Parents of Kids With Food Allergies Feel They Might be Allergic Too

Many parents of children with food allergy mistakenly assume that they too have food allergy, but actually don’t test positive during blood or skin prick testing.

Highlights

One of the forms of allergy is food allergy.
Family history is often present in cases of childhood allergy.
Many parents of children with food allergy report that they too suffer from food allergy.
Only 28 percent of parents who reported food allergy actually tested positive.

Many moms and dads of kids with food allergy think they may have food allergy too. However, only 28 percent of such parents actually tested positive for allergy, indicates a recent study undertaken by the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI).

Details of the Study

Parents of kids with food allergies were enlisted from local hospitals and community settings. In order for the parents to participate, families required to have a child with known food allergy. While replying to the questionnaire, 13.7 percent of parents stated to be suffering from a food allergy. However, amongst that group, only 28 percent actually tested positive to the food they reported being allergic to.

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‘Moms and dads of food allergic kids also self-report food allergy, but only about a quarter actually test positive.’

“Previous studies have focused on the general adult population,” said allergist Rachel Robison, MD, study co-lead author. “While we found positive test results were more common in parents of kids with food allergies, the actual levels in the blood for the foods were quite low. Low positives in allergy testing are more likely to be false positives. This points to the importance of proper testing for any kind of allergy, but particularly food allergies. Interestingly, we also found that of the parents who reported no food allergy, 14 percent had positive tests to peanut and sesame, for example.”

Possible Reasons for The Findings

As pointed out earlier, only 28 percent of the parents who self-reported allergy actually tested positive. According to one of the study authors, “This tells us that either people haven’t been tested and are assuming an allergy from a previous reaction to a food, or they haven’t been tested properly and may not truly have an allergy. Allergy testing, including blood and skin prick testing, is not always reliable; there are a lot of false positives.”

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How to Overcome False Positives in Allergy Testing

According to ACAAI, skin tests only detect sensitization. However, being sensitized to a particular protein doesn't indicate one is actually allergic. Also a blood test alone for allergy may not prove to be accurate. Blood and skin testing cannot accurately predict food allergy in one who has never ingested that food earlier.

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Only oral food challenges are the gold standard for allergy testing and are deemed most accurate for the diagnosis of food allergy.

It is preferable to consult allergy specialists, who are experienced and professionally trained to administer allergic tests and to diagnose allergies.

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About Food Allergy in Children

Childhood allergies are becoming increasingly common worldwide. Almost one in 12 children is diagnosed with a food allergy in the UK.

Allergy is a condition, where the immune system reacts and mounts an immune response to seemingly harmless food proteins. The reaction involves the release of chemicals such as histamine, responsible for many of the features of allergy.

Most forms of food allergy begin in infancy and early childhood. Common allergens include proteins in milk, egg, nuts, soy, wheat and shellfish. Some allergies are outgrown in childhood, whilst others may continue into adulthood.

The symptoms begin within a few minutes or within a couple of hours of consuming the food and can vary from mild to severe. They include skin, respiratory and gut symptoms such as

Swelling of the lips and throat, eyes and face
Itchy rash on lips, tongue
Sneezing, runny nose and watering of eyes
Nausea and vomiting
Abdominal cramps and diarrhea

In a severe allergic reaction or anaphylaxis, one may have

Severe tightness of chest and wheezing
Laryngeal edema obstructing the airways
Dizziness and confusion
Circulatory collapse, hypotension, and shock

Unless prompt treatment and resuscitative measures are instituted, it may be lethal.

Living With Food Allergy

Persons suffering from a food allergy need to follow certain measures to avoid or reduce allergic reactions. These include

Avoiding the offending food
Reading food labels carefully to know the ingredients
Informing close friends and relatives about the food allergy
Keeping the school authorities in the loop in case of childhood allergies
Carrying an auto-injector loaded with adrenaline at all times to be ready for any emergency.

With above precautions in place, and proper food choices, food allergy can be kept down to manageable levels.

References:

Food Allergy in Babies and Children - (https://www.allergyuk.org/childhood-food-allergy/food-allergy-in-babies-and-children)

Source-Medindia