Thankfully, severe allergic reactions among young children are uncommon, but when they do occur they must be treated rapidly. Common causes include peanuts, fish, milk and egg. Less commonly, a child may be at risk of allergy to tree nuts (e.g. almonds, walnuts, cashew nuts, brazil nuts), sesame, shellfish and other foods, such as kiwifruit or soy. Non-food causes include wasp or bee stings, natural latex (rubber), penicillin or any other medication.
Babies and children with a family history of allergy are more likely to have food allergies. Babies who suffer from eczema are also at higher risk of suffering from food allergies. If your baby develops severe eczema before the age of three months they are at very high risk, so you need to be particularly cautious and you should discuss this with your GP.
Sarah Kohn, from Early Bird First Aid advises, “when beginning to wean your baby, keep foods simple and start with a single ingredient, preferably a fruit or vegetable. Fruits such as apples, pears and bananas are ideal. Root vegetables like carrots and sweet potato are also popular first foods, they are naturally sweet and can be puréed easily to a smooth texture. Ideally you should introduce new foods one at a time, that way you can pinpoint the allergen if they do have a reaction”.
Current advice is to give babies foods (including eggs, milk and peanut) from six months. This can help to reduce the risk of allergy developing in babies.
To learn how to respond to severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis), along with other essential first aid for parents, contact Sarah Kohn at Early Bird First Aid [email protected], tel 07967 598 338 or visit their website www.earlybirdfirstaid.com
Early Bird First Aid are currently offering large discounts on private courses in Surrey (4+ people). Contact them to book a session in the comfort of your own home.