Check what is causing you allergy

Food allergies among American children under age 18 increased by 18 percent from 1997 to 2007, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The CDC found that 1 of every 25 children (4 percent) under age 18 now suffers food allergies. In absolute numbers, this meant that nearly 3 million children in the age group had a food or digestive allergy in 2007.

In 1997, there was 1 of every 30 children in the age group (3.3 percent) who suffered food or digestive allergies. This translated to slightly over 2.3 million children.

The CDC says this is a significant trend.

It also confirms observations made by pediatricians and allergists. Hugh Sampson, MD, the director of the Jaffe Food Allergy Institute in New York says they have observed an increase of food allergy in children but their data was limited to peanut allergy. The CDC report points to a general uptrend in food allergy.

According to the CDC report, eight types of food caused 90 percent of food allergies: milk, peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, fish, shellfish, wheat and soy.

Food allergy is not the same as food intolerance. An allergy is an immune response gone awry, reacting to a harmless substance. Food intolerance is inability to digest food.

The allergic reactions may be as mild as a tingling sensation felt around the mouth and lips or as bothersome as skin rashes, vomiting, difficulty breathing, and hives. In particularly severe reactions, death can occur. Food intolerance can lead to stomachache, bloating, or diarrhea.

Why are more American kids getting food allergies?

No one knows for sure. Children suffer allergies more frequently than adults. Most children eventually outgrow allergies, but there are some whose allergies remain throughout life.

Dr. Sampson says one clue could be the occurrence of peanut allergies not just in the U.S. but also in countries that follow a Western diet similar to the U.S. diet — high in fried foods, salty snacks and meat. The phenomenon is occurring primarily in Westernized countries, with diets and lifestyles similar to the U.S.

As an example, Sampson cites children in China whose peanut-based food consumption is similar to U.S. children but who do not get peanut allergy. Children in the U.S. eat peanuts dry roasted; in China, they eat peanuts boiled or fried. The high temperatures necessary for dry roasting induce changes in the peanut that taken together may make them more allergenic.

Safety Tip:

* Never ignore a skin rash that appears suddenly. At the very least, contact a pediatrician. Food allergies can be very serious.