When proteins cause chaos

Protein allergy happens when the body’s immune system reacts the same way it does when there is an infection in the body. The immune system sees a foreign source of protein as a threat, as it does the disease-causing organisms.

This type of allergy normally affects young children whose immune systems are yet to develop fully. Though the allergy eventually disappears on its own in most children, it may last for life. It affects less than 1 per cent of adults and less than 8 per cent of children under 3 years.

Common causes
Protein allergens include cow’s milk, eggs, soya, peanuts (legumes), tree nuts, fish and wheat. There are many different types of specific food allergies, but allergy to protein is broader.

Symptoms

• Watery eyes, sneezing and contact rashes in and around the mouth
• Itching on the mouth, lips and throat Eczema, rashes and hives on the skin
• The stomach can also experience discomfort. In the worst of cases, vomiting can take place.
• Diarrhoea
• Babies and young children can seem fussy and have stomach upsets
• Spitting up more often than normal or seeming colicky can occur in children with protein allergies
• Bloody stool is often a sign of protein allergies in infants
• In extremely severe cases, anaphylaxis (an acute, severe allergic reaction provoked by exposure to a specific allergen which can cause death) can occur. Anaphylaxis affects the skin, breathing and causes low blood pressure.

Note: Allergic reactions do not affect the nervous system.

Diagnosing
Your doctor may do a number of tests to determine whether your child has a protein allergy.

• Personal history will be considered. Keeping a food diary with reactions can be of help to your physician.
• Other tests include a stool test, a blood test and a skin test.
• The oral challenge. Suspected foods are completely removed from the diet. After several days or weeks, the foods are gradually introduced while the patient is watched for reactions.

Managing it

1. The best way to manage protein allergies is to avoid the food.Parents need to educate themselves on the various ways allergens can be hidden in food products. Milk protein, for example, is present in butter, yoghurt, cheese and cream. It can appear on the label as whey, casein, lactic acid and sodium caseinate.
2. Soya is in many health food products today and is the basis for common foods such as mayonnaise. Food manufacturers are required to label products that contain peanuts or other potential allergens. This helps avoid problem foods.
3. Symptoms can be treated after exposure. Antihistamines ease itching and skin breakouts in exposed children.
4. For those susceptible to anaphylaxis, epinephrine(adrenaline) is used to treat it. Epinephrine improves airways, blood pressure, and may be life- saving.

END: BL 33 / 13