How do I know if I have a food allergy?

The past decade has seen an uptick in the number of food allergies in children and adults to upwards of 10 to 15 percent. In addition, the prevalence of peanut allergies has doubled. The good news is that many children outgrow food allergies by age 6.

If your child hasn’t outgrown a food allergy by 10 years of age, it is more likely that the allergy will be a lifelong problem.

The most common sources of food allergies include cow’s milk, egg whites, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, fish and shellfish, and wheat. How do you know if you or your child has a food allergy?

Most people will experience symptoms within 30 minutes of eating a food that they are allergic to. These symptoms typically include hives, vomiting and a rash. In the most severe cases, you may experience anaphylaxis—a serious allergic reaction associated with a rapid onset of symptoms that can include flushing; itching; anxiety; rapid, irregular heartbeat; swelling of the throat and tongue; and difficulty breathing.

If you do not have a reaction within two hours but still have discomfort, you may have a food intolerance rather than a food allergy. With food intolerances, it is more common to experience gastrointestinal problems such as bloating, diarrhea, abdominal cramping or constipation. Your physician can conduct a food challenge to diagnose a food intolerance.

If you experience adverse symptoms when eating foods with gluten, you should get tested. A serum test and endoscopy can diagnose whether you have an intolerance to gluten or celiac disease. If you are diagnosed with celiac disease, gluten-containing foods should be avoided as they could cause the development of a systemic disease.

To schedule an appointment with a Nebraska Medicine allergist, call 402.559.4015.