and life-threatening.

Most allergic reactions are mild, and home treatment can relieve many symptoms. An allergic reaction is more serious when there is angioedema, which makes breathing difficult, or anaphylaxis, which can be fatal if not treated promptly.

Symptoms

Allergies caused by disorders of the digestive system can manifest themselves in different ways, and are not at all limited to signs of damage to the stomach and intestines. The following groups of antigens can cause a reaction:

food (fish, cow's milk, citrus fruits, peanuts);
inhalation (animal hair, household dust, pollen);
medications (antibiotics, vitamins, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs);
infectious (bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites);
contact (metals, chemicals, cosmetics, latex).

There are several main forms of flow that develop with sensitivity to these triggers. Let's take a closer look at them.

This is a disease whose development is based on a hereditary predisposition - that is, the presence of genes that cause excessive production of IgE class antibodies. In children of the first years of life, the most significant role is played by proteins obtained from food: milk, eggs, cereals. It is at this time that intestinal dysbiosis can lead to significant changes in the immune response and the development of a disease characterized by symptoms such as:

Skin rash. It is represented by nodules, vesicles, spots, plaques; elements often become wet and crusty. Areas of localization are the face (without affecting the nasolabial triangle), limbs, buttocks, and various parts of the body.
Itching. Quite strong, it leads to scratching, traces of which can be seen on the patients’ skin even during a quick examination.
Dryness. Patients complain of tightness, peeling, and sometimes the appearance of cracks.

Also characterized by thickening of the skin and an increase in its pattern (lichenification), the presence of areas of redness and erosion. Possibly damage to the nail plates.

This is a pathology that manifests itself acutely - in the form of a single episode or recurrent symptoms (symptoms subside, and then resume after a short period of time). It is characterized by such skin changes as:

This is a complex lesion of the mucous membrane of the nose and eyes. Symptoms occur acutely and increase rapidly. Intestinal allergies are manifested by such symptoms as:

Redness.
Itching.
Tearing.
Copious discharge of mucous secretion from the nose.
Paroxysmal sneezing.
Swelling (especially noticeable on the eyelids, which sometimes almost close together).

The presence of unfavorable changes on both sides is typical. A pronounced runny nose does not always occur - in some cases, mucus flows down the back wall of the throat, while the nose does not breathe due to swelling. Scratching the eyes, caused by itching, can cause a secondary infection (characterized by pain and the appearance of pus).

In simple terms, this is a disorder of intestinal function caused by an inflammatory process caused by contact with provoking substances. May be manifested by the following changes:

decreased or lack of appetite;
nausea, vomiting;
abdominal pain;
flatulence;
diarrhea.

Intestinal allergies occur acutely or chronically and can lead to exhaustion and the development of anemia (decreased levels of red blood cells and hemoglobin in the blood).

The effectiveness of autolymphocytotherapy in the treatment of intestinal allergies

When assessing long-term results of treatment of gastrointestinal allergies, the effectiveness of ALT is confirmed by the duration of remission:

75%
Remission for more than 5 years -
in 75% of cases
14%
Remission for a period of 1 to 5 years - in 14% of patients
11%
Remission of less than a year was observed in 11% of patients

Benefits of treating gut microflora allergies with ALT

We treat the cause of the disease, not its symptoms
Minimum contraindications
No hospitalization or time away from work required
The course of treatment is only 3-4 weeks
1 procedure takes only 1-2 hours
Treatment is possible in the absence of persistent remissions
Autolymphocytotherapy can be combined with any symptomatic treatment
THE METHOD IS AUTHORIZED BY THE FEDERAL SERVICE FOR SUPERVISION IN THE FIELD OF HEALTHCARE

Treatment

An imbalance of intestinal microflora is a secondary disorder; The goal of therapy is to influence the root cause of the pathological process. This may be inflammation (not always of an infectious nature), enzyme deficiency, functional changes - for example, ineffective motility of the digestive tract. The main provoking factor must be eliminated; To do this, use the methods described in the table:

Methods
Basic		Additional
Elimination	Use of antiallergic drugs	Diet	Using Probiotics	Treatment of primary pathology of the digestive tract
Target	Protect the sensitive body from contact with the trigger.	Stop the development of the reaction and remove symptoms	Improve the condition of the stomach and intestines, eliminate irritation of the mucous membrane.	Correction of microflora composition and quality of immune response	Reducing the activity of the inflammatory process, normalizing intestinal function
Execution algorithm	Elimination of provoking substances from the contact zone: wet dust removal, refusal to consume causative food products, keeping animals, leaving for a safe region during plant dusting.	Prescribing tablets, ointments, drops with antihistamines (Zyrtec, Fenistil), cromones (Intal, Ketotifen) and topical glucocorticosteroids (Elocom, Mometasone) for a limited period of time (several days, weeks). In the acute stage, sorbents (Smecta, White Coal) may be needed.	It is recommended to steam, boil, stew or bake food. It is worth choosing foods rich in fiber (vegetables, fruits, cereals), as well as foods with a low level of allergenicity (excluding citrus fruits, tomatoes, seafood, peanuts). You should not eat spicy seasonings, drink carbonated drinks, alcohol, fatty or fried foods.	Taking medications containing beneficial bacteria and substances that stimulate their growth (Lacidophil, Bifiform, Lactulose, Hilak forte).	A balanced diet and medication are required: prokinetics (Motilium), enzymes (Mezim), and sometimes antibiotics (Imipenem).

Thus, there is no single cure - a comprehensive approach is needed.

You should not use overly aggressive methods - for example, colon cleansing through fasting is contraindicated.

It leads to defects in the mucous membrane of the digestive tract, exhaustion, anemia, reduces resistance to infections and, in general, does not give the effect that can be achieved by correcting the diet (with normal calorie content) and adequate drug therapy.

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The faster the patient is freed from the oppressive influence of hospital life, the faster he will recover. Charlie Mayo

Allergic damage to the gastrointestinal tract in a child

Thus, with serum sickness, bronchial asthma, hay fever, urticaria, Quincke's edema, and drug allergies, intestinal dysfunctions of an allergic nature are observed. On the other hand, inflammatory and atrophic changes in the intestinal mucosa increase the likelihood of absorption of food and drug antigens and favor secondary sensitization of the body. In this case, a decrease in the production of secretory IgA, which normally prevents the penetration of exoantigens through the intestinal wall, may play a role. Allergic damage to the intestines most often occurs due to food and drug allergies, as well as due to sensitization to automicroflora.

Allergic entero- and colopathies can develop secondarily due to dysbacteriosis, chronic enteritis, colitis, cholecystitis due to sensitization to automicroflora, tissue antigens, and especially often to food antigens and various food additives (preservatives, dyes, antibacterial substances, etc.).

Consequently, intestinal dysfunctions in some cases are a consequence and manifestation of general allergosis, in others the allergic component can be a significant pathogenetic factor in a chronic pathological process in an organ of various etiologies.

Manifestation of allergic lesions of the gastrointestinal tract in a child.

In a child in the first months of life, consumption of a food allergen can cause repeated profuse vomiting and, at the same time, frequent loose stools. This is very similar to the symptoms of acute poisoning or intestinal infection.

In some cases, the clinical picture resembles acute appendicitis, intestinal obstruction, and thrombosis of mesenteric vessels. Colicky abdominal pain and tenderness on palpation, increased body temperature, vomiting, stool retention or, conversely, diarrhea, as well as tachycardia, drop in blood pressure, leukocytosis in the blood allow one to suspect an abdominal catastrophe. However, the rapid effect of taking antiallergic drugs, the presence of general allergic symptoms (urticaria, Quincke's edema, bronchospasm, migraine, etc.) and a favorable outcome in most cases help to make the correct diagnosis. A nutritional allergic reaction can be repeated in the same patient when taking an intolerant product.

Many mothers develop the healthy habit of examining their baby's stool. Their main concern may be the presence of mucus, sometimes in significant quantities, or streaks of blood. Such deviations are characteristic of allergic inflammation of the colon. Subsequently, serious chronic intestinal diseases develop on this basis.

It's all about how deeply the wall of the intestines or stomach is affected. If the duration of the disease is still short and allergic inflammation has affected only the superficial layers of the mucous membrane, this leads to disruption of the processes of digestion and assimilation of food. When deeper layers are involved, the wall may thicken and the intestinal lumen may narrow. Here you cannot avoid severe chronic constipation and excruciating abdominal pain. If such a narrowing forms in the upper parts of the gastrointestinal tract, then conditions are created for the reflux of acidic gastric juice into the esophagus, especially when the child is in a horizontal position for a long time, for example, during night sleep. Such throws can cause a reflex spasm of the bronchi and an attack of suffocation. Almost all modern parents are familiar with the special medical term dysbiosis. This is nothing more than a violation of the intestinal ecology.

Usually it occurs after intestinal infections or long-term use of antibiotics, but allergic inflammation also naturally destroys the full state of the natural microbial flora. Many microbes, harmless in a healthy body, get the opportunity to rapidly multiply and spread from their usual habitats into sterile organs, causing painful processes.

This is why all children with allergic diseases who have gastrointestinal symptoms should undergo an in-depth examination by both an allergist and a gastroenterologist.

How should a child be examined?

A special allergological study using skin tests with the corresponding antigen, detection of specific antibodies in the blood serum and sensitization of lymphocytes to a particular allergen make it possible to establish the true nature of the disease.

An increased amount of mucus, leukocytes, and eosinophilic granulocytes is sometimes found in the stool. During endoscopy, the intestinal mucosa may be hyperemic and edematous. Histomorphological examination reveals cellular, predominantly lymphocytic, eosinophilic or plasma cell infiltration, an increase in mucus-forming goblet cells, sometimes dilation of capillaries, edema, and hemorrhages. In mild cases, intestinal biopsy does not reveal any pathology.

During the period of exacerbation, the nature of the electrocolographic curve may change: the rhythm of contractions becomes more frequent, tonic waves and areas of increased motor function alternate with the phenomena of spasm and atony.

It is necessary to differentiate allergic electrocolopathy from infectious, parasitic, tumor diseases of the intestines, from acute appendicitis, thrombosis of mesenteric vessels.

Treatment.

Diet, medications, physical factors, medicinal plants, and mineral waters are recommended. Depending on the prevalence of clinical symptoms (abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation), diet and pharmacotherapy are differentiated.

For constipation, an appropriate diet containing sufficient amounts of plant fiber and other foods that enhance peristalsis is of paramount importance. Usually, diet No. 3 according to Pevzner is prescribed.

You can include a variety of carbonated and cold drinks in your diet; rye bread or containing bran, crispy bread with bran; one-day lactic acid products (kefir, acidophilus milk, yogurt), sour cream, cottage cheese, cream; butter, vegetable oil; meat and fish in any form; large quantities of vegetable and fruit soups, preferably cold, meat or fish.

Cereals and flour products: buckwheat, barley, pearl barley, crumbly porridge, lentils. Hard boiled eggs. Vegetables and fruits are raw in large quantities, especially carrots, prunes, sauerkraut, and apricots.

Sweet dishes: plenty of honey, compotes, jam. Various snacks and sauces.

Jelly, strong tea, cocoa, chocolate, slimy soups, pureed porridge, butter dough are excluded, hot dishes and drinks are limited.

During diarrhea, food substances should minimally irritate the intestinal mucosa. All foods that stimulate bowel movements are excluded from the diet, and substances that reduce peristalsis are introduced. Diet No. 4 satisfies these requirements.

When prescribed, patients must remain in bed and take food 5-6 times a day in small portions. Chemical composition of the diet: protein 75 g, fat 50 g, carbohydrates 250-300 g, 8374-9211 J (calories - 2000-2200). Table salt is limited.

The diet can include strong hot tea, coffee, cocoa with water, blueberry decoction, white crackers, dry, unsweetened cookies; dairy products: kefir and three-day yogurt, fresh pureed cottage cheese; butter in a small amount; eggs and egg dishes in limited quantities; weak chicken broth, slimy water soups with a little oil, rice or oatmeal broth.

Meat can be consumed in limited quantities in the form of steamed cutlets, quenelles and meatballs, to which instead of bread it is recommended to add rice with mashed garlic, chicken and lean fish in boiled minced form.

Cereals and flour dishes: pureed porridge with water, steam pudding made from pureed cereals.

Sweets: jelly or jelly, dried fruits, sugar and sugary substances in limited quantities.

Spices, hot and salty seasonings and dishes, vegetables, fruits, black bread, milk and fresh sour dairy products, fatty meats and fish, cold drinks and dishes, pastries and pies are excluded from the diet.

Along with the indicated general principles of diet therapy, when compiling the diet of patients, it is necessary to exclude allergenic foods. To do this, based on allergy history, skin tests and serological reactions, products that may be allergens in a given patient are identified. Multivalent allergies are often observed, so it is necessary, if possible, to completely stop contact with relevant medications, plants, dust, epidermal or other antigens.

Of great importance is the exclusion of parasitic infestation as an allergenic factor, for which it is necessary to examine the duodenal contents and feces for protozoa and worm eggs.

Nonspecific sensitization is carried out using antihistamines (diphenhydramine 0.03-0.05 g, tavegil 0.01 g 2 times a day, fenkarol or bicarfen 0.025 g 3-4 times a day, peritol 0.04 g or Diazolin 0.05-0.1-0.2 g 1-2 times a day). In more severe cases, glucocorticosteroid drugs can be prescribed orally, intramuscularly, intravenously or rectally.

When allergic enteropathy and allergic colitis are combined, specific microbial hyposensitization with increasing doses of allergens E. coli, Proteus, streptococcus, staphylococcus is advisable, depending on the nature of the identified sensitization.

Of great importance are sedative and psychotherapy, enzymatic drugs (festal, panzinorm, mexaza, pancreatin, panenzyme, cholenzyme, etc.), and, as a rule, limitation of antibiotics and other antibacterial agents.

Treatment of allergic rhinitis

First of all, therapy involves carrying out a set of elimination measures to eliminate contact with allergens. Elimination measures include measures to reduce the concentration of aeroallergens in residential premises through regular cleaning, elimination of pets, birds, cockroaches, mold, food and medicines, reducing contact with pollen allergens during the flowering period, and eliminating passive smoking.

To eliminate allergens, rinse the nasal cavity with various saline solutions. However, it is very important that these drugs not only wash out particles well, but also moisturize the mucous membrane, have a therapeutic, anti-edematous effect, and in their physicochemical properties and composition are close to human nasal secretions.

The rinsing solution must be in a compact package equipped with a spray bottle for convenient and quick use.

To remove pollen, the child tilts his head slightly and makes two injections into each nostril. Then the child is asked to blow his nose thoroughly. The procedure should be repeated 2-4 times to soften and moisturize the nasal mucosa.

It is recommended to store a drug for rinsing the nasal cavity (for example, Humer, Aqua Maris, Rizosin, Physiomer) in a medicine cabinet. Parents may be advised to provide it to their child before visiting a child care facility.

Quick and timely rinsing of the nasal cavity with the help of decongestants leads to the effective removal of causative allergens from the nasal cavity, thereby preventing them from entering the child’s body and triggering the allergy mechanism. Currently, such elimination therapy is generally considered to be the first stage of treatment for allergic rhinitis.

Pharmacotherapy of allergic rhinitis is aimed at eliminating the symptoms of the disease, inflammation in the nasal mucosa and preventing its occurrence of irreversible changes in the form of thickening of the mucous membrane of the nasal turbinates and includes prescription.

For this purpose, drugs used orally and topical (locally acting) drugs are used: the following drugs.

Antihistamines.

In allergic reactions, the immune system also gives a false alarm to ordinary substances, such as plant pollen and house dust. Having received a signal, various immune cells release strong substances - mediators, stored in special granules in the cells, and a violent reaction and exacerbation of the disease develops in the body. One of the important mediators that causes allergy symptoms - bronchospasm, sneezing, coughing, lacrimation, itching, secretion of the salivary and bronchial glands - is histamine. The action of histamine is associated with its influence on specific receptors located on the surface of cells of various organs and tissues. Since these receptors are widely distributed in the body (in the skin, lungs, gastrointestinal mucosa), the effect of histamine manifests itself very quickly and variedly. Drugs that block histamine receptors can interfere with the action of histamine, i.e. temporarily close them and prevent histamine from connecting with them. These drugs are called antihistamines. They block only histamine receptors, i.e. act selectively, selectively.

In the treatment of children, preference is given to second-generation antihistamines. Antihistamines are used to quickly eliminate allergic manifestations in the symptomatic treatment of seasonal hay fever, allergic rhinitis and conjunctivitis, and atopic dermatitis. “Old” antihistamines are rarely used today, since second and third generation drugs have been created that have a high clinical effect and rarely side effects. In young children, Zyrtec, Claritin, and Ketotifen are used. For older children and adolescents - Telfast, Kestin, Claritin, Simplex. Local antihistamines (vibril, levocabastine, azelastine) are prescribed as nasal drops or nasal spray.

Cromony

In the treatment of allergic rhinitis, as in the case of the treatment of bronchial asthma, prophylactic treatment with sodium cromoglycate (cromolyn, lomuzole, cromoglin) is used. This drug is effective in treating mild to moderate allergic rhinitis. In case of regular seasonal exacerbations, sodium cromoglycate preparations should be prescribed 1-2 weeks before the expected exacerbation. The effect of treatment with cromoglycates in the form of nasal or eye drops occurs within a few days. The course of treatment lasts from several days to 2-3 months.

For patients with allergic conjunctivitis, manifested by inflammation of the mucous membranes of the eye (redness, swelling, itching, lacrimation), cromoglycate is available in the form of eye drops (Optikrom, Hi-Krom).

Anticholinergic drugs

Of the drugs in this group, ipratropium bromide is the most widely used. It helps reduce discharge (rhinorrhea) and swelling of the nasal mucosa.

The nasal corticosteroid drugs beclomethasone (Aldecine) and fluticasone (Flixonase) have a pronounced anti-inflammatory effect. These medications are prescribed for severe and moderate allergic rhinitis, in the absence of effect from antihistamines and cromones. On average, a month's course of treatment with nasal steroids is sufficient. The dose is determined by the doctor, the frequency of administration is 1-2 times a day. In the case of chronic allergic year-round rhinitis after a course of topical steroids, it is advisable to continue treatment with nasal cromones.

For the treatment of combined severe bronchial asthma and allergic rhinitis, it would be advisable to use the same group of topical corticosteroids, for example, beclomethasone in the form of a metered-dose aerosol and in the form of a nasal spray. The use of nasal steroids in this case leads not only to the restoration of nasal breathing, but also to a more rapid relief of bronchial obstruction. In addition, stopping allergic inflammation in the nasal cavity has a positive therapeutic effect on the course of allergic conjunctivitis. The total dose of glucocorticosteroids prescribed must be taken into account.

Decongestants are vasoconstrictors that help restore nasal breathing. They are used in the form of drops and nasal aerosols. Their action is purely symptomatic. The limitation to the use of drugs in this group is side effects. One of them is the development of so-called “medicinal” rhinitis with long-term use.

Specific immunotherapy is a treatment method aimed at reducing the body's sensitivity to allergens. This type of therapy is indicated for patients suffering from allergic rhinitis, with clearly identified allergens, in the presence of certain indications and the absence of contraindications determined by an allergist.

What to feed the child?

After childbirth, it is recommended to eat only baked or boiled foods in the first six months.

Milk porridges, chocolate and loko contain milk, which is a common source of allergies.

Authorized products:

cottage cheese;
yogurt;
kefir;
hard cheese;
porridge with water;
light vegetables and fruits;
chicken and lean beef;
lean fish;
butter and vegetable oil;
water, green juice tea, compote;
broth, soup

Foods that need to be excluded from the diet:

soft cheese;
nuts;
mushrooms;
milk porridge;
caviar;
seafood;
sweets;
chocolate;
honey;
fatty fish;
citrus;
colored vegetables, berries, fruits;
alcohol, kvass and carbonated drinks;
marinades;
spicy seasonings;
coffee;
spices;
sauces;
cocoa;
semi-finished products;
fast food;
preservatives.

Foods that can be given to children:

whole cow's milk;
pasta;
sour cream;
black tea;
rabbit meat and pork;
sugar;
salt;
bakery products;
raw vegetables;
semolina porridge;
freshly squeezed juices, diluted half with water;
eggs chicken eggs.

If a child is allergic to chicken eggs, they can be replaced with quail eggs.

Apart from the baby diet, the mother should also follow a strict diet.

. Pickles and fried foods are completely excluded from the diet. In order for the mother’s body to work properly, she should drink enough water.

Risk factors

The risk of allergies in an infant increases if his parents suffer from allergic diseases, rheumatism, and digestive diseases.

The mother's toxicosis during pregnancy, work in hazardous conditions, active and passive smoking, infections suffered during pregnancy and medications taken have a great influence on the child's immune system.

The diet of a pregnant woman and nursing mother is important. Products such as caviar and nuts, eggs and chocolate, coffee and cocoa, exotic fruits and seafood increase the risk of developing allergies in children and their pregnant mothers.

The risk of allergies in a child increases after he has suffered intestinal and airborne infections.

The cause of food allergies in formula-fed children may be cow's milk protein. In such cases, it is necessary to transfer the child to special formulas.

At the same time, fermentation processes in the intestines increase the permeability of the intestinal wall to food allergens. In response to the penetration of an allergen into the blood, the immune system begins to produce antibodies. Thus, the flywheel of the allergic reaction spins up.

How to help your baby

Treatment begins by eliminating the allergenic product from the menu and creating a suitable diet for the mother. Often infants have a negative reaction to protein, cow's milk, chicken eggs and colored vegetables. In this case, a hypoallergenic diet will help, the principles of which can be read here.

When it is impossible to determine what food the baby has a negative reaction to, all potential allergens are removed from the diet for two weeks. Then the products are gradually introduced into the menu one at a time, no more than every two or three days.

Sometimes the child is prescribed medication. Only a doctor prescribes medications! Enterosgel is used to relieve skin itching, spots and rashes. This is a safe paste for infants that removes toxins and cleanses the body. From one month you can use Fenistil gel. However, it is not suitable for large and inflamed skin areas.

To relieve lacrimation and eye irritation, Zyrtec drops are prescribed for infants aged one month, and Fenistil drops after six months. Please note that the latter cause strong side effects. If you have digestive problems, you can take activated charcoal.

It is not recommended to give children Suprastin, Tavegil and other potent antihistamines. They quickly and effectively relieve an allergic reaction, but the effect of such drugs wears off very quickly. Frequent use of such tablets causes a strong side reaction, including disruption of the functioning of nerve cells, dizziness and loss of coordination, and lethargy.

For children on mixed or artificial feeding, you need to choose the right formula, which should not include cow's milk. Read the ingredients carefully and study the packaging before purchasing. Please note that supplementary feeding and early transition to complementary feeding negatively affects the well-being and development of the child! For which formula to choose for your baby, read the article “Rules of mixed feeding.”

Allergy symptoms in infants

The targets of food allergies in infants are the skin, intestines and upper respiratory tract.

More often with allergies, symptoms of dermatitis are observed: itching, rash, redness and peeling, weeping and crusting. The first to be affected is the skin of the cheeks, postauricular folds, scalp, then the extensor surfaces of the limbs and gluteal folds.

Since food allergens enter through the intestines, allergies in infants are most often accompanied by symptoms of digestive disorders. The child regurgitates food and screams due to abdominal pain. The mother notes bloating, constipation, or the appearance of loose stools in the child.

The third target for allergens is the respiratory system. Symptoms of allergic rhinitis appear: nasal congestion, runny nose, sneezing. Rarely, narrowing of the bronchi - bronchospasm - may occur. Its signs are shortness of breath, suffocation, wheezing. Difficulty breathing threatens the child’s life and requires immediate hospitalization!

Types of allergies

Food allergies are a common disease among infants. After all, babies’ bodies are just getting used to new living conditions and do not always accept new foods.

Interestingly, in the first two to three weeks, almost every baby develops red spots on the face. The rash appears due to the mother’s hormones, which the baby receives while still in the womb. However, this allergy goes away on its own in the first month after birth and does not require treatment.

Food allergies are of a different nature and manifest themselves not only in the form of a rash.

This reaction must be treated with a special diet and, in rare cases, with medications. However, remember that only a doctor can prescribe medications! Self-medication will only aggravate the problem and lead to complications!

Treatment of allergies in infants

The first direction in the treatment of allergies is to stop the entry of the allergen into the baby’s body. What does this require? With artificial and mixed feeding, a complete replacement of cow's milk with hypoallergenic formulas is required.

If the child is breastfed, the mother should completely exclude from her diet foods that cause allergies in the child.

The mother should keep a food diary. In it, record the daily hours of meals, the foods that the child ate, and the time of onset of allergy symptoms. A food diary will help you determine which foods your baby is allergic to.

Outside the period of exacerbation, the type of antigen can be determined using immunological examination and skin tests.

Drug therapy is aimed at eliminating allergy symptoms, removing antigens and restoring normal functioning of the digestive system.

As a symptomatic treatment of allergies in infants, antihistamines are used internally and externally in the form of creams and ointments.

Of great importance is the removal of the allergen from the digestive system with the help of enterosorbents and the normalization of intestinal function. Enterosgel is ideal for treating allergies in infants. Gel particles, like a sponge, absorb foreign antigens and remove them from the body. Enterosgel reduces the permeability of the epithelium of the intestinal wall and significantly reduces the likelihood of an allergen entering the bloodstream.

In addition, Enterosgel suppresses the growth of pathogens without inhibiting the proliferation of lactic acid bacteria.

Another direction in the treatment of allergies in infants is the restoration of intestinal microflora. For this purpose, probiotics are prescribed. They populate the baby's intestines with friendly microflora and prevent the development of pathogenic microbes.

Food allergies: how not to torture yourself with a diet

Do food allergies go away with age and how not to harm yourself with a hypoallergenic diet? We asked Olga Igorevna Sidorovich, allergist-immunologist, candidate of medical sciences, senior researcher at the State Scientific Center Institute of Immunology of the Federal Medical and Biological Agency of Russia.
Olga Igorevna, can a child outgrow a food allergy?

Children sometimes outgrow allergies, for example, to milk. Tolerance may take years to set in. Although there are those who cannot tolerate milk even as adults. But an allergy to fish most often remains for life.

Does it happen that food allergies get worse over time?

It is impossible to predict this. Sometimes it all starts with atopic dermatitis, then develops into rhinitis, asthma, and for others, on the contrary, everything goes away during puberty. A marker that shows that this child will outgrow the allergy, but this one will not, does not exist.

With age, the child's food allergy went away, but tests still show it. Why?

Positive results are often due to crossover between products.

Is it possible to eat foods that have tested positive?

When answering such questions, we always look at a combination of tests, anamnesis and clinical manifestations.

Sometimes the analysis shows, for example, an increased level of immunoglobulins for certain proteins, and the patient says: “I eat this, and I have never had anything.” And let him eat.

We do not exclude products that our patients tolerate well. The diet must be balanced in fat-carbohydrate-protein composition, otherwise you can lead yourself to exhaustion.

Should we try to introduce nuts, chocolate, seafood, citrus fruits, and honey into the diet of an allergic person with hay fever?

It depends on the hay fever. With wooden hay fever, a cross-reaction to nuts occurs. Today I had a woman at my appointment. She said she ate hazelnuts and had an itchy throat. And I was very surprised that this was associated with hay fever.

Not everyone associates their hay fever with apples, nuts, carrots and peeling potatoes: raw potatoes also have an intersection with trees. Seafood, please eat; Real chocolate shouldn't have any crossover either. But honey is 10% pollen: if you have hay fever, you probably shouldn’t administer it.

But you have to watch and try. If the allergic person tolerates the product well, let him eat.

If a 4-year-old child has many different food allergies: cow and goat milk, eggs, gluten, chicken, etc., is it necessary to introduce some dairy products, for example cottage cheese, butter?

This raises the question: who made the diagnosis and how? If all this was determined only by analyzes and tests, that is, he used to eat all these foods, then they were carefully removed from him, and now they want to return them, I think it makes sense to introduce them.

If there are clinical manifestations of allergies, then you need to figure out what they are connected with and exclude causally significant products. But they need to be replaced with something: it is important that the child develops so that he has enough proteins, fats and carbohydrates.

Exhausted patients often come to me, to whom someone once prescribed a hypoallergenic diet. They have been sitting on rice, bread and water for years and have earned a lot of problems from this.

Do you advise allergy sufferers to introduce new foods?

Certainly! Now it is fashionable to prescribe a hypoallergenic diet to everyone. Hives - we don’t eat anything, dermatitis - we don’t eat anything! Why don’t we eat anything?! You need to approach nutrition wisely and understand the cause of your symptoms.

Is it beneficial for a child with allergies to take vitamin C and fish oil?

Regarding the administration of fish oil and vitamins, it is better to consult a pediatrician; it is not recommended to take these drugs without a doctor’s prescription.

If I'm allergic to cod and shrimp, does that mean I can't eat other types of fish and seafood?

Not all patients with fish allergies have a reaction to crustaceans. I would even say that few people do. These are two completely different groups of allergens.

I have patients who are truly allergic to fish, but they eat shrimp and crab.

However, if you are allergic to both fish and crustaceans, there is a high probability of cross-reactions with other types of fish and seafood. So, most likely, you shouldn't eat them.

Dairy products and antibiotics in them - how to understand what exactly causes allergies?

We establish sensitization to milk proteins, but we do not know what can be added to milk. So this issue must be resolved step by step: first find out if there is an allergy to milk, and then deal with antibiotics.

If you are allergic to mold, is regular cheese okay or not?

It depends on the individual. Some people eat regular cheese with pleasure, but for others it causes a reaction. In addition, we must remember that cheese is a histamine liberator; it can cause reactions even in non-allergic people. Such reactions are called pseudoallergic.

I heard a doctor’s opinion that children with food allergies to many foods (manifestations on the skin) are not susceptible to angioedema. Is it so?

No, that's not true. Quincke's edema can occur in both non-allergic and allergic people with diverse manifestations of allergies to various products.

If you haven’t tried, say, strawberries, will the analysis be informative?

No. If there has never been an allergen in the body, then most likely there will be no antibodies. There must be some kind of primary sensitization.

Why can’t they find the cause of the allergy - not just assumptions and conjectures, but a precisely established cause?

There are many causes of allergies; it is a multifactorial problem.

Can diet affect the smell of acetone from the mouth and its presence in the urine? The child has been on a dairy-free diet for three years.

There is no connection between the smell of acetone on the breath and a dairy-free diet. Consult your doctor, he may prescribe some additional examinations.

allergist-immunologist, candidate of medical sciences, senior researcher at the State Scientific Center Institute of Immunology, FMBA of Russia.

Prepared by Elena Tueva

Source: https://allergotop.com/allergoefir/pishchevaya-allergiya-kak-ne-zamuchit-sebya-dietoj