Flour is contained in a variety of products. This component is present in the diet of almost every family. Wheat flour is especially popular, but, unfortunately, it is not suitable for everyone. The cause is allergy.
Causes of occurrence
An allergic reaction to flour occurs if some features are present in the human body. One of the common causes of the development of the disease is gluten intolerance.
Don't know gluten - what is it? This element is found in almost all plants of the cereal family. These include wheat, rye and barley. People suffering from intolerance to this component have to forever refuse the food in which it is contained.
Very often children are allergic to wheat flour. As a rule, a disease occurs due to a genetic predisposition. In the adult population, intolerance appears due to a decrease in the protective properties of the body / immunity.
In medical practice, there are cases when an allergic reaction manifests itself from flour dust. That is, the human body copes well with the processing of wheat, but is not able to withstand the effects of a bulk substance. Most often, this kind of disease is observed among cooks and bakers.
Symptoms of the disease
An allergic reaction to food is most often manifested by the digestive tract and skin. But this is expressed somewhat differently than with other types of allergies.
Symptoms in a patient may be different, it all depends on the causes of the disease. In addition, the age and personality of a particular person is of great importance.
Signs of an allergy to wheat flour may appear as follows:
- Colic and swelling of the abdomen.
- Dry skin.
- Redness.
- Various rashes on the face, hands and stomach.
- Fever.
In the presence of cross-reactions, the same symptoms appear, but if the patient has hay fever, then the following symptoms are likely to appear:
- Allergic runny nose.
- Rapid sneezing.
- Dry cough.
- Redness of the eyes, lacrimal excretion, and so on.
The manifestation of allergies in children
The introduction of complementary foods in the form of porridge is a necessary process for a child as they grow older. Very often, for this purpose, mothers use wheat porridge. But in some children, an allergic reaction may occur after use. There may be several reasons for a child to be allergic to wheat flour and cereal.
The problem may be in the milk on which the porridge was cooked. Children growing on artificial nutrition are hypersensitive to milk protein. Therefore, if the child’s body reacted poorly, then it is worth trying to boil wheat porridge on the water. If even in this case an allergy went, then the child has gluten intolerance. What it is has been described above.
Symptoms in children can occur in the following:
- Skin rashes and spots.
- Ulceration.
- Irritation of the skin.
- Abdominal pain and bloating.
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Violation of the stool.
- Cough.
- Dizziness.
- Decrease in activity.
If you are allergic to wheat flour, you must urgently remove the element from the diet of the child.
How to determine the reaction to flour
Diagnosis of an allergy to wheat flour always starts with a medical history. First of all, the doctor gives the patient a referral for tests. An accurate diagnosis can only be made after a series of studies. Most often, they check the blood.
If you suspect an allergic reaction to gluten, doctors usually choose another diagnostic method - an application patch. This method consists in applying a concentrated dose of wheat flour allergen to the patient's skin. A bandage with liquid is applied to the arm. Initial assessment of the reaction is performed after 1-2 days.
Only after receiving the results of the examination, the immunologist can begin to develop a treatment plan. It is compiled taking into account the individual characteristics of the patient - age, heredity and the state of immunity.
General recommendations and methods of treatment
The main rule to be followed in case of a disease is the exclusion of products containing gluten from the diet. Subsequently, a patient with an allergy to wheat flour is given a special diet. To achieve improvement, it is necessary to comply with it implicitly, as well as follow other doctor's recommendations.
For the treatment of allergies, as a rule, the following groups of drugs are used:
- Antihistamines.
- Sorbents.
- Corticosteroids.
In addition, non-traditional (folk) methods of treatment are popular. But before making this decision, it is recommended to consult with a specialist.
Drug treatment
As mentioned above, when prescribing a treatment program, an allergist takes into account the patient's age, as well as the state of his immune system. Sorbents are used to remove toxins from the body. The most popular drug of all is Enterosgel. But it can easily be replaced with conventional activated carbon. Antihistamines are used to relieve itching. Corticosteroids help strengthen the immune system.
When treating children, only antihistamines are prescribed. The treatment course should not exceed 10 days.
Taking medications without a doctor’s prescription may at best not produce a result, and at worst aggravate the situation. Therefore, before starting treatment, it is necessary to consult an allergist or immunologist.
Alternative treatment
After a mandatory consultation with a specialist, the patient has the right to use alternative methods for the treatment of allergies to wheat flour. As a rule, a variety of herbal infusions are used for this. They can be used both internally and externally.
For the treatment of each type of allergic reaction, certain plants are used (for internal use). For outdoor use, the most effective are:
- A series of. It is not recommended to apply more often three times a week, as the plant dries the skin greatly.
- Chamomile. Suitable for daily use.
- Calendula.
- Nettle.
Before you start using this or that plant, the patient needs to make sure that he does not have an allergy to the plant. Otherwise, the situation may become critical.
Effectively copes with an allergy to flour, a solution of mummy. It is very easy to prepare it - you need to dissolve 1-2 grams of the product in one liter of warm water. The resulting solution is completely safe. You can use it at any age both inside and outside. But the dosage should be selected by a specialist who has the skills to work with similar cases.
Diet as the main treatment
An allergic reaction to wheat flour is much less common than to eggs and cow's milk. At the same time, not only flour is excluded from the diet, but also all products in which it may be contained - semi-finished products, crackers, semolina, bran, preparations for baking, and so on. Typically, the product label indicates what is included.
If you are allergic to wheat flour, what to exclude from the diet? As a rule, all recommendations on this subject are given to the patient by the doctor after drawing up a treatment plan. The list of prohibited products includes:
- Soups with pasta, dumplings and other types prepared with the addition of this ingredient.
- Meat, fish, poultry cooked in breading.
- Meat products with fillers - sausages, sausages and more.
- Pasta.
- Bread, which contains wheat flour.
- Croutons, pancakes, pancakes.
- Wheat porridge.
- Ready-made sauces containing flour.
- Any pastries made from wheat flour. This applies to home and factory products.
- Ice cream on waffles and in a glass.
- Some varieties of coffee, candy and chocolate substitutes. Carefully study the chemical composition of the purchased product; there should be no wheat flour in it.
- Beer, wheat vodka.
You should not be upset after studying the list, because instead of wheat flour you can always use other products. Not sure how to replace wheat flour? For example, instead of it, you can take potato or corn starch, flour from rice, oatmeal, corn or potatoes. One glass of wheat flour can be replaced with another ingredient in the following proportion:
- Starch / Potato Flour - Half a Cup.
- Rice flour - 0.9 cups.
- Rye flour / ground oatmeal - one cup and a quarter.
- Cornmeal - one glass.
- Barley flour - half a glass.
Nuances
If in a normal recipe to replace wheat flour with analogues, then the following points should be considered:
- Products in which wheat flour is replaced should be baked on the smallest fire, especially if there are no milk or eggs in the composition.
- To make the dough more tender, it is recommended to add several types of flour.
- Baking, which uses wheat flour analogues, is quite difficult to bake, so you should make small rolls and pies.
- Non-wheat flour products dry faster. It is recommended to store them in sealed packaging.
- Dough made from other types of wholemeal flour may contain lumps. It is recommended to knead it more thoroughly. First, milk or water is added to the flour, the resulting mixture is boiled. And only after it cools down, other ingredients are added.
What else can replace wheat flour?
An excellent alternative to wheat is Eincorn. In another way, it is also called odnozernyanka. This product is absolutely harmless for those who are allergic to wheat flour. In addition, you can safely use barley, potato tubers and corn. Oatmeal and soy are also suitable.
You can cook flour from the listed products yourself at home. To do this, take the selected type of product and grind it in a blender. If this option seems complicated, then you can buy the right flour at the grocery store, in the hypoallergenic products department.
If an allergic reaction to wheat flour is detected, it is necessary to immediately stop eating foods with its content in food. If the symptoms of an allergy to wheat flour are very severe, causing discomfort, then you should immediately contact a specialist. As a rule, an allergist or immunologist deals with this issue. He will conduct all the necessary studies and draw up a treatment plan. Usually, everything is limited to the appointment of antihistamines and diet.
Preventative measures
Prevention of allergies to wheat flour with increased sensitivity to certain components consists in strict adherence to the diet prescribed by the doctor. The nutrition program completely eliminates the use of baked goods, as well as products containing wheat protein.
In addition, one should take into account the fact that this element may be present in the composition of medical ointments, as well as some cosmetic skin care products.
Conclusion
Remember that an allergy to wheat flour is a disease that, at first glance, seems harmless. Neglect of treatment and further use of the allergen can lead to asphyxiation or Quincke's edema. In this case, only timely professional help will save the patient. Therefore, when identifying the first signs of an allergic reaction, you must immediately consult a specialist.