Eczema and food allergies – is there a connection?– Itchy Baby Co.

Eczema and food allergies – is there a connection?

  • by Petra Jelinkova
Eczema and food allergies – is there a connection?

Eczema and food allergies – is there a connection?

I will try anything to help my little one’s eczema, but being a pharmacist, there has to be some evidence that it can be effective. One of the common things we talk about with eczema are food allergies.

Food allergies and managing eczema

In some children with severe eczema taking away certain foods from their diet can help manage their eczema. It’s important to remember that foods can be a trigger for eczema but eating a particular food does not cause eczema. So, taking away a food from your child’s diet might improve their skin, but will not cure their eczema. The decision to take away certain foods from your child’s diet should only be done with your doctor and a dietitian who specialises in allergies. If your child’s skin improves when they are not eating the suspected food triggers, then these foods are introduced back into your child’s diet one at a time to see whether or not they cause an eczema flare up.

What is a food allergy reaction?

There are two types of reactions which can happen if your little one has a food allergy.
  • Immediate food allergy – this is when symptoms develop within two hours of eating the trigger food. You might see your child itching and scratching after eating the trigger food. Other common signs are redness, irritation and swelling around the mouth or a lumpy rash on the skin. Itchy eyes, sneezing as well as tummy pain and wheezing can also happen.
  • Delayed food allergy – this happens about 6 to 24 hours after eating the trigger food. Eczema will usually worsen with intense itching. Tummy pain and diarrhoea can also be symptoms of a delayed food allergy.

If you think there is a food which is making your little one’s eczema worse see your doctor.

What are common food allergies with eczema?

It's generally agreed that common food allergies seen in children with eczema are cow’s milk, egg, wheat, fish, soya and nuts.

How do I know if my child has a food allergy?

Testing for food allergies is tricky because the tests can give falsely positive results which can lead to us thinking our child is allergic to a certain food, and removing it from their diet when we don’t need to. Testing for food allergies can either be done by pricking the skin with a small amount of allergy trigger or by a blood test. Any test should be interpreted by a medical specialist to make sure you an accurate interpretation of the results.

This blog post was brought to you and your bub with love and care by Julia and the itchy baby co. team x.  

Disclaimer: Information provided is of a general nature only and you should always consult your medical professional


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