Food Allergy

The Food allergy is an adverse reaction to certain food. Involves an immunological mechanism and clinical presentation is highly variable, with symptoms that can arise in skin, respiratory and gastrointestinal system. The reactions can be mild itchy lips with simple to severe reactions that can compromise various organs. Food allergy results from an exaggerated response of the body to a substance present in food.
Treatment
To date, there is no specific medication to prevent food allergy. Once diagnosed, specific drugs are used to treat the symptoms (crisis) it is extremely important to provide guidance to patients and families in order to avoid further contact with the food trigger. The guidelines shall be in writing in order to replace the excluded food and avoiding nutritional deficiencies until pictures of malnutrition especially important in children. The patient should always be aware of checking the label of processed foods in order to identify names related to food allergy triggered it. For example, the presence of butter, whey, lactalbumin or caseinate indicate the presence of cow's milk. All guidelines should be provided to patients and families.
Prevention
Some guidelines should be given to newborns of atopic parents or siblings. Encouraging breastfeeding in the first year of life is essential as well as the late introduction of solid foods potentially provoking allergy. It is recommended the introduction of solid foods after 6 months, cow's milk after 1 year of age to 2 years eggs and peanuts, nuts and fish, only after the 3rd year of life.