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FACTS:

• Some food allergies can be life-threatening
• Many food allergies are not life threatening, but make children very uncomfortable.
• These symptoms of food allergies include:  runny nose, coughing, rash, eczema, chronic diarrhea, frequent colds or stomach aches. 
• For serious allergies, the child may turn blue and stop breathing. This is especially true for children with allergies to peanuts or shellfish.
• The most common sources of food allergy are milk and dairy products.  Other foods that many cause allergic reactions are wheat, soy, corn, eggs, peanuts, oranges and strawberries.
• Some children outgrow their food allergies.
• Children with food allergies can expect to live a long, healthy life when the food is removed from their diet.

TREATMENT:

• If a child shows signs of a serious food allergy, such as a red welt-like rash or difficulty breathing they should be seen immediately by a doctor.
• For food allergies that cause diarrhea, stomach ache, eczema and runny nose, avoid giving the child the foods that cause allergic reactions. 
• It is best to start with milk as the most likely cause of allergy.  Avoid giving the child milk for three weeks and then try giving it to him/her.  If the child reacts, then it will probably be best to stop giving the child milk in the future.  If milk is not the problem, continue down the list of possible foods that cause allergies.
• If the child cannot have milk due to allergies, it is important to include another type of calcium in their diet to make sure bones will have healthy development.  Soy formula is a good option, if available.