 |
Childhood allergies are
a common and growing problem in the United States. In recent years,
the number of children with allergies to food, pollens, latex and
other allergens has grown dramatically. Any food can cause an allergic
reaction, but 90% of all food allergies are caused by one of the following:
wheat, eggs, milk, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, fish and shell fish.
The FDA estimates that 2 percent of adults and up to 8 percent of
young children have some form of food allergies. Each year, about
30,000 people need to be rushed to the emergency room and 150 people
die. Food allergy symptoms can range from mild to life threatening
and may include, hives, itching, swelling of the face, lips, tongue
and/or eyes, diarrhea, vomiting, cramps, itching and tightness of
throat, difficulty breathing, wheezing, in extreme cases, anaphylactic
shock.
The younger you are and the larger the amount of allergen you're exposed
to, the greater the risk of becoming allergic to it, so children are
at the highest risks. The exact reason behind the rise of allergies
in children is unknown. But a growing body of evidence suggests that
a combination of genetic and environmental factors is at the root
of most childhood allergies.
Remember that your pediatrician can prescribe the medications needed
to treat an allergic reaction and should be consulted as soon as you
are concerned that your child may have allergies.
|
Register
Now
