Food Allergies in Children

Food allergies in young children has become a one of the major health issues that New Zealand has to face. The reason for the concern of allergies is that as time goes on, children develop allergies from a young age. Although, a majority of the children that have food allergies can outgrow them but there are also cases where children have not outgrown their childhood allergies have them through their adult years too.

What is an allergy?

The immune system creates Y-proteins called immunoglobulins or antibodies that help fight off foreign bodies, viruses, bacteria, parasites, and other harmful threats to the body. This is what keeps the human body healthy and is the reason why fevers break out while an individual is sick. When the immune system develops an Autoimmune Disorder, it is often because the immune system is hypersensitive to foreign bodies that enter the body.

The consequence of this disorder is an allergy. An allergy is the hyper reaction to a foreign body called an allergen. An allergen is the cause of the trigger that sends the immune system into a frenzy. An allergen can be any sort of outside interloper. It can be a variety of things but a common type of allergen that children deal with at an early age is often a food allergen. An example for the body reacting to an allergen is Anaphylactic Type 1 or Anaphylactic Shock. Should a child, who is allergic to peanuts eat the allergen, their body would automatically respond in a violent manner that could be fatal if the child is not treated immediately. The body’s response to the allergen includes, swelling of the tongue which closes the larynx and in turn closes the trachea. This makes it difficult for the child to breathe while the skin develops red blotches on their skin that itch. Anaphylaxis shock is because of the chemical reaction that the immunoglobulins produce to fight of the foreign bodies that the food carries. In the instance that a child goes into Anaphylaxis shock, an EpiPen must be administered as soon as possible before taking the child straight to the hospital.

Why are food allergies in children an issue?

Food allergies in young children are often a cause of great concern because it is often discovered after an allergic reaction if the children are not tested. As children are still learning about the world they live in, they do not have the same rational mindset that adults do.

It means that while an adult would worry about what they ate if they know they have allergic reactions to certain foods, a child does not understand the seriousness until they have been taught it in school. For example, if a child were to see something like chocolate were lying around, they would be tempted to take it and eat it. Should the child have a nut allergy and the piece of chocolate contained or covered nuts, the child would suffer anaphylactic shock which would be harmful and possible fatal to the child. Whether it is in their home, in an ECE centre or out in the shops, if there is something that looks delicious or interesting that the children see they will not hesitate to try it. However, food does not only have to be ingested for an allergic reaction. If they were to touch an allergen, their skin would break out into haves that would itch while the area that came into contact with the substance would swell and become slightly inflamed.

After an allergic reaction, it is highly recommended that professional help is sought out as there could be other implications that need attention. It is also recommended that after a child experiences an allergic reaction they should have at least a day to recuperate if it was only a minor reaction. However, if the reaction was because the child had consumed the allergen, they would need more than a day to recuperate under supervision.

Who is affected by allergies in children?

Though the children are mostly affected as it affects their health first and foremost but their family and the community are also affected. In 2011, a survey was completed to find out the whether the amount of cases of food allergies went up or down. From the year 1997 to 2011, the cases of food allergies had increased by 50% as it was stated by Health Navigator New Zealand.

The influx of cases of food allergies between those times is quite serious as it would mean that from 2011 to 2018 the numbers have increased in the past seven years as well. As the amount of children with allergies increases the demand for medicine to treat the reactions and possibly prevent allergies increases. This in turn affects the child’s family as there are many families in New Zealand who have allergy related issues. The test to find out if or what allergies a child has is quite expensive. The Consumer NZ had established a website that offers essential information on the tests by stating “For a “special” price of $90, it offers to test a sample of your hair to see if you’re intolerant to any of 300 foods plus 300 other potential allergens.” It gives the family the price of the tests and what the tests do which helps the parents to make a decision.

The Community would also be affected as the need to take precautions in the case of an allergen in the immediate area that the child is in. This mostly affects shop owners, ECE centres and Hospital Staff. As it is important for each of these establishments to make sure that if a child has an allergic reaction and it is in their shop, Centres or medical rooms, they must be fully prepared with first-aid knowledge at hand.

What are the significant factors that pertain to food allergies?

There are many factors to take into consideration when a child develops a food allergy. Some of these factors include genealogy, environment, certain products that are sold and general health.

One of the factors include family history. If a family member had the food allergy as a child but outgrew it, it is likely that the child would as well. Pediatric Society of New Zealand and Starship Foundations had made a site that has information on allergies to inform parents about allergies and how they can affect their children. It also informs parents of the causes, treatment and possibilities to prevent some allergies.

Though it is common for allergies to be passed on through generations, it is not the only factor. Another factor includes environment. Since an allergy has to have a cause, the environment provides many opportunities for the child to be exposed to numerous triggers that can affect their immune system. It is best for children to be tested to find out what they are allergic to before their body reacts in a negative way and the appropriate treatment cannot be given in some cases. Another part of the environmental factor includes the changing of the seasons. As New Zealand has a wide range of pollen based flora, hay fever is common in New Zealand. When the seasons change, hay fever is a primary issue that is faced for children as they like to play outside among nature.

Today there are many products that are sold that can be a factor to a child developing allergies in their life. This is mostly because of the chemicals that are used to produce the products whether they are cleaning products, food, and materials. For example, if a child had hay fever, certain types of materials, foods and cleaning products can negatively impact their respiratory system and causes them to have sneezing fits, red and itchy eyes and a runny or a stuffy nose. For example, should a floor mat be made out of a thatch like materiel, then it could be a trigger that will cause sneezing fits.

Another factor that should be taken into consideration is general health. It is healthy for children to be exposed to the environment and different types of food to strengthen their immune system and eliminate the potential for allergies to manifest. For an example, if an older sibling exhibited signs of an allergic reaction and the parents prevent exposure to the allergen for the youngest, it is highly likely that the young child will develop the allergy despite the parents’ efforts. This is because they prevent the immune system from exposure to learn how to cope and react to an outside substance.

Conclusion

Allergies is a serious health issue to the New Zealand community as it can form unpredictably. It does not help to know if a family member had an allergy as the children can have a different and unrelated allergy. There are also potential allergy triggers all over New Zealand as the seasons bring drastic changes and is full of different flora. There are also merchandise that is imported from other continents or are chemical based that provide triggers for negative reactions from hypersensitive immune systems.