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| |    Treatment of Food Allergies by Robert Needlman, M.D., F.A.A.P. reviewed by Laura Jana, M.D., F.A.A.P. Avoid the Problem Foods The most effective treatment is certainly to avoid the problem foods. This might be easier for some foods (nuts, shellfish, fish, and soy) than for others (dairy, wheat, eggs, and peanuts). You may have to read every label, stay away from most commercially baked breads and cookies, find substitutes for milk, and so on. What About the Classroom? You can make your home allergen-free, but what about school? Although it may be tempting to ban all allergenic foods from your child's classroom, this is probably not necessary or wise, except in rare, very severe cases. The goal with food allergies, as with all chronic medical conditions, is for your child to be able to lead as close to a normal life as possible. Making him the reason why no-one in the class is allowed to have birthday cake or peanut butter and jelly would not help your child feel normal and accepted! It may be better to train your child to avoid the foods he's allergic to, and work with his teacher so that she can help him to do that, without drawing too much attention to himself. What About Slip-Ups? But no matter how careful you are, you or our child are bound to slip up, sometime or other. When that happens, you can treat mild symptoms of food allergies using an antihistamine, such as diphenhydramine (one trade name is Benadryl®), which you can get over the counter. With this, as with all medications, be sure you read the precautions, give only the recommended dosage, store the medication safely, and if any questions arise, talk with a physician or pharmacist. Medication can treat the symptoms, but it can't cure the underlying food allergy itself. But we are learning more about prevention. Breastfeeding for at least 4-6 weeks reduces the risk of food allergies, as does delaying introduction of highly allergic foods (like wheat and eggs) until age 1, and even until age 3 for peanuts and shellfish. These precautions are definitely worthwhile if there is a family history of food allergies. Children often outgrow their food allergies. Only about one in 100 adults has them. So, there is light at the end of the tunnel. First published in Scholastic Parent and Child Magazine
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