Did you know?
The weather has started to change, and this seasonal change can worsen the situation. As the weather changes, the immune system also fluctuates, and this can trigger or worsen food allergies. But seasonal changes do not have any impact on symptoms of food intolerance.
Children born in the fall or winter have approximately a 50% higher risk of developing food allergies. This happens because they are born around the time when they have less access to vitamin D from the sun, and this compromises the gut mucosal barrier.
What is a Food Allergy?
Due to certain food items, the immune system of the person gets affected and starts to impact the body by considering the food as an invader. This leads to an allergic reaction where a chemical called histamine is released in the body and causes symptoms like hoarseness, coughing, breathing difficulty, and many more. Sometimes a condition can become severe and lead to anaphylaxis, which can be life-threatening.
What is Food Intolerance?
It happens when the body is unable to digest the food properly, and it starts to irritate the digestive system. Lactose intolerance and celiac disease are the two main types of food intolerance. This is not life-threatening and can be easily managed by choosing alternative options for that food. Like, rather than normal milk, you can choose lactose-free milk for your child.
A quick comparison
| Factors | Food allergy | Food intolerance |
| Why it happens | Due to an immune system reaction | Revolves around digestive system difficulty |
| How fast does it react | Symptoms start to appear within a minute, or sometimes it takes 2 hours to be noticed. | It takes several hours to days to appear. |
| How much food is needed | Even with one bite, an allergy can be triggered. | Children’s food intolerances usually get triggered after having a full meal. |
| Usual symptoms | Rashes or hives, swelling on different parts of the body, runny nose, sneezing, wheezing, itching in the throat and mouth. In severe cases, some children experience breathing difficulty due to a swollen throat. | Bloating, gas, stomach pain, nausea, heartburn, constipation, or diarrhea |
| Severity of the case | It can be life-threatening | It usually makes a person uncomfortable. But it is not dangerous at all. |
| Can the weather make things worse? | It can | No |
| Long-term impact | They have a higher risk of developing conditions like asthma, respiratory allergies, or eczema. | Can lead to chronic gastrointestinal issues if precautions are not maintained |
| Season of birth connection | Children born in the fall or winter have a higher risk | No changes |
A complete comparison table: symptoms, causes, and common triggers
| Factors | Food allergies | Food intolerance |
| Symptoms | · Hives, itching, or skin rashes
· Swelling in different parts of the body · Coughing, wheezing, or shortness of breath · Dizziness or loss of consciousness · Vomiting just after eating a certain food Severe cases like anaphylaxis, when the airways get tight, the throat gets swollen, there is a drop in blood pressure, confusion, and other changes in mental status. |
· Bloating or feeling like gas is trapped inside the stomach
· Loose motion or diarrhea · Feeling nausea · Stomach cramps · Digestive discomfort, which happens for a few hours after eating that particular food |
| Causes | 1. When the immune system mistakenly considers food protein as a threat and produces antibodies
2. Food allergies happen when the immune system reacts to food like eggs, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, cow’s milk, wheat, soy, sesame, and peanuts. 3. Pollen-linked foods like raw fruits, nuts, or vegetables trigger the immune system. But when it is cooked, it does not impact the immune system at all. 4. An exercise-related reaction is a rare case where food like wheat or shellfish triggers the immune system if a child exercises just after eating that food. But if exercise is avoided, then it does not impact the immune system at all. 5. If the parents have food allergies, then the chances of passing them down to children are high. |
1. Enzyme deficiencies are related to the deficiency of enzymes that would enable the patient’s body to digest one of the components in the food. An example of this causative factor is lactose intolerance, whereby people who lack lactase enzymes are faced with problems in digesting sugars in milk.
2. Those children react to certain chemicals found in foods such as caffeine, food preservatives, and sulfites, but have no allergic reactions to the food. 3. Protein or carbohydrate malabsorption happens when the body of the patient cannot digest a particular protein in the food; an example is gluten intolerance, which is caused by intolerance to gluten in barley, wheat, and rye. 4. In an immature or sensitive digestive system, the digestive system of the child has not matured properly, and the symptoms of intolerance disappear with time. 5. Where there are digestive diseases, such as irritable bowel syndrome, some foods become intolerable. |
| Common triggers | · Cow’s milk
· Eggs · Peanuts · Tree nuts (walnuts, cashews, almonds, etc.) · Shellfish (shrimp, crab, lobster, scallops) · Fish · Wheat · Soy |
· The milk sugar is the most common reason for the development of this syndrome due to the low concentration of the lactase enzyme.
· Gluten – this substance causes irritation during the digestive process but does not involve the immune system’s participation, as in the case with celiac disease, which occurs with its participation; gluten is present in wheat, barley, and rye · Food additives and preservatives – for example, sulfites (in canned foods, in wine, in dried fruits) · Caffeine · Fruits with a high amount of natural sugars |
Conclusion
Despite having the same symptoms, there is a great difference between food allergy and food intolerance when it comes to the causes of each problem and their treatments. It is vital to identify the symptoms at an early stage because it will help you protect yourself and your child from food allergy situations.
To know more about our specializations in pediatrics and women’s health in Jaipur, visit Cradle Children Hospital.
FAQ’s
Is food intolerance responsible for food allergy?
No, it is completely different from each other. In most of the cases, the child has food allergy and food intolerance and food allergy.
Will the food allergies in the children disappear with time?
Yes, in some cases, children might suffer from temporary food allergies, such as milk allergy and egg allergy, but there are also permanent food allergies, like peanut allergy.
How can a food allergy be diagnosed?
Food allergy can be diagnosed with the help of the child’s medical history, skin test, blood test, and food challenge test.
Is lactose intolerance seen in Indian children?
Yes, lactose intolerance is common in Indian children as they grow up, and they become deficient in the enzyme lactase.
Can I exclude certain foods from the diet of my child without consulting the doctor?
No, it will not be a good idea for you to do so.
