wheat allergy

 About wheat allergy

 

When a person is allergic to wheat, the body's immune system, which normally fights infections, reacts disproportionately to wheat proteins. If this person eats something made with wheat, your body will interpret that these proteins are harmful invaders.

The immune system reacts by trying to cope with the invader. This causes an allergic reaction, in which the body releases a number of chemicals, such as histamine. The release of these substances may cause those affected to have some of the following symptoms:

    wheezing or wheezing ("whistling" when breathing)
    difficulty breathing
    cough
    hoarse
    throat tightness
    stomach ache
    vomiting
    diarrhea
    eyes crying, itching and / or eye swelling
    urticaria
    pimples or red rash
    inflammation
    drop in blood pressure, which can cause dizziness and / or loss of consciousness

Allergic reactions to wheat may differ from one another. Sometimes the same person can react in different ways at different times. Some of these allergic reactions are mild and only affect a body system, such as when hives appear on the skin. But other times the allergic reactions are more serious involving several parts of the body.
Wheat allergy and celiac disease differ

Wheat allergy involves an allergic response to the proteins contained in wheat. Gluten is one of the wheat proteins and can trigger allergic reactions. Gluten is also implicated in a condition called celiac disease.

It is easy to confuse celiac disease with wheat allergy, but these are two different conditions. In celiac disease there is no allergic reaction. What happens in this disease is that there is a different response of the immune system that affects the interior of the intestines and causes problems of food absorption.

While people with allergies can generally ingest other cereals, people affected by celiac disease can not eat any food that contains gluten. This protein is found in cereals such as barley, rye and sometimes in oats Anaphylaxis is a fatal risk reaction

Wheat allergy can lead to a serious allergic reaction called anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis may initially manifest as a mild allergic reaction and then worsen rapidly, possibly leading to trouble breathing and / or loss of consciousness. If left untreated, anaphylaxis can endanger the life of the affected person.

If your child has been diagnosed with a life-threatening wheat allergy (or any other type of fatal food allergy), your pediatrician will want you to carry an auto-injectable adrenaline (or epinephrine) to use in an emergency.

An auto-injectable adrenaline is a prescription drug that is sold in easy-to-carry containers about the size and shape of a large marker pen. It is easy to use. If your child should always have an adrenaline injectable handy, your pediatrician will tell you how it is used.

Children who are old enough can be taught how to get the shot. If they are responsible for carrying adrenaline, they should always have it on hand, instead of keeping it in your locker or in the nursing center of your school.

Regardless of where your child is, the adults who care for him should always know where the adrenaline injectable is, how to access it, and how it is given. The staff at your child's education center should know that you have a severe food allergy and have an action plan to follow in case of an emergency. Your child's rescue medications (such as adrenaline) should be easily accessible at all times.

If your child begins to develop severe allergic symptoms, such as swelling of the inside of the mouth and / or throat, or difficulty in breathing, administer the adrenaline auto-injectable immediately. Every second counts in an episode of anaphylaxis. Then call the emergency telephone number (911 in the US, 999 in the UK and 112 in the rest of the US) or take your child to an emergency room. Your child should be under medical supervision because, even though it appears that the worst has already happened, a second bursts or waves of severe symptoms often occur.

It is also a good idea to have your child wear over-the-counter antihistamines, which help treat mild allergic symptoms. In allergic risk reactions, use the antihistamine after the injectable adrenaline, never as your substitute.
Living with Wheat Allergy

If allergy tests indicate that your child is allergic to wheat, your pediatrician will give you some guidelines to ensure your food safety. Wheat allergy abounds more in the infant population than in the adult population, and many children seem to outgrow it with age.

But if your child is allergic to wheat, you should completely avoid food products that contain this food. Although most allergic reactions to wheat occur after eating foods that contain wheat, sometimes people can react to inhaled raw wheat particles (such as when a baker inspires wheat flour in his workplace).

Natural food stores and healthy food sections of supermarkets often have safe alternatives, such as breads, pasta salads and cereals for breakfast made without wheat. Also look for alternative wheat flour, such as potato, rice, soy, barley, oats and corn.

For more information on foods your child should avoid, check the websites recommended by your pediatrician.

Food manufacturers selling in the United States must specify in a clearly understandable language whether the product contains any of the major eight food allergens: wheat, milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, peanuts, nuts, and soybeans.

The label should include "wheat" in the list of ingredients or present phrases such as "contains wheat" next to this listing. This requirement of food labeling makes things a little easier. However, it is still important to learn the main names that wheat can receive: in the United States, for example, the word "durum" (in Spanish "trigo candeal") can appear in some food packaging.

Cross ContaminationBy cross contamination, we understand that the allergen is not part of the ingredients of a particular food product but may have contaminated it during the processing or packaging process. Companies are not required to report on the risk of cross-contamination in their packaging, although there are some that voluntarily include this type of information in their products. You can find warning information of the type: "May contain wheat", "Processed in facilities that also process wheat" or "manufactured with machinery that also processes wheat".

Since products lacking this type of preventive information are also exposed to cross-contamination (although the company has chosen not to report), it is best to contact the company to find out if the product could contain wheat . You can find this information on the company's website or send an email to a company representative to find out.

It is also important to remember that "safe" foods can become unsafe if food companies modify their ingredients, their manufacturing processes or their places of production.
Eating out

When your child eats at a restaurant or at a friend's house, find out how the food is cooked and what exactly it contains. It can be difficult to ask questions about the methods of preparation and you should also rely on the information received. If you can not be sure that the foods your child is going to eat do not contain wheat, it is best to have your child take safe, processed foods at home.

Be aware of cross-contamination, since wheat may be introduced into any foodstuff prepared or served using the same surfaces or the same cooking utensils, from marbles and knives to cutting boards, toasters or roasting plates. Fried foods are the most exposed to the risk of cross contamination, since they can be fried with the same oil as other foods containing wheat.

Also talk to the staff at your child's school about the risks of cross-contamination of food served in the school cafeteria. It may be best to prepare your child's food in his or her own home in order to control all of its ingredients.

Here are some additional precautions to follow:

    Do not feed your child with cooked products that you have not prepared or with any other food whose ingredients you do not know.
    Inform everyone who serves or manipulates your child's food, from relatives to waiters, that your child is allergic to wheat.
    Prepare your child's food and snacks in your own home, where you can control the preparation process.
    Do not let your child eat at a restaurant whose owner or manager appears to feel uncomfortable or upset just because you are trying to ensure your child's food safety.