According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, about two percent of all children will be born with an allergy to eggs. The good news is that about 70 percent of children with egg allergies outgrow this allergy by the time they reach college age. The bad news is that eggs are found in a wide array of foods, from chocolate bars to common condiments.
Symptoms of Egg Allergy
The Mayo Clinic notes that egg allergy rarely produces breathing problems. More common symptoms include annoying skin rashes, hives, a sudden clogged nose, nausea with or without vomiting. For an unknown reason, children suffering from atopic dermatitis are more prone to having an egg allergy than other kids.
Suspect All Eggs
Chicken eggs are the most common kind of eggs used in cooking or found on grocery store shelves. However, all poultry eggs may cause symptoms soon after eating anything made with the eggs or the eggs themselves. Avoid any kind of poultry eggs, even duck or goose eggs, if you or your child suffers from egg allergy.
Eggs Are In Some Vaccines
Chicken eggs are sometimes used in vaccines, such as for the flu and yellow fever. There are egg-free alternatives to the usual vaccines. Remind your doctor and pharmacist of this before getting vaccines.
Treatment of Egg Allergy
Avoiding eggs is the only sure-fire prevention of egg allergy symptoms. However, it’s hard to avoid eggs entirely. over the counter antihistamines and anti-nausea liquids help with mild cases. For more severe cases an allergist or doctor may prescribe an injectable antidote which the patient needs to carry around at all times.
The Good News
The good news is that more people than ever want to eat egg-free. Some people are worried about allergies and some are concerned about how the chickens are treated. Vegetarianism and veganism are becoming more popular in the mainstream. This means that there are a lot of alternatives to common foods made with eggs. For example, you do not have to go without mayonnaise. Hampton Creek’s eggless mayo called Just Mayo can be found in many markets and is just as tasty as conventional mayonnaise.