According to data from the Spanish Society of Clinical Immunology, Allergology and Pediatric Asthma (SEICAP), between four and eight percent of school-age children in Spain have one or more food allergies, and Christmas is the time of the year when the risk of reaction increases the most.
The reasons are several, but among them stands out the high number of foods consumed at this time and that are especially allergens, such as nuts and shellfish.
Why does the risk of allergies at Christmas increase?
Experts point to the Christmas holidays as a particularly critical moment in terms of food allergies, especially if we talk about children. According to statistics, allergic reactions increase, as do the risks of suffering an allergy. The reasons are diverse:
Be increase meals away from home, and with this, less control over food preparation and handling.
The table is filled with a wide variety of dishes, and this increases the risk of cross contamination when there is a food allergy.
Seafood is one of the main dishes of Christmas menus, as are nuts, which are also the base ingredient of many typical sweets. And precisely these two foods have a high allergen potential.
During Christmas meals it is common to consume foods that are not taken regularly throughout the year, so many children will contact them for the first time at these parties.
In Babies and more Some food allergies can start from pregnancySeafood Allergy
Seafood are responsible for one of the five most common food allergies in children, according to SEICAP data. Symptoms of allergy to this food include cough, shortness of breath, inflammation, hives, throat tightness, abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting and anaphylaxis, in the most severe cases.
Shellfish allergy is different from fish allergy, as they are different foods, so if your child is allergic to fish, it doesn't have to be seafood, and vice versa.
Seafood is divided into three large groups:
Crustaceans: are those whose body is covered in a shell, and sometimes they are also provided with tweezers. They are, for example, lobsters, shrimp, crabs, prawns, prawns, barnacles ...
Cephalopods: they are mollusks generally without a shell, and with a bulky head, such as octopus, squid, sepia ...
Bivalve molluscs: They are mollusks with a shell that have two lateral leaflets, which open and close. For example, clams, cockles, chirlas, mussels ...
In Babies and more Seafood in the children's diet: tips and suggestions for its preparation and consumptionThe allergy between each group of shellfish is usually independent, and it may even be the case of presenting allergy to only one type of seafood within the same group, and not to others.
Although after six months the baby could already eat practically everything, it is advisable that if there is a history of food allergies in the family, or your baby has an allergy to other foods (such as cow's milk protein allergy or egg allergy), ask your pediatrician when you think it is the best time to introduce seafood into your diet.
And if this Christmas will be the first in which your little one consumes seafood (either cooked, grilled, stewed, soups, creams ...), remember that you must wait three to five days before adding another new food to your diet, as well as another species of seafood. In this way, it will be easier for you to detect any signs of allergy or intolerance that may occur.
In Babies and more My baby starts eating solids: how to know if you are at risk of allergiesAllergy to nuts
Allergy to nuts constitutes one of the most frequent food allergies in childhood. The associated symptoms can be severe, and they occur in the form of hives, inflammation in the throat and tongue, conjunctivitis, respiratory and digestive problems, and anaphylaxis in the most severe cases.
The most frequent allergy nuts are peanuts, nuts, almonds and hazelnuts, mainly because they are the most consumed.
Although many families choose to introduce the nuts in the children's diet after six months (ยกalways ground, because of the risk of choking!), there are also those who prefer to wait a little longer for their introduction thinking that they prevent the appearance of allergies.
However, experts have repeatedly commented, delaying the introduction of a food not only does not prevent the appearance of allergies, but it can be counterproductive. In fact, in the case of peanutsThe latest studies talk that an early introduction to the baby's diet could reduce the likelihood of developing an allergy in the future.
In Babies and more My golden rules to survive Christmas with food allergies
In any case, if this Christmas your little one will consume nuts for the first time, keep in mind the following tips:
According to SEAIC, most allergic reactions occur within 30 minutes after consumption, so if you detect any symptoms that make you suspect, go immediately to the hospital's emergency department.
Pediatricians recommend that children under six not consume whole nuts. So, if you are going to offer them to be ground or cream.
In VitónicaAlmond and peanut butter cream: two easy recipes - Many of the typical Christmas sweets (marzipan, nougat, polvorones, pasta ...) include almonds and hazelnuts among their main ingredients. Keep this in mind when offering it to your children.
Anisakis allergy
According to the latest data, the number of allergic reactions by anisakis has increased in recent years, and although it is not a typical allergy among the child populationIt is important to know how we can prevent it and why Christmas is a time with high risk.
In Babies and more Anisakis allergy: everything you need to know about its prevention, symptoms and treatment in children and pregnant womenAnisakis larvae are found in the abdominal cavity of between 40 and 80 percent of marine fish and cephalopods of all seas and oceans in the world, but they do not parasitize bivalve molluscs, crustaceans, or river fish.
The most common is that most of us have ingested larvae of anisakis present in the fish we consume without this fact has caused us any alteration or complication of health. But, on other occasions the intake of anisakis can lead to infection and / or allergy, which manifests itself in the form of hives, allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, asthmatic crisis and, less frequently, anaphylactic reaction.
At Christmas the consumption of fish and cephalopods increases considerably, so for prevent the spread of anisakis We must take the following measures when consuming these products:
Buy deep-frozen fish on the high seas, or freeze it at home for a minimum of 72 hours at -20º. According to experts, this is the most effective measure to kill anisakis larvae.
If it has not been previously frozen, we must cook it at 60º for at least two minutes, making sure that it is very done inside and avoiding culinary techniques such as irons or microwaves.
Do not consume raw fish or made with the following techniques: smoked, pickled, pickled, marinated, carpaccios, sushi ...
How to face Christmas with food allergies?
If your child is part of the percentage of food allergies we mentioned at the beginning and these are going to be his first Christmas, you may feel especially distressed and worried.
A wide variety of foods, meals away from home and meetings with family and friends who may not be aware of this problem, makes parents of allergic children live these holidays with greater concern.
In Babies and more The hard battle of parents of children with allergies against those who insist on giving them what they cannot eatWe give you some tips to minimize risks and live Christmas in the most relaxed way possible:
Always carry your child's medication with you. Sometimes, rush, travel and continuous meetings away from home can lead us to forget and forget about it. So, before leaving home, check that you take it with you.
Although it is obvious, always read carefully the labeling of any new product that your child will consume. And if you eat out and are not sure that any of the dishes are suitable, ask for the recipe and the ingredients used and if in doubt, do not give it to them.
Be very careful with the traces present in some foods, as well as with the cross contamination that we can cause if we do not follow strict hygiene and safety measures when handling and cooking food.
Some food allergies too may present allergy by inhalation. This happens, for example, in the case of those allergic to shellfish when they breathe the fumes or the smoke that their cooking gives off.
If you are invited to eat, always inform about your child's allergy and make sure the host has understood what he can and cannot eat and how he should prepare the menu. When in doubt, you better choose to take your own food home.
If you have decided to travel on these holidays, there are a number of factors that you must take into account, especially if you are going to leave the country. Among them is the type of gastronomy, the means of transport used to travel, the language and health care of the country. In this article we gave you all the keys to travel safely.
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