Pediatric allergists in Phoenix and other cities throughout the country have noticed a steady rise in the number of individuals with food allergies. This is especially true in children with 1 in every 13 individuals under the age of 18 developing an allergy to common foods, such as peanuts, eggs, wheat and shellfish.

In order to help parents better understand how to deal with allergies as they relate to their children, pediatricians in Glendale and the greater Phoenix area would like to share this list of common allergy concerns addressed in appointments with patients:

  • Withholding Potentially Allergenic Foods. Many parents have heard that delaying the introduction of potentially allergenic foods until the age of 1, 2 or 3 helps to prevent the development of food allergies. This, however, is not true. The American Academy of Pediatrics and most pediatric doctors do not recommended this measure for allergy prevention.
  • Food IgE Testing Panels. These testing panels are used to test for specific food allergies, but many pediatric allergists in Phoenix advise against these because they aren’t always accurate. In many cases, false positives occur, which leads to healthy foods being unnecessarily removed from a child’s diet. This causes a huge headache for both the child and their family, and also reduces overall nutritional value. Rather than trusting completely in the test, it is recommended that you visit with pediatricians in Glendale or the surrounding area for a thorough history and physical examination.
  • Epinephrine Devices. If your child has an allergy, Happy Valley pediatrics offices recommend that children and their caretakers carry the new epipen packs, which include two injection devices. Two devices are recommended as many anaphylactic reactions include a second phase, which requires another injection. It is recommended that children be carefully monitored for four to six hours after the first injection to make sure that the allergic reaction has been halted. Also make sure that you renew your epipens once a year to ensure that they will be effective in the event of an allergy emergency.

In order to best handle food allergies in your children, consider the above points, and visit with a pediatric allergist in Phoenix or other qualified pediatric doctors for an exam.

At Pediatrix, our pediatric doctors are highly experienced and knowledgeable about food allergies. During your appointment, the pediatric doctors will thoroughly review your child’s health history and provide an examination. Upon discovery of a food allergy, our pediatric allergists in Phoenix will then provide you with work-up and education as well as management tools for your child’s newfound allergies. To schedule an appointment with one of our quality pediatric allergists in Phoenix, call (602) 866-0550 or contact us online.