The first time you feed your child a new food is exciting. Will they like it" Or will they shove it away" In addition to assessing their palate, it?s also important to be on the lookout for any abnormal changes in their body or behaviour. About seven percent of children in Canada will experience symptoms of a food allergy, and they often react the first time they try a food. Babies can even have reactions to foods consumed by their mothers through breastmilk.
?Symptoms of an allergic reaction typically start soon after eating a food, usually within half an hour and often much more rapidly,? says Harold Kim, an allergist in Kitchener, Ont., and president of the Canadian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. ?But for the vast majority of kids, the risk of having a severe reaction with the first ingestion is quite small.? A child?s reaction can also be different every time they?re exposed to the allergen, so it?s important to be aware of all the possible symptoms. A reaction may be more severe if a child eats more of the food they?re allergic to, if they?re sick or if they?ve exercised before or after being exposed. Five to 15 percent of anaphylactic episodes?in which two or more body systems are involved?are associated with exercise. On the other hand, having mild symptoms doesn?t predict that they?ll always be mild, says Kim. ?It?s really difficult to predict who is going to have anaphylaxis later in life. The important thing is to be prepared.? Here?s what t...