Eggs are one of the most powerful allergens and often cause a specific reaction not only in adults, but also in young children.
Signs of an allergy usually appear within a few minutes (sometimes a few hours) after eating eggs or products containing them (including egg powder). Symptoms of intolerance can be either mild or severe: skin rash, urticaria, nasal congestion, vomiting, or other digestive disorders. In rare cases, eggs cause anaphylaxis, a life-threatening reaction.
Egg allergy is often manifested in infancy, during the introduction of new complementary foods. Most children outgrow it by adolescence.
Symptoms
The reaction of the body depends entirely on its individual characteristics and manifests itself soon after eating the allergen. Given what an egg allergy implies, the symptoms are as follows:
- Skin inflammation, or urticaria, is the most common allergic reaction.
- Nasal congestion, runny nose, and sneezing (allergic rhinitis).
- Signs of indigestion: colic, nausea, vomiting.
- Signs and symptoms of asthma: coughing, sneezing, chest tightness or shortness of breath.
Anaphylaxis
Severe egg allergy in adults or children can lead to anaphylaxis, a potentially fatal condition that requires the immediate administration of epinephrine (adrenaline) and emergency care. Signs and symptoms of anaphylaxis include the following conditions:
- Narrowing of the airways, including swelling or a feeling of a lump in the throat along with shortness of breath
- Colic and pain in the chest.
- Increased heart rate.
- A shock condition with a sharp drop in blood pressure, manifested in the form of impaired well-being, dizziness or loss of consciousness.
It is advisable to discuss with your doctor any reaction (even if it seems insignificant) if you or your child are allergic to chicken eggs. The severity of symptoms can be different each time, so even with a small initial reaction, more serious symptoms can subsequently be expected.
If the doctor believes that your child may have a severe reaction, he will prescribe an immediate injection of epinephrine in case of anaphylaxis. Such injections are made using a pen-syringe, providing emergency administration of the drug.
When to see a doctor?
You should make an appointment with an allergist if you or your child have symptoms of a food allergy right after eating eggs or egg-containing foods. If possible, it is better to see a doctor right during an atypical reaction to the product - this way the specialist will diagnose faster and more accurately.
If there are signs of anaphylaxis, you should immediately call an ambulance and take a single dose of epinephrine in a special syringe if an allergy to eggs is diagnosed and the drug is officially prescribed by a doctor.
Causes
Intolerance to certain foods is not an adequate response of the immune system to new foods. In this case, the immune system mistakenly perceives some of the proteins contained in the eggs as harmful substances. When you or your child comes into contact with these proteins, the cells of the immune system (antibodies) recognize the imaginary danger and signal the body to release histamine and other chemical compounds into the bloodstream that cause signs and symptoms of allergies.
Proteins, which are potential allergens, are found both in protein and in yolk, however, egg egg intolerance is most common. Egg allergy (the photo of which is presented in many medical guides) can also occur in a baby who is breast-fed if his mother eats yolks and squirrels.
Risk factors
The following circumstances increase the risk of egg intolerance:
- Atopic dermatitis. Children with similar skin rashes are more likely to be allergic to eggs than their peers with healthy skin.
- Family history. You are at risk if one or both of your parents is diagnosed with asthma, food allergies, or individual intolerance, manifested in the form of allergic rhinitis, urticaria, or eczema.
- Age. Egg allergy is most common in children. With age, the digestive system finally matures, and cases of food allergies are recorded less and less.
Treatment
The only way to prevent an abnormal reaction is to stop eating eggs and their derivatives. However, some people with this type of allergy respond normally to products containing processed eggs, such as baked goods.
Medicines - antihistamines - reduce the symptoms of mild food allergies. These drugs can be drunk after exposure to the allergen. Nevertheless, it should be remembered that they are not able to completely prevent an abnormal reaction and are ineffective in the treatment of severe conditions.
You may need to always carry an epinephrine pen with you. An injection is required for anaphylaxis.
Egg allergy in a child is rarely serious, as most children gradually outgrow this ailment. Discuss with your doctor if you can see if signs of egg protein intolerance persist over time. You should not give your child eggs as an experiment, since it is impossible to predict the reaction of the child's body to the re-use of a potentially harmful product.
Prevention
You can independently take measures to prevent an allergic reaction or prevent its deterioration. For instance:
- Read the food information on the packaging carefully. Some people don’t tolerate eggs even in scanty residual quantities (such an amount is indicated by the inscription on the product packaging: “May contain traces of eggs”).
- Be careful in catering establishments. Not only waiters - sometimes even cooks are not quite sure about the presence or absence of egg proteins in a particular dish.
- Inform all adults with whom you are leaving your child about their individual intolerance. Nannies, teachers, relatives should remember that the child is allergic to eggs (show them what they can do if they eat an egg) and not give them potentially dangerous products. Make sure adults know how to behave in an emergency.
- If you are breastfeeding, avoid eating eggs. Egg proteins pass into breast milk and can cause food allergy symptoms in a baby.
Hidden Egg Products
Unfortunately, even if eggs and their derivatives are not indicated in the product, it may still contain a certain amount of egg proteins. In this case, only the manufacturer is able to dispel all doubts.
For convenience, you can use the list of products with hidden egg contents below, however, remember that it is far from complete:
- marshmallows and pastille;
- mayonnaise;
- meringues;
- bakery products;
- breadcrumbs;
- marzipan;
- glaze;
- processed meat, meatloaf and meatballs;
- puddings and custard;
- salad dressings;
- pasta;
- foam on delicious types of coffee with the addition of alcohol;
- drying.
If egg proteins were used in the production of certain foods, the following substances can be found in the composition:
- albumen;
- globulin;
- lecithin;
- livetin;
- lysozyme;
- vitellin;
- names beginning with "ova" or "ovo", for example, ovalbumin (egg albumin) or ovoglobulin.
An allergy to eggs can also occur when treating homemade dishes in a strange house, where small amounts of eggs can be found in food due to the peculiarities of preparing a comprehensive menu. If allergies cannot be completely avoided, one should be prepared for the possible symptoms as much as possible.