Most allergic reactions to eggs are manifest at the level of the skin, especially rashes, eczema, andredness. However, each person reacts differently.

Symptoms may occur aftera few minutes or up to 72 hours after have ingested the food containing the egg, and last usually a day or two. The gravity of the reaction does not depend on the amount of eggs consumed. Some people will react in presence of a tiny amount of egg. People with an allergy to eggs should be familiar with the symptoms current of their allergy. A serious allergic reaction affecting several different parts of the body is called “ anaphylaxis “. This type of reaction can lead to loss of consciousness or death. Care emergency medical services are needed. The people at risk should always have epinephrine at your fingertips and wear a MedicAlert bracelet.

A study published in the September issue of JAMA showed that egg and peanuts were added to the food, and 24 egg allergy and 18 peanut allergy were prevented every 1,000 people.

Allergy experts say the current principle of adding non-staple food may be out of date!

The researchers reviewed 146 published literature on the timing of baby food supplements and the risk of food allergies or autoimmune diseases, and found that the opportunity to add non-staple foods affects the risk of allergies, but not related to autoimmune diseases.

The researchers have a “moderate certainty” to conclude that adding eggs at 4-6 months can reduce the risk of infants being allergic to eggs adding peanuts at 4-11 months of age Reduce the risk of infant allergy to peanuts. Research evidence on the timing of fish addition is not sufficient. The addition of gluten seems to have no significant effect on the risk of celiac disease.

Matthew Greenhawt, an allergy specialist at Colorado Children’s Hospital in the United States, wrote in the accompanying commentary that delaying the addition of these foods may cause a certain degree of harm to the baby, and early addition of some foods can produce clear benefits. Allergists, primary care physicians, pediatricians, and obstetricians are responsible for communicating this important message: the idea of ​​delaying baby exposure to allergens is outdated!

There are some babies and some children who have allergic reactions to the egg. When this happens to them, they should stop eating egg for a while. But the good thing is that most children (although not all) end up overcoming this allergy and, from that moment, can return to eat egg without problems.

What is egg allergy?
When a person has an egg allergy, their immune system, which normally fights infection, reacts disproportionately to egg proteins. If the person drinks or eats food products that contain eggs,  body interprets these proteins as harmful invaders. And the immune system reacts by working hard to fight those invaders. This causes an allergic reaction.

What are the signs and symptoms of egg allergy?
When a person with an egg allergy eats something that contains an egg, it can present the following symptoms:

wheezing or wheezing (making “whistles” when breathing)
breathing difficulties
cough
hoarseness
tightness in the throat
stomachache
vomiting
diarrhea
swollen, watery and itchy eyes
urticaria
spots in the shape of red dots
inflammation
Feeling faint (as if your head was gone) or fainting
Some reactions to the egg are mild and only involve a part of the body, such as a hives on the skin. But even when someone has had only a mild reaction to the egg in the past, the next allergic reaction can be serious.

Very rarely, people can have a very serious allergic reaction, which can cause anaphylaxis. In these cases, immediate medical attention is required, because the person may have significant difficulty breathing and a dangerous drop in blood pressure.

Anaphylaxis is treated with a medication called epinephrine (adrenaline), which is given as an injection. Children with a severe egg allergy should carry an epinephrine injection (or the adult accompanying them) just in case.

What do doctors do?
Doctors diagnose egg allergy by skin tests and / or blood tests. A skin test, also known as a skin prick test, is the most commonly used to detect allergies. The skin test allows the doctor to know in about 15 minutes if a person is sensitive to the egg.

In this test, the doctor or nurse: Drops a droplet of an egg extract on the child’s skin
prick the skin superficially or make a slight scratch on the skin
If a reddish pimple or pimple appears that juts out just in that area (as if it were a mosquito bite) it means that the child is allergic to the egg.

How is it treated?
The best way to treat egg allergy is to avoid eating egg or any food that contains it. When it comes to babies or young children, it will be their parents who will have to help them avoid the egg in their diets. Some older children do not overcome egg allergy with age. Therefore, these children will have to learn to be aware of what foods contain eggs to avoid them.

With regard to food allergies, prevention is fundamental; Therefore, it is important for children to learn:

to treat the allergic reaction in case they present it
to read and understand the content of food labels in order to avoid the egg and the foods that contain it.

Treat the reaction
Children with egg allergies should have an action plan in case they eat eggs by mistake. Collaborate with your parents, with your doctor and with the infirmary of your school to be able to put this plan into operation. This plan may involve having certain medications on hand, such as an antihistamine or, in severe cases, a self-injectable epinephrine. The auto-injectables come in small containers and easy to transport. They are easy to use. Your doctor will teach you how to use it.

Your doctor and parents may want you to always wear a medical alert bracelet.

Source: Everydayhealth, kidshealth, sante.lefigaro

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