Can Allergies Or Food Intolerances In Children Be Cured Or Prevented?
Every day there is a greater percentage of the population affected by food intolerances or allergies. In fact, some of them affect children more than adults. This is a serious problem for the boy and his environment. That is why it is important to know if you can cure or prevent allergies or food intolerances in children.
It is necessary to distinguish between food allergy and intolerance. The allergy is very serious and can lead to death.
Difference between allergies and intolerances
Food allergy is a process that occurs when the immune system responds in an exaggerated way to the consumption of the food that causes it. It produces suffocation, inflammation of the throat and tongue and even anaphylactic shock. In these cases, the child cannot touch or smell the food to which he is allergic because it causes a reaction. For this reason, extreme caution must be exercised. And if there is any kind of strong reaction, you should go to the hospital as soon as possible.
Food intolerance is very bothersome and has symptoms common to allergies. However, it is not so dangerous, since there is not such an aggressive reaction on the part of the immune system. In this case, the different symptoms are diarrhea, stomach pain, skin reactions such as hives, etc. They are caused by problems when assimilating and digesting foods to which the child is intolerant.
The most common food allergies or intolerances in children are usually caused by foods such as milk, wheat or eggs. Also others such as nuts, soybeans, fruits, legumes, fish and shellfish. Although there are many more, these are the most common.
This health problem is more common in children under 3 years of age. Its causes can be genetic, conditions in the state of the intestinal flora, the composition of food, etc.
It is undoubtedly a very serious problem that despairs and scares both parents and children. Sometimes it makes you wonder if there is a way to cure or prevent them. The treatment is to completely eliminate food from the diet, although sometimes it is enough to introduce probiotics in the diet, according to an article published in the journal “Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition. But before the onset occurs, there are certain preventive measures that can help. Let’s see them.
Tips to prevent food allergies or intolerances
Let’s see some interesting tips to prevent allergies and food intolerances in children:
- Many allergies such as milk and egg allergies usually disappear after the child is three years old and his immune system has matured.
- Mild intolerances also tend to disappear after months of not having consumed food and the intestinal flora is fine.
- As in many cases, the cause can be genetic, according to a study published in 2018. We must be careful and observe how the child tolerates the food that causes reactions in the parents. In this way, consumption can be eliminated in time and a further reaction can be prevented.
- Breastfeeding is also recommended, since it strengthens the baby’s defenses and can immunize against allergens.
- There are studies that link some components in tap water with the risk of allergies or intolerances. Therefore, it is better for children to drink filtered or bottled water. Also disinfect fruits and vegetables well and do not wash them only with water.
Other interesting tips to prevent allergies and food intolerances
- Eat food as natural as possible and eat homemade food. Industrially processed foods and prepared meals, as well as those that are high in fats and sugars, damage the intestinal flora and can cause intolerances and even allergies in the long term.
- Celiac disease has been related to the consumption of low-quality bread and short fermentation. For this reason, it is best to eat good quality bread that has been fermented for a long time. That is, as natural as possible.
- Another form of prevention is the consumption of probiotics and prebiotics to strengthen the immune system and intestinal health. They can be found in yogurts, fruits like bananas, vegetables with fiber, asparagus, artichokes, whole grains, etc.
Varied diet to prevent allergies
As always, a diet that is as natural, healthy, balanced and homemade as possible does not cure an allergy or intolerance, but it can prevent its appearance or minimize the reaction that occurs. And of course, if your child presents after eating some type of skin, respiratory or digestive reaction, do not hesitate, go to the doctor as soon as possible since a timely diagnosis is the best prevention.
