Allergies
Demystifying Allergies
An excerpt from Allergy Sense
What is a Food Allergy?
A food allergy is when the body’s immune system responds inappropriately and reacts to food as a foreign invader.
Our bodies are protected by a sophisticated defence system called the immune system. The immune system can identify and destroy foreign substances that do not belong in the body, such as viruses, bacteria and parasites.
The first time the body detects a foreign antigen, the immune system makes specific antibodies against it. Antibodies keep us safe by attacking the invader and destroying it.
The next time the antigen is detected, these antibodies are now preformed, ready and waiting and can thus attack the foreign invader even faster. This is referred to as immunity.
With a food allergy, the immune system mistakenly targets food as a foreign invader. Allergies can be unpredictable. They may improve or become worse over time. In general, most children who are allergic to cow’s milk or eggs will outgrow their allergies. About 20% of children with peanut allergy may outgrow this allergy. While children with tree nut and fish allergies are unlikely to outgrow them.
Hear are some of the...
Most common food allergies:
Allergen
hen's eggs
Incidence
2%
Chance to outgrow
Most (>90%) will
Allergen
sesame
Incidence
On the increase
Chance to outgrow
Seldom outgrown
Allergen
shellfish
Incidence
Adult onset
Chance to outgrow
Unlikely outgrown
Allergen
soya
Incidence
10% of children with cow’s milk allergy
Chance to outgrow
Usually outgrown
