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Medical Author:

Jatinder Singh, MD

Coauthor:

Mark Clark, MD

Medical Editor:

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.

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Most people with food allergies do well if they are able to avoid their trigger foods. With time, many people lose their antibodies to the foods to which they once were allergic to, or "outgrow" the allergy.

• This is most likely to happen if the trigger food is identified and eliminated from the diet.
• This is especially true in children who, by about the age of 10 years, may outgrow their allergies -- mainly to milk and eggs.
• Allergies to nuts, fish, and shellfish can last a lifetime.

Once a person has had a reaction to a food, he or she is more likely to have a severe reaction if exposed to the trigger.

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