29.08.2022 13:06
News Source: DHA
Stating that food allergy symptoms progress with different symptoms according to the age of children, Pediatric Diseases and Pediatric Allergy and Immunology Specialist Prof. Dr. Hülya Ercan Sarıçoban warned families to be careful because these symptoms are similar to other diseases. Stating that many factors play a role in food allergies starting from infancy, from genetic factors to environmental factors, from the mother’s nutrition during pregnancy to the packaged foods that children consume more and more every day, Prof. Dr. Sarıçoban made statements on the subject.
ALL FOODS IN NATURE CAN CAUSE ALLERGIES
Reminding that all foods in nature can cause food allergy, Pediatric Diseases and Pediatric Allergy and Immunology Specialist Prof. Dr. Hülya Ercan Sarıçoban gave the following information about other foods that can cause allergies:
“Egg and milk are the most common allergic foods in young children. “As children begin to grow, they become more susceptible to wheat, soy, and nuts, and with age, shellfish and fish allergies are more common.”
Saying that there is usually an allergic trigger in an allergic reaction, it is possible to distinguish it from different problems. Dr. Ercan said, “For example, in a child who is allergic to eggs, the symptoms appear after eating eggs. In addition, atopic dermatitis affects certain parts of the body such as joints, neck and nape. The shape and location of the rash can be easily distinguished by physicians.
COMPLAINTS DEPEND ON THE CHILD’S AGE
prof. Dr. Hülya Ercan Sarıçoban stated that allergic reactions show different symptoms in children according to age groups and gave the following information:
“In the early stages of infancy, intestinal complaints with mucous or bloody-mucous stools, vomiting, indigestion; eczema with dryness-itching-rash on the skin, skin findings with raised-itchy red urticaria (hives) are seen. In older babies and early childhood, respiratory tract complaints such as recurring frequent illnesses, frequent bronchitis and bronchiolitis, coughing, wheezing, recurrent ear infections, nasal congestion lead to hospital admissions. In older children, allergic conjunctivitis such as itching, turbidity and tearing in the eyes and allergic rhinitis symptoms such as frequent sneezing, nasal itching and runny nose are observed.
Stating that especially if certain complaints started to recur and there is no other reason to explain them, Prof. Dr. Sarıçoban said, “However, if the complaints are very intense, shortness of breath, fainting, swelling in the body, anaphylaxis, extreme restlessness in children, intense vomiting, inability to gain weight, a doctor should be consulted as early as possible.”
THE SURROUNDINGS OF THE CHILD MUST BE INFORMED
Underlining that it is necessary to be very careful to prevent anaphylaxis, which develops suddenly in food allergies, causes severe and causes the whole body to react at the same time, and whose consequences are life-threatening, Prof. Dr. Hülya Ercan Sarıçoban gave the following information on the subject:
“In order to prevent the occurrence of this picture, which we do not want at all, first of all, foods that will cause allergies should definitely not be consumed. For this, the contents of all the products consumed should be read, and if you are going to eat out, you should question what is inside. In this regard, it is important that not only parents, but also relatives and teachers who take care of the child, caregivers, grandparents, and teachers are awake. Everyone around the child should be informed about the issue.”
LOADING TESTS STILL THE GOLD STANDARD!
Stating that the absence of positive results in children in allergy tests may confuse families, Prof. Dr. Hülya Ercan Sarıçoban said that the challenge tests are used as the gold standard that can reveal all food allergies. Reminding that there are two different mechanisms in the emergence of allergic diseases and this affects the test results, Prof. Dr. Sarıçaban gave the following information on the subject:
“The first of these is Immunoglobulin E-mediated allergic diseases, which can show up in tests. This group can be detected by skin or blood tests. We do not have an age limit for the tests. Of course, it is not possible to say such a thing as 100 percent accuracy. If there is a disease, the result will come. The second mechanism in the detection of allergic diseases is the non-immunoglobulin E-mediated mechanism. It doesn’t show up in blood and skin tests. Because we measure the amount of immunoglobulin E in the tests. Since these are not IgE mediated, we cannot detect them in tests. Since some of the food allergies are in this group, it may appear as if there is no allergy when the test is done. However, if the child always gives the same reaction to a food, it means there is an allergy. For this reason, if we cannot detect the diagnosis with the allergy tests we look at in the classical skin and blood, we can make the diagnosis with the challenge tests we do after eliminating the food for a while. These tests are the gold standard tests that give close to 100 percent reliable results, and no test gets in the way of the loading test.”