Diagnosing and Treating Food Allergies Lesson

Diagnosing text annotation indicator (to identify the cause of a problem or disease) and treating food allergies is imperative to living a healthy lifestyle. Sometimes they are not easy to diagnose and can be expensive. Fortunately, many insurance plans cover the doctor's visit and help with the diagnosis. Far more people believe they have allergies than those that are actually diagnosed. This is sometimes because of faulty testing or food records for food diary and family history. Often in children, symptoms of a more serious disease can mimic those of a food allergy. For proper diagnosis, steps are illustrated below. Please ensure that your speakers are turned up and take notes on the information. If you have questions, contact your instructor. Roll over the "Instructions" icon to learn more about how to navigate the presentation.

Complications Related to Food Allergies

Most people with food allergy are able to live a normal life with only a few restrictions in their diet. Complications are rare and include the following.

Malnutrition: The digestive system may not be able to absorb all the nutrients needed.
Membrane problems: Allergic Reactions can cause swelling in the membrane areas which, in turn, will cause problems breathing and swallowing.
Asthma attacks
Anaphylactic Shock

Some people with food sensitivities and allergies are not able to thrive. This occasionally affects children. Many doctors will recommend allergy testing after they find the child constantly stays at a low or below 0% percentile on the growth chart. A food allergy or intolerance can block the absorption of vital nutrients and vitamins.

Treatment

While there is no known treatment for the elimination of food allergies, here are some tips for coping.

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Self Care at Home
--Severe Reactions
*Don't wait it out. Go to the hospital immediately.
*If alone, call 911,
*Use an epi-pen if you have one.

--Mild Reactions
*Take oral antihistamines (Benadryl)
*Take a long term antihistamine for prevention (Claritin or Zyrtec)
*Use a steroid cream for skin irritations (Hydrocortisone)

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Long Term Treatments & Prevention
--Dietary avoidance: Avoid including the offending allergen in your diet. Read food labels and eat at hone to avoid certain ingredients and foods.
--Treating an Anaphylactic reaction: Carry a syringe of adrenaline (epinephrine/EpiPen) obtained by prescription from a physician, and self-administer the medicine if needed during an allergic reaction
--Bronchodilators can relieve the symptoms of asthma related to a food allergy.

Self-Assessment

See how well you know how to cope with allergies by answering the following questions:

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