Food Intolerance In Children

How can you tell if your child has a food intolerance or a food allergy? 

Firstly, What is a food intolerance?
This is when a child has difficulty digesting food and or has an unpleasant reaction to certain foods. Some of the most common symptoms are listed below. Food intolerance symptoms usually start within a few hours or you may have a delayed reaction of 3-4 days of eating certain foods and can include but is not limited to the following symptoms; 

• Tummy pain

• Bloating

• Wind 

• Diarrhoea

• Skin rashes and itching

• Behavioural problems such as poor concentration and irritability 

What are symptoms of a Food Allergy? 
A food allergy on the other hand is a reaction to certain foods by the human immune system. The immune system is the body's defence against infection. Food allergies can show quickly and only after eating small amounts of the food and in some cases, can be life threatening. The following list of symptoms are the most common in food allergies; 

• Itchy sensation inside the mouth, throat or ears
• Raised itchy red rash also known as "hives"
• Swelling of the face, around the eyes, lips, tongue and roof of the mouth 
• Vomiting

See a full list of varied food intolerance symptoms here. 

As you can see from the list of symptoms, a food intolerance is different from a food allergy, therefore if your child's symptoms match that of a food allergy, please get in touch with your doctor for medical help. If your child's symptoms are that of a food intolerance, please read on...

Food Intolerance Test For Kids; 
The food intolerance test for kids does not hurt, most children find it interesting - like they would a trip to the dentist. They find the testing machine intriguing so I tend to let them help me put the machine together and play them a sample of the noises it makes, which they find amusing. 

I take my time to introduce myself to your child so that they get to know me and feel part of the process. Once they feel calm and relaxed in my company, I show them that the test will not be painful and show them ways in which I can make the test fun. 

Prior to the appointment, I run through the details with the parent or guardian. This helps to eliminate any concerns and helps you better understand the testing process. You can read more about the food intolerance testing process here. 

Having two young children of my own, I try to make the children's food intolerance testing fun and educational and overall, they do enjoy the experience. 

To help make the process smoother, you can download the form here, complete it in the comfort of your home and bring it with you on the day of your appointment - this allows us more time to focus on getting your child settled for the test.

I also test newborns from any age including during breastfeeding or weaning stages. If you are a breastfeeding mum, I will require your diet history but the test will be performed on your baby. 

Book a food intolerance test for your baby, toddler or child here.