Eczema enhances food allergy in children

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Kid's Corner

A study cautions parents regarding kids eczema infection that results in severe food allergy and vice versa. A bacterium called Staphylococcus aureus or commonly known as SA bacterium is reason for kids eczema. According to the new study when kids develop severe eczema due to SA it could also lead to severe food allergy!

Eczema enhances food allergies in children – Eczema and food allergies are common in children, with eczema affecting about 20 percent of children and up to 5 percent adults in developing countries. In children symptoms of both conditions develop in the first year and as they grow old, they outgrow these symptoms. However, in about 11 percent people the eczema doesn’t appear until adolescence or adulthood.

An article published in Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology revealed that, SA is the bacterium that can be present in the skin and nose of healthy individual. And, the same bacteria is more common in people who suffer from severe eczema. When kids have allergy, their immune system mistakes certain substances as intruder and overreacts with allergy response. Kids body produces Immunoglobin E or IgE in response to intruder. IgE encounters encounters intruder and releases histamine that cause allergic reaction.

About one third of children with eczema also might have severe food allergies. If the child has food allergies, eczema can also get worse. In young children who suffer from eczema who are infected with SA produce more IgE against certain foods. This include peanut, egg, milk, soy, wheat and other nuts. In these children egg allergy persists at age of 5 or 6 years when compared to children those who does not have SA in their system.

For this reason, both food allergies and eczema are the atopic march in which the eczema, food allergies often occur together. In addition, what parents also must know that, these conditions have a genetic component that often runs in the families as well.

Common food allergies associated with eczema:

Milk allergy: It is common in children. This is different that lactose intolerance

Eggs: One the most common allergy associated with eczema

Soy allergy: Rash and hives are common when kids take soy product and it also can lead to life threatening anaphylaxis and angioedema.

Wheat allergy: It is not gluten intolerance but it is allergy to wheat itself and can be severe if kids has eczema.

Peanuts: A small quantity of peanut or exposure to peanut environment can be life threatening to kids and cause severe reactions in kids and flairs eczema

If your kids suffer from eczema, avoid food that contain these above ingredients. Apart from these foods, several other foods can enhance eczema in kids – citrus fruits, tomatoes, vanilla and egg plant. Having an EpiPen can save your kids life in case you don’t know the ingredients when you eat outside with family.

Parents can try eliminating certain foods from kids diet. Before making any such changes contact your pediatrician. If you think your child’s eczema is worsening because of food allergy, talk with doctor. Doctor will suggest, if any testing need to be done to help kids condition to bring control.

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