In normal conditions, our immune system is used to protect us against viruses and bacteria.⁣

If there is either no development of tolerance or that tolerance vanishes, the immune system turns against those proteins (allergens) and reacts.⁣
⁣
𝗪𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐬?⁣

• 𝘍𝘰𝘰𝘥𝘴 - peanuts, tree nuts, finned fish, shellfish, eggs, milk, soy, and wheat.⁣
• 𝘓𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘹 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘰𝘥𝘴 𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘪𝘵 (These foods include banana, kiwi, chestnut, avocado, pineapple, passion fruit, apricot, and grape )⁣
• 𝘈𝘯𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘭 𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳⁣
• 𝘗𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘴⁣
• 𝘋𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘴⁣
• 𝘔𝘰𝘭𝘥⁣

⁣𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐰𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦.⁣

1. 𝘛𝘺𝘱𝘦 𝘐 (𝘪𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴) – 𝘐𝘨𝘌 𝘮𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥⁣
   • An initial sensitisation is needed before a reaction can occur.⁣
   • The immune system considers the allergen as an “invader” and seeks to destroy it by using IgE, which leads to the release (among others) of histamine.⁣
   • Histamine then causes blood vessels to increase in size, which in association with other chemicals, leads to allergy symptoms.
2. 𝘛𝘺𝘱𝘦 𝘐𝘝 (𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘺𝘦𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴) – 𝘯𝘰𝘯-𝘐𝘨𝘌 𝘮𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥⁣
   • Reactions to food protein are likely due to an immature immune system of the gut mucosa. They are mediated by T Cells.⁣
   • This is the most common kind of allergy in the first few years of life.⁣
   • As it takes several hours between ingestion and symptoms to show, it tends to go under recognised, leading to significant parental frustration.⁣

The Symptoms depend on what the allergen is and the type of reactions.⁣

• They vary from very mild to life-threatening (Anaphylaxis and FPIES – which I will talk about in another post).⁣
• ⁣The ones below are IgE mediated but have a look at the table for signs of delayed reactions.⁣⁣

⁣⁣𝐅𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐞𝐬⁣⁣:

• Mouth tingling⁣⁣
• Swelling of lips, face, tongue, or throat⁣⁣
• Hives⁣⁣
• Vomiting and/or diarrhoea⁣⁣
• Sometimes flare-up of eczema⁣⁣
• Wheeze, stridor, difficulty breathing (𝐀𝐧𝐚𝐩𝐡𝐲𝐥𝐚𝐱𝐢𝐬)⁣⁣
• Altered conscious state (𝐀𝐧𝐚𝐩𝐡𝐲𝐥𝐚𝐱𝐢𝐬)⁣⁣
• Hypotension (𝐀𝐧𝐚𝐩𝐡𝐲𝐥𝐚𝐱𝐢𝐬)⁣⁣

⁣⁣
𝐀𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐢𝐜 𝐫𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐬⁣⁣:

• Sneezing⁣⁣
• Itchy, blocked or runny nose⁣⁣
• Itchy, red, watery eyes (allergic conjunctivitis)⁣⁣
• Itchy mouth⁣⁣
• Flare-up of eczema⁣⁣

⁣⁣
𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧⁣⁣:

• Swelling of lips, face, tongue, or throat⁣⁣
• Hives⁣⁣
• Vomiting and/or diarrhoea⁣⁣
• Wheeze, stridor, difficulty breathing (𝐀𝐧𝐚𝐩𝐡𝐲𝐥𝐚𝐱𝐢𝐬)⁣⁣
• Altered conscious state (𝐀𝐧𝐚𝐩𝐡𝐲𝐥𝐚𝐱𝐢𝐬)⁣⁣
• Hypotension (𝐀𝐧𝐚𝐩𝐡𝐲𝐥𝐚𝐱𝐢𝐬)⁣⁣

𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬⁣⁣:

• Swelling at the sting site, which can spread rapidly⁣⁣
• Hives or itching throughout your body⁣⁣
• Wheeze, stridor, difficulty breathing (𝐀𝐧𝐚𝐩𝐡𝐲𝐥𝐚𝐱𝐢𝐬)⁣⁣
• Altered conscious state (𝐀𝐧𝐚𝐩𝐡𝐲𝐥𝐚𝐱𝐢𝐬)⁣⁣
• Hypotension (𝐀𝐧𝐚𝐩𝐡𝐲𝐥𝐚𝐱𝐢𝐬)⁣⁣

https://www.facebook.com/thechildrensallergy/posts/pfbid0eydWKa8FNDcCdU2B2dhMMHFKt73KATcSvMdQNDXw1SxPVz5CSKJPKxjXJv9UD1QVl