A food allergy can cause symptoms such as itching, swelling of the tongue, hives, difficulty breathing, and low blood pressure. In serious cases, life threatening anaphylaxis can occur. Allergies arise when your body’s immune system responds to a protein in a food, initiating a cascade of inflammatory responses. Common offending agents include cow’s milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, shellfish, fish, soy, and wheat. If someone has a true allergy to a food, it is of utmost importance that it is diagnosed properly and treated if indicated.

Diagnosis is usually based on a complete medical history, food diary, skin prick test, blood tests, and if indicated, an oral food challenge. Once the diagnosis is established, desensitization can be initiated if appropriate. There are multiple factors that must be evaluated when deciding whether or not desensitization is indicated. Many protocols are currently still under investigation. As with all practice, risk benefit ratio is evaluated. Avoidance vs. desensitization is decided on a case by case basis. In all cases, it is important to develop an action plan in the event that exposure occurs. An effective action plan may include carrying epinephrine and wearing MedicAlert gear.