Eggs are a very versatile food that is very present in the daily diet, thanks to their nutritional value. However, some children between 1 and 2 years old may have an allergy to eggs, specifically to the proteins in the white or the yolk, although this tends to disappear between 5 and 6 years. This type of allergy has a good prognosis, but those that appear after that age are more likely to last a lifetime. At FastlyHealwe, explain the causes and symptoms of egg allergy.
Table of Contents
Causes of egg allergy
When it comes to food allergies, our body reacts as if this food, in this case, the egg, were a dangerous substance for the body. The allergy to an egg occurs when an antibody called immunoglobulin E (IgE) when meets the egg occurs the reaction is triggered, generating modification, especially consuming the clear egg.
Symptoms of egg allergy
The allergic reaction may take hours to appear or immediately after ingesting the allergenic food. Some of the symptoms of an egg allergy are:
- Skin manifestations: hives, swelling, eczema, redness, itching around the mouth.
- Digestive system: diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain.
- Respiratory system: asthma, itching, nasal congestion, shortness of breath, sneezing, and tearing.
- Cardiovascular system: accelerated heart rate, hypotension, and anaphylactic shock, which is the most severe symptom of an allergy but is not very common.
Diagnosis and treatment of egg allergy
Generally, it is the parents who realize that their child is developing an allergy to eggs; however, when it is not so easy to determine the food that is making the allergen, it is necessary to go to an allergist, who will do a skin test in which will put a few drops of the allergen on your skin and then make a small prick for the extract to enter. If the area becomes red or a welt appears, you can be confirmed to be allergic to eggs. They may also do other tests to rule out other food allergies.
The most immediate way to treat an allergy to eggs is to avoid its consumption or any food that contains its ingredients. On the other hand, if the allergy has not disappeared by 5 or 6 years of age, it will be necessary to train the child in what he can eat and whatnot and treat the reaction. It would help if you informed all the places that your child frequents that he has an allergy to eggs and, in this way, guarantee medications such as antihistamines or, in more severe cases, adrenaline to treat any crisis. In any case, the family doctor will indicate the plan to follow to treat allergies.
How to read the labels if I have an allergy to eggs?
For any food allergy, it is necessary to pay attention to the ingredients that the product contains; in the case of egg allergy, there are many ways in which this allergen can appear on the labels; if you find any of this list, avoid buying it:
- Dehydrated egg
- Egg white.
- Yolk.
- Clear powder or granulated.
- Granulated egg.
- Whole egg.
- Powdered egg.
- Albumin.
- Globulin.
- Ovotransferrin.
- Ovomucoide.
- Ovoglobulin.
- Lisocima.
- Lecithin, unless you specify it is from soy.
- Lutein.
Forbidden foods for egg allergy
Although it seems that just avoiding the egg is enough, you should know which are the foods in which the egg content is not so obvious. Here is a list of prohibited foods if you have an egg allergy :
- Dairy: condensed milk and enriched ones such as cream, flan, and custard.
- Eggs and meat derivatives: egg substitutes, mayonnaise, gelatin, ice cream, nougat, crepes, sausages, cold cuts, patés, foie gras, and links.
- Cereals and derivatives: pastries, cakes, cookies, muffins, candies, puff pastry, dough for dumplings, soups, creams and commercial mashed potatoes, egg pasta, battered foods such as squid or croquettes.
- Vegetables: commercial creams that include eggs in their ingredients and some baby food or baby foods in pureed form.
- Alcoholic drinks.
- Fats: margarine, especially those that contain albumin.
Foods allowed for egg allergy.
Some of the foods that allow for egg allergy are:
- Milk and dairy: milk, yogurt, fermented milk, curd, and cheese. You could occasionally have rice pudding.
- Meats, fish, and derivatives: prefer lean meats such as chicken, turkey, rabbit, cuts of sirloin, vacuum and loin of veal, amounts of the leg of lamb and pork loin, shoulder, and sirloin. Regulate the consumption of Serrano or York ham.
- Cereals, potatoes, and legumes: white or whole wheat bread, rice, and pasta other than egg, chickpeas, lentils, peas, broad beans, and white beans.
- Vegetables and vegetables are allowed unless you consume them in commercial purees and creams.
- Fruits: all are allowed.
- Drinks: water, infusions, and homemade broths. As for alcoholic beverages, only cider, wine, and beer are allowed in moderation.
- Fats: butter and vegetable oils such as olive, sunflower, corn, and soy.
Precautionary measures
Here are some preventive measures to avoid an egg allergy crisis:
- Read food labels carefully.
- Be careful when using kitchen utensils that have been in contact with the egg.
- Some vaccines, such as influenza, measles, or MMR, include components of the egg.
- It takes 18 or 24 months to include the egg in the child’s diet.
This article is merely informative; at FastlyHeal .com, we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any condition or discomfort.
If you want to read more articles similar to Egg allergy: symptoms and prohibited foods, we recommend that you enter our Immune system category.
I am a Surgeon with a diploma in comprehensive ultrasound and surgical care residency, an area I am specializing in. During the exercise of my profession, I have realized the need for patients to know the diseases they suffer, and I can tell you that a large part of their complications is due to a lack of information. Being a health web writer allows me to transmit my experience, without borders, to all those readers eager for knowledge, educate them in the prevention of diseases and promote a healthy lifestyle.