Ways to help protect your little one from Food Allergy

Food allergy is an abnormal response of the body's immune system to a food trigger. Because babies have underdeveloped immune and digestive systems, they tend to be prone to food allergies. Reactions to food occur most often in infants and children. Symptoms sometimes do not appear on the skin but develop as colic or even lead to problem with growth.

Identifying allergy causing foods and avoiding exposure is the only way to prevent a reaction. Here are some ways to help:

• Breast feed your child for as long as possible. Exclusive breast feeding of infants for the first 6-12 months of life delays the onset of allergy symptoms by postponing baby's exposure to food triggers. Remember that allergic substance may cross over to breast milk, so take care of your diet.

• Visit the doctor. Seek advice from a pediatrician or a pediatric allergologist (a specialist on children's allergies) to get a specific diagnosis and rule out allergy problems. Your doctor will examine your baby and ask about any family history of food allergies. Your baby may have to undergo specific test, such as allergy skin test, to accurately diagnose potential food triggers.

• Keep a baby food diary. Write down everything your baby eats, from milk to fruits to vegetables. Note patterns in the symptoms (such as colic and hives) your baby had how long after eating these occur. This record will help you tell if food is causing the allergic symptoms.

• Switch to hypoallergenic (HA) formula. If for some reason, a mother can't or has decided not to breast feed, switching to an HA formula is the best alternative. Putting your baby on HA formula will help him, should he be allergic to cow's milk.

• Read food labels or ask questions. When your baby is eating away from home, consider ingredients and food preparation methods carefully. Remember that trigger items, particularly peanuts, eggs and milk, maybe present in the food in small doses.

• Learn how to manage your baby if he consumes a trigger food. Ask the doctor for advice on medicines that you can give during an allergy attack. In severe cases of food allergy, such as anaphylaxis, epinephrine may have to be used.

• Post doctor's instructions in a prominent place. Make sure that everyone in the family knows where your cue card is posted and how to go about managing allergic symptoms.