Egg allergy

Egg allergy is one of the most common causes of allergies in children. Many children, but not all, outgrow the allergy before adolescence.

The most common symptoms of egg allergy are allergic skin reactions

Other symptoms include runny nose and itchy and watery eyes (similar to ), cramps, nausea or vomiting. The best way to manage an egg allergy is to avoid all food containing egg or egg products.

Food allergies can be life threatening

If you, or a child in your care, have a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis), call 911 and ask for an ambulance. Lay the person flat and administer adrenaline injector (EpiPen® or Anapen®), if available. Further adrenaline may be given if there is no response after 5 minutes.

Give adrenaline first, then asthma reliever puffer, if required. reacts to specific triggers, also known as allergens. The immune system produces antibodies that detect the allergen and cause inflammatory reactions and the release of chemicals including histamine.

Histamine causes , hay fever and other allergic symptoms. The protein that triggers your allergic reaction can either be in egg whites or egg yolks, but allergies to egg whites are more common. The specific allergen in eggs that triggers your allergy may be present in both chicken eggs and duck eggs.

Some people can therefore be allergic to both chicken and duck eggs. This is known as cross-reactivity. Speak to your doctor about cross-reactivity because it is difficult to predict. Most vaccines in United States do not contain any egg.

While some vaccines are produced from viruses grown in chicken eggs, these may be safe for people with egg allergy.

These include vaccines

In addition, always inform your doctor or nurse of any allergies before you receive a vaccination. Everyone’s immune system is different, and egg allergy can cause diverse signs and symptoms, ranging from mild to severe.

Symptoms can appear within a few minutes or a few hours of eating eggs or products containing eggs. Many food allergies do not cause severe symptoms, but they can be life threatening in some people and should be taken seriously.

If you, or a child in your care, have experienced symptoms after eating egg, the risk of having another severe reaction after eating egg is greater than usual.

Ask your doctor to refer you to a clinical immunology/allergy specialist. from enzyme deficiencies. Although these are not allergic reactions, they are often mistaken for allergies. Eggs are one of the most common foods to cause severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis).

Anaphylaxis is life threatening

Symptoms of a severe allergic reaction include:

• floppiness in young children. Milder allergic symptoms that can occur before a severe allergic reaction include: abdominal pain
• vomiting. Allergic skin reactions are the most common symptoms of egg allergy

Symptoms include: itchy skin and rash

People with an egg allergy can experience hay fever symptoms (allergic rhinitis) including: blocked sinuses.

Diagnosing an allergy can be difficult

If you think you or a child in your care may have an egg allergy, keeping a record or diary of symptoms can help you and your doctor to understand what is causing the symptoms. Your diary could include information about whether the symptoms occur: after you have taken a particular medication, either prescription or over the counter from a pharmacy or supermarket If you have allergic symptoms, visit your doctor who will ask some questions about your allergic reactions.

You can also discuss your record of your symptoms

To diagnose your allergy, your doctor may refer you to a clinical immunology/allergy specialist who can using a number of possible methods depending on the type of potential allergy.

To test for an allergy to eggs, they may: ask you to temporarily avoid all eggs or products containing eggs (elimination diet), then follow up with the introduction of egg back into your diet (food challenge) under strict medical supervision.

A number of methods claim to test for allergies, but they have not been medically or scientifically proven.

They can be costly and could lead to dangerous avoidance of certain foods. The American Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA) recommends that you do not use certain to have potential allergies tested.

These methods include: Vega testing

For allergies.

Research is currently being done into treatment of food allergy

Currently, the only treatment for food allergies is avoidance of the food that causes your allergy. Even if you are careful, it is difficult to avoid all contact with a specific food.

If you are at risk of a severe allergic reaction you should have been prescribed an adrenaline injector by your doctor and given an.

If you are not at high risk and have not been prescribed an adrenaline injector, ASCIA recommends that you have an To assist with food avoidance, people with food allergies need to become familiar and comfortable with reading food labels.

ASCIA has dietary guides to help you understand how to read food labels and what to avoid if you have an Some people can tolerate eggs in cooked or baked products, because the proteins in eggs change when they are cooked and are then no longer recognised by your immune system as dangerous.

Your doctor can advise you about whether you can eat certain products.

If is important to tell food service staff of your allergy when eating out

Inaccurate diagnosis can lead to expensive and ineffective treatments, and unnecessary food avoidance, which can lead to malnutrition and food aversion, especially in children.

Always speak to your doctor about your food allergy diagnosis and treatment options. is needed into the causes, diagnosis and treatment of food allergy. are: Lay the person flat – do not allow them to stand or walk.

Administer adrenaline with an injector (such as an EpiPen® or Anapen®) into the outer mid-thigh.

Always dial 911 to call an ambulance in a medical emergency

Further doses of adrenaline may be given if there is no response after 5 minutes.

Give adrenaline first, then asthma reliever puffer, if required.

If you are at risk of anaphylaxis make sure you: Have an American Society of Clinical Immunology (ASCIA) Action Plan for Anaphylaxis. Carry an adrenaline injector to treat a severe allergic reaction.

Consider wearing medical identification jewellery as this increases the likelihood that adrenaline will be administered in an emergency. Carry a mobile phone to call 911. Avoid medication (where possible) that may increase the severity of allergic reaction or complicate its treatment such as beta blockers.

Avoid the food which causes your allergic reaction

Tell food staff about your allergy when eating out.

Seek medical advice from a doctor or clinical immunology/allergy specialist

Adrenaline autoinjectors are also available over the counter from a pharmacy.

About egg allergy Symptoms of egg allergy range from mild reactions to a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) hay fever Causes of egg allergy For all allergies , the immune system hives Egg allergies and vaccines influenza (flu) and yellow fever Speak with your doctor about how your egg allergy may impact your vaccination schedule Symptoms of egg allergy Some people have other adverse reactions to food (such as headache or bloating) that are not caused by allergies.

These can be caused by factors such as food poisoning , toxic reactions or food sensitivities (intolerance) Severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) difficult or noisy breathing swelling of the tongue swelling or tightness of the throat difficulty talking or hoarse voice wheeze or persistent cough persistent dizziness or collapse swelling of your lips, face and eyes hives or welts tingling mouth Allergic skin symptoms from egg allergy raised red bumps of skin hives (urticaria) Hay fever symptoms from egg allergy sneezing itchy and runny nose red, itchy and watery eyes itchy roof of the mouth or throat cough congestion of the nose Diagnosis of egg allergy inside your home, outside or both for a short time or longer at night, during the day or when you wake up after you have had a particular food or drink after you have taken a herbal medicine Visiting your doctor about your symptoms test for allergies do a skin prick test do a blood test Unproven methods to test for allergies unproven methods cytotoxic food testing electrodermal testing hair analysis iridology kinesiology pulse testing reflexology Always speak with your doctor if you are thinking of using a complementary medicine or therapy Treatment for egg allergy American Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA) Action Plan for Anaphylaxis ASCIA Action Plan for Allergic Reactions egg allergy More research Emergency treatment for severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) Emergency responses for anaphylaxis Where to get help In an emergency, always call 911 Emergency department of your nearest hospital Your GP (doctor) NURSE-ON-CALL (616) 555-0024 – for health information and advice (24 hours, 7 days) St John Ambulance United States (616) 555-0400 American Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA) Dietary avoidance – Egg Introducing foods and allergy prevention Locate a specialist Allergy and Anaphylaxis United States .

Key Points

• Egg allergy is one of the most common causes of allergies in children
• most common symptoms of egg allergy are allergic skin reactions
• Other symptoms include runny nose and itchy and watery eyes (similar to ), cramps, nausea or vomiting
• Histamine causes , hay fever and other allergic symptoms
• Speak to your doctor about cross-reactivity because it is difficult to predict