Baby Allergic Reaction to Food: Signs and Symptoms – Healthline

Introducing your baby to solid foods can be such a fun and exciting time. But if you suspect your little one may have allergies, you might be worried about potential reactions and for good reason!

Food allergies affect up to 8 percent of children in the United States.

While a family history of food allergies and similar conditions may be a clue that your baby will have allergies as well, its not always the best predictor.

Heres how to get familiar with what a reaction looks like, learn how to spot a severe reaction, and understand the steps youll need to take to get your baby help.

Anaphylaxis is a severe allergic reaction that can be life threatening. If you suspect your baby may be having a serious reaction, call 911 or head to the nearest emergency room.

Symptoms may include:

Researchers share that babies tend to have hives, wheezing, and vomiting more than other symptoms.

One of the features of anaphylaxis versus a mild reaction is that it may come on quickly think 5 to 30 minutes after exposure. Recognizing these signs in your baby is the most important step to getting help.

So, what exactly is an allergic reaction? Well, if your baby is exposed to a substance like a food or beverage that theyre allergic to, a reaction is their bodys way of defending itself.

When exposed to an allergen, the body releases histamines that cause inflammation. As a result, your baby may have anything from mild to moderate or even severe symptoms.

Mild or moderate allergic reactions can happen after your baby touches, swallows, tastes, eats, or breathes in something theyre allergic to.

Symptoms might include:

Even exposure to a tiny amount of a food theyre allergic to, like a piece of a peanut, can be enough to produce a reaction in some babies.

Of course, babies drool, spit up, and cry relatively often. They also dont have the verbal skills to tell you something is wrong. Your baby may try to communicate that theyre not feeling well in some other way.

Pay close attention to your baby to spot these other possible signs of reaction:

Again, one of the key features of a severe reaction versus a mild one is that it comes on soon after exposure.

Signs of anaphylaxis in babies tend to be milder than in older children and adults. The most reported symptoms of severe allergic reaction in babies are hives and vomiting.

In a 2018 study on 357 children ranging from infants to school-aged kids, researchers discovered that babies who have allergic reactions tend to have stomach issues 89 percent of the time.

Specifically, vomiting was present in 83 percent of severe reactions to foods. And a whopping 94 percent of babies experienced hives as part of their severe reaction versus just 62 percent of school-aged kids.

Only 17 percent of infants had breathing difficulties. In fact, just a single baby had wheezing.

And only one baby had low blood pressure as a result of their severe reaction, which is a hallmark sign of anaphylaxis in older children and adults.

That all said, its important to be able to identify any allergy signs in your little one, especially soon after consuming certain foods.

If your child has any of these signs, dont hesitate to call 911 and get help. Even if you arent sure, its better to be safe than sorry.

Depending on the severity of the reaction, youll want to act fast to get your baby help especially if this is their first reaction.

In particular, youll want to get emergency help (call 911) if your baby has:

Combinations of other symptoms are also important to spot, like rash or swelling along with loose stools and vomiting.

If youve dealt with reactions before, your doctor likely prescribed an epinephrine pen (EpiPen) to use in cases of severe reactions.

Use this drug as directed, then call an ambulance or drive to the ER. Either way, be ready to do CPR if your baby stops breathing at any time.

Once medical staff arrive, let them know that youve administered epinephrine. You may need to give another dose of the drug if symptoms return.

If your baby does have a severe reaction, its important to keep an eye on them for 6 to 8 hours after treatment. Thats because theres risk of rebound anaphylaxis (severe symptoms that recur), typically within 8 hours of the initial reaction in up to 20 percent of cases.

If your little one has a mild reaction, its a good idea to call and check in with their pediatrician.

They can tell you if there are any steps you should take or if your baby needs an appointment. The doctor may also order allergy testing so you can identify other possible allergens to avoid.

Related: What to expect when your baby has allergies

Most severe allergic reactions to foods will happen very soon after exposure. However, some milder reactions may take up to a few hours (usually around 2 hours) to become apparent.

Food allergies may be more common in families with a history of allergies and associated conditions, like asthma, eczema, or even hay fever.

The great majority of food-related allergic reactions are caused by one of the following:

Of all foods, babies are most likely to be allergic to:

Though less common, some babies may be allergic to:

Babies and children can outgrow their allergies over time, though allergies to peanuts, tree nuts, fish, and shellfish may be lifelong.

Experts recommend exposing babies to high-risk foods before they reach their first birthdays. Research from 2015 supports the idea that earlier exposure to peanuts, for example, may lower the risk of developing a peanut allergy later on.

So, for example, youll want to cook eggs and prepare peanuts in age-appropriate ways (fully cooked eggs, smooth peanut butter) and offer them up to twice per week.

How to do it:

If you have a family history of food allergies, speak with your doctor about early introduction to certain foods. Some pediatricians may suggest you give the food under medical supervision in case of a severe reaction.

Related: How to safely introduce your baby to peanuts and other food allergens

The tricky thing with food allergies is that your babys reaction may not always be the same severity. Allergy experts explain that food that causes a relatively mild reaction one time may cause a more severe reaction another time.

Unfortunately, theres no specific drug or supplement you can take to prevent or treat food allergies as a whole.

Instead, the goal is to avoid foods that cause reaction and have emergency treatment available in the event that baby has been exposed.

Some tips for avoiding allergenic foods:

Theres no current evidence to support a restrictive diet while breastfeeding to prevent allergies in babies. Instead, work with a doctor for guidance on dietary changes only after your baby shows a potential reaction to a food.

The proteins from food reach breast milk approximately 3 to 6 hours after consumption. After eliminating allergenic foods, it may take between 1 and 2 weeks for your babys allergy symptoms to subside.

Speak with your babys pediatrician if you have any concerns about giving allergenic foods to your child. Your doctor should have the most up-to-date information about how to prepare and introduce these foods in the safest way possible.

Your childs doctor can also help you get appropriate allergy testing if needed and develop a plan for cases of severe reaction so youll feel more confident in an emergency.

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Baby Allergic Reaction to Food: Signs and Symptoms - Healthline