About Allergies and Intolerances

JFuchs
November 2006

Allergies are a significant health risk to infants and young children, especially children with GERD, whose diets are very often already restricted due to their reflux. Allergic reactions can paralyze a parent, preventing them from trying new foods for their baby. Parents may even avoid taking their children outside for fear of causing a reflux episode due to an allergic response.

Allergies are very mysterious. Most of the fear associated with allergies stems form the fact that most parents do not know much about them. With the help of this article, you will learn exactly what an allergy is, how it develops, and what you can do to minimize allergic reactions.

You’re Overreacting

With all of this talk about allergies, it’s best to describe precisely what allergies are first.
An allergy is a function of your body’s immune system. Your body can develop an allergy to anything foreign, from plants (ragweed, oak trees, etc.) to animals (cats, dogs, mice, etc.) and even foods (chocolate, peanuts, etc.). Your body normally reacts to foreign particles only if they are dangerous. In the case of allergies, the immune system overreacts to these normally harmless substances. The level of reaction can be mild (stuffy nose, watery eyes) to severe (swelling, drop in blood pressure, difficulty breathing).

Allergies usually develop very early in life when our immune systems are still under construction. The immune system can get confused easily during these early stages. This is he reason why pediatricians suggest avoiding foods that have allergenic potential - like peanuts and certain berries - during pregnancy and the first year or so of a child’s like.

Allergies may not present themselves in full force until later on. Because allergies are part of the immune system, a child’s immunity may not be strong enough to show an allergic response until as late as six months or longer. This is why foods that at one time seemed okay may produce an allergic response later on.

Allergies vs. Lactose Intolerance

Many people think that lactose intolerance is the same as being allergic to milk. This is incorrect. Lactose intolerance happens when a person does not produce enough of a certain enzyme called lactose. Lactose helps digest the sugars in milk. Allergies to milk can occur, but the reaction is in response to the milk proteins, not sugars. Also, lactose intolerance is not an immune response; it is actually just severe indigestion die to improper digestion of milk sugars.

Testing, Testing

The only way to avoid exposing your child to allergies is to find out what your child is allergic to. The first test your pediatrician will perform will most likely be the “scratch test.”

The Scratch Test
The scratch test works by exposing your child to a variety of allergens through the skin. It sounds like backward logic: in order to tell what your child is allergic to, your doctor must induce a reaction. So to avoid exposure to allergens, you’re exposing your child to allergens. Trust me, it does make sense if you think about it.

There are some drawbacks to the scratch test. First, it is a subjective test. Some reactions may go undetected, and the severity of your child’s allergies cannot be determined with this test. Also, not every allergy can be tested with this method. Interference is also possible with the scratch test.

The scratch test us meant to serve as a screening test only. If the doctor wants to confirm a reaction or get a more detailed profile, your pediatrician may order an IgE test.

IgE/RAST Testing
You may be asking what an IgE is. IgE is a supercharged antibody that functions only in allergic reactions. IgE antibodies are formed to react specifically with the substances you are allergic to and create an allergic response. In essence, your IgE antibodies are your allergies.

The IgE test measures your IgE response levels in accordance with specific allergens. High response levels indicate allergies while no response shows no allergy for that particular substance. This test offers some advantages over the scratch test. The test is more accurate with less possibility of interference. The severity of the allergy can also be determined by this test. Another advantage is the wide array of allergens that can be tested. The lab I work at can test for over 150 different types of allergies.

Another advantage to the IgE test is there is less discomfort in comparison to the scratch test, where skin rashes are a concern. However, blood must be drawn for the IgE test. This may prove difficult for infants and young children.

Knowing is Half the Battle

Allergies can be a touchy subject with most parents. Parents with GERDlings are especially sensitive to their childrens’ comfort. Allergies present a challenge to is GERDling parents, but it is not a challenge we cannot overcome.

Armed with knowledge from the test profiles, you can take steps to minimize exposure to the substances your child is allergic to. Discuss possible prevention options with your pediatrician as well as intervention alternatives should an allergic reaction occur.