Food Allergy (cont.)

Prevention

The only sure way to prevent future food allergies is to avoid eating a trigger food. Take care because a trigger can be present in many different foods; only a trace amount can cause a reaction.

• Learn to read food labels carefully and know which ingredients you should avoid.
• When eating in restaurants, ask what ingredients are in foods you would like to order.
• Avoid foods whose ingredients you can't confirm.
• Work with a registered dietitian to plan safe menus.
• Check into special food-allergy cookbooks and groups such as the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network that deal with issues specific to food allergies.

Be prepared to deal with an anaphylactic reaction if you are exposed to the culprit food again. If you have had a severe reaction before, carry your epinephrine kit.

Never underestimate the danger of an allergic reaction.

Allergy shots are given to some people who have persistent and disruptive food allergy symptoms.

• The shots do not treat symptoms, but by altering the immune response they prevent future reactions. (This is referred to as immunotherapy.)
• Treatment involves a series of shots, each containing a slightly greater amount of the antigen(s) that cause the reaction.
• Ideally, the person will become "desensitized" to the antigen(s) over time.
• These are still under investigation and have not been proven to prevent allergic reactions.
• The effectiveness of shots varies by individual.