providers at leitchfield pediatrics

Dealing with food allergies can be challenging, especially for children. It isn’t always easy to avoid specific food allergens when eating food someone else prepared, such as at school, a restaurant, or even a friend’s house. The experienced pediatric providers at Leitchfield Pediatric Clinic serving Leitchfield and Breckinridge County, KY, treat food allergies and can develop a treatment plan to help you manage and prevent allergic reactions in your child.

Food Allergy Symptoms

An allergic reaction occurs when the body’s immune system mistakenly identifies a normally harmless substance as harmful and begins producing antibodies to fight the substance. This results in the development of various symptoms, including:

• Rash or hives
• Itchiness
• Sneezing
• Runny nose
• Nasal congestion
• Difficulty breathing
• Facial swelling
• Chest pain
• Nausea
• Vomiting

Common Food Allergens

There are many different types of foods that can produce an allergic reaction. Allergy testing helps identify the specific foods your child is allergic to so steps can be taken to avoid those items or reduce exposure to them. Some common food allergens include:

• Milk
• Peanuts
• Tree nuts (e.g., walnuts, almond)
• Wheat or other grains
• Fish and shellfish
• Soybeans
• Sesame
• Corn
• Eggs

Treating Food Allergies

There are several ways to treat food allergies. The right treatment approach depends on the type of allergy, the frequency and severity of symptoms, and other factors. The skilled providers at our pediatric office serving Leitchfield and Breckinridge County, KY, treat allergies by developing a custom treatment plan tailored to the needs of each child. Common methods for treating food allergies include:

• Allergy medications, such as nasal sprays or antihistamines, to manage symptoms
• Treating underlying conditions, such as asthma, that can aggravate allergy symptoms
• Developing strategies for reducing or avoiding exposure to known food allergens
• Immunotherapy to develop tolerance to specific food allergens

Managing and Preventing Reactions

There are several steps you can take to help your child manage and prevent reactions when dealing with food allergies. Practical things you can do include:

• Not keeping foods your child is allergic to in the house
• Ensuring your child avoids food allergens as much as possible
• Reading food labels and ingredient lists to check for food allergens
• Avoiding cross-contact when prepping and cooking food for your child
• Choose social activities for your child that do not center around food and eating
• Contacting the host ahead of time for birthday parties and other events to let them know about your child’s food allergies
• Instructing your child to say no thank you when friends offer to share their food with them if they are unsure about the ingredients
• Working with your child’s provider to develop an action plan for handling an unexpected allergic reaction
• Always carrying an auto-injector if your child has severe food allergies

If your child has food allergies, we can help by developing a treatment plan for managing and preventing allergic reactions. Schedule an appointment with one of our pediatric providers to treat food allergies by calling Leitchfield Pediatric Clinic serving Leitchfield and Breckinridge County, KY, at (270) 259-5641.