Intolerances in babies symptoms? (2023)

FAQs

How do I know if my baby is intolerant to something? ›

Eggs, milk, and peanuts are the most common causes of food allergies in children, with wheat, soy, and tree nuts also included. Peanuts, tree nuts, fish, and shellfish commonly cause the most severe reactions. Nearly 5 percent of children under the age of five years have food allergies.

This is because the baby's immune system creates specific IgE antibodies to a certain food. If a baby is given the specific food they are allergic to, the IgE antibodies will recognise it and cause the rapid release of chemicals, including histamine, that trigger inflammation and allergic symptoms.

The three most common food intolerances are lactose, a sugar found in milk, casein, a protein found in milk, and gluten, a protein found in grains such as wheat, rye, and barley.

Food intolerance may be hereditary and detected during childhood, but it can also emerge later in life. It is possible for your body to develop an aversion to certain foods as you age or after a change in diet.

How can I tell if my child has food intolerance? Your child may experience bloating, loose stools, gas or other symptoms after eating a specific food. Even though this reaction is not dangerous, if it causes your child discomfort you might want to avoid those foods in the future.

Food intolerance in babies

Some babies have a food intolerance. A food intolerance is different to a food allergy, as it is generally a less severe reaction and is not caused by the immune system reacting to the food. Common food intolerances include: Dairy products.

The majority of infants who react to a food outgrow it by age three. Whether they had a true allergic reaction to a food, or a food intolerance, most children will not remain sensitive to the food that troubled them as a baby as they get older.

How can I stop my baby being intolerant? ›

Exclusive breastfeeding for around the first 6 months of life. From around 6 months of age (but not before 4 months), introduce complementary foods (solids) – including foods known to cause food allergies – alongside continued breastfeeding.

The blood test that is most commonly used is called RAST (radioallergosorbent test). Blood tests may be used when skin tests can't be done or if there are still questions about a food allergy after the skin test. A positive blood test does not always mean that your child has a specific allergy.

Symptoms of food allergy affect the skin (i.e. hives; swelling of the lips, tongue, and face), respiratory system (i.e. shortness of breath, wheezing), and the gastrointestinal tract (i.e. abdominal pain, vomiting), and even cause heart failure. If left untreated, these symptoms can be fatal.

Elimination diets are the gold standard for identifying food intolerances, sensitivities and allergies through diet. They remove certain foods known to cause uncomfortable symptoms and reintroduce them at a later time while testing for symptoms.

Skin: hives (red, blotchy skin that may be itchy) that may include mild to severe swelling. Lungs: difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, coughing or wheezing. Eyes: itching, tearing or redness. Throat: tightness, trouble breathing or inhaling.

The best way to truly identify a food intolerance is to keep a detailed log with food you eat and symptoms you are having, then work with a registered dietitian to look at common foods or ingredients that would correlate with the types of symptoms you are experiencing.

There is no treatment or cure for food intolerance, however, there are strategies that may help with symptom relief. An elimination diet is considered the gold standard in identifying foods that are causing a problem. Undertaking this diet then avoiding foods identified as troublesome may help symptoms.

Do food intolerances get worse over time? ›

This change is known as food intolerance, an occurrence that can affect anyone at any age but increases as we get older. This is due to slower emptying of the stomach and microbial imbalance in the small intestine that come naturally with age.

Peanut allergies are among the most common and most fatal of the food allergies, causing anaphylaxis more often than the other four we mention.

The following symptoms may indicate the baby is having gastrointestinal problems: Vomiting: Spitting up and dribbling milk with burps or after feedings is fairly common in newborns. This is because the sphincter muscle between the stomach and the esophagus (the tube from the mouth to stomach) is weak and immature.

Lactose intolerance symptoms include wind, stomach pain, bloating, rumbling tummy and diarrhoea. Babies with lactose intolerance might also have nappy rash. Most breastfed babies with lactose intolerance can still breastfeed. See a GP about formula-fed babies.

skin reactions – such as an itchy rash or swelling of the lips, face and around the eyes. digestive problems – such as stomach ache, vomiting, colic, diarrhoea or constipation. hay fever-like symptoms – such as a runny or blocked nose. eczema that does not improve with treatment.

Sometimes it takes weeks for the normal squeezing pattern of the stomach to get into rhythm. Until that happens, milk can sit in her stomach longer than normal and then come back up. This is called reflux. Most cases of reflux disappear once baby is between 4 and 12 months old.