MANILA, Philippines - Even for adults, allergies are a source of annoying discomfort. Those puffy eyes and that runny nose can make life difficult for anybody. And when it is an infant or a child that is struck with allergy, it becomes even more worrisome. Hence, it is important to take steps that will protect an infant from the discomfort and danger that allergies can bring.
Dr. Peter Smith, a pediatrician-allergologist from Griffith and Bond University in Australia, defines allergy as “an abnormal response of the body to a foreign protein, which can be something we breathe in, something we eat, or something we’re stung with, like an insect sting.” It is “abnormal” because these foreign substances are usually considered by the immune system as harmless.
Food allergies, in particular, affect anywhere from five to eight percent of infants, and rates have been rising in recent years. Cow’s milk protein is often the first and major cause of food allergy during infancy. Allergies to eggs, nuts, and seafood may also be common when solid foods are introduced during the complementary feeding period. In many cases, these food allergies may initially manifest themselves in the form of an upset stomach or regurgitation. But in severe cases, these could trigger a very serious reaction like anaphylactic shock, which could be a life-threatening condition due to constriction of airways and difficulty of breathing.
Research has shown that an infant’s risk of developing allergies is strongly related to his family’s allergy history. A parent or sibling with allergy increases the risk of the infant to develop allergy. If neither parent is allergic, the chance that infant will have allergies is about 15 percent. An infant with an allergic parent has 40 to 60-percent risk of developing allergy, and if both parents have allergies, the risk goes all the way to 80 percent.
Since allergy is an exaggerated reaction of the immune system, it can very well trigger a cascade of other troublesome effects as the infant grows older. For example, 95 percent of those who have egg allergy also develop dust mite allergy. And egg allergy is known to increase the risk of developing eczema, which in turn may also lead to allergic rhinitis as well.
What can be done to protect infants from developing allergies?
Breastfeeding is the best and earliest step that can be taken for dietary protection against allergy, regardless of family history. Breast milk provides a naturally hypoallergenic milk protein that significantly reduces the risk of allergy. Also, breast milk contains antibodies and probiotics (live, good bacteria) like bifidobacteria that help strengthen the infant’s immune system.
When breastfeeding is not possible, pediatricians may consider prescribing an infant formula that is hypoallergenic like hydrolyzed whey (H.W.) formulas. Because of hydrolysis (a technological process that breaks down cow’s milk protein into smaller, gentle pieces), hydrolyzed whey formulas are less allergenic than regular formulas. Hydrolyzed whey is often regarded as harmless by the immune system, and hence, it helps reduce the risk of allergy.
In addition to hydrolyzed whey, introducing probiotics to an infant’s diet can also significantly decrease the risk for allergy. In a paper explaining the benefits of probiotics in food allergy prevention, Dr. Smith explains that probiotics can help alleviate the tendency of the infant’s immune system to react abnormally to proteins in food and thus help reduce the potential of developing food allergies.
To know more about allergy protection, ask your pediatrician. A doctor is the parents’ expert partner in providing special care for his infant, to protect him against allergy. After all, an ounce of prevention is always better than a pound of cure.