What should you know about types of food allergies?

A food allergy involves the immune system reacting to a food protein. Reactions may include hives, swelling, itchy throat, vomiting, abdominal pain, cough, wheeze or dizziness. They can begin soon after exposure, although timing varies. Some people have symptoms in one body area; others develop symptoms affecting several systems.

Anaphylaxis is a medical emergency and can involve breathing difficulty, throat or tongue swelling, faintness, confusion or a rapid deterioration. A suspected food allergy is not confirmed by symptoms alone: intolerance and other conditions can look similar. Allergy testing and a clinical history help a qualified clinician interpret the pattern.

Until assessed, avoid a food that has clearly triggered a reaction and keep a record of ingredients, timing, symptoms and treatment. Do not remove many foods from a child’s diet without professional advice, because this can affect nutrition. Read labels, tell restaurants and schools about the suspected allergy, and ask whether an emergency action plan or prescribed adrenaline device is needed.

Use prescribed emergency treatment and call emergency services immediately for trouble breathing, throat or tongue swelling, faintness, collapse, or rapidly spreading symptoms after food exposure. Do not wait to see whether the reaction settles. Even a mild first reaction should be discussed with a clinician because a later reaction can behave differently.

Ask whether the symptoms fit allergy, intolerance or another condition, which testing is useful, how to avoid the suspected trigger safely, whether an emergency plan is needed, and when foods can be reintroduced under supervision.