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IgE Vs Non IgE Allergy | cubspaediatricdietetics.au

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Cubspaediatricdietetics

Although less common than IgE-mediated food allergies, non-IgE based reactions such as FPIES, AP and FPE are real food allergies that must be managed accordingly. Unlike IgE-mediated FA, symptoms of non-IgE based food allergy can be delayed and are often misdiagnosed as intolerance.

Despite their clinical presentation, most children with these reactions will develop tolerance to the offending foods by early childhood. Skin prick tests and IgE blood testing can help confirm diagnosis.

Symptoms

Food allergy symptoms can be classified as either ige vs non ige allergy mediated. IgE mediated reactions are typically quick (within a few minutes after ingesting the offending food) and happen when small quantities of the offending food protein bind to IgE receptors on cells in the immune system causing the release of inflammatory chemicals including histamine.

Non-IgE mediated reactions are delayed, often hours or even days after the food is eaten. They occur when the offending food triggers responses in cells in the gastrointestinal tract or skin.

Symptoms of all types of non-IgE mediated food allergies vary but the majority cause gastrointestinal symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhea or vomiting. One type of non-IgE mediated food allergy, FPIES (food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome), usually affects infants and can be caused by many foods but milk, soy, oats and rice are common triggers. Symptoms are usually mild and don’t lead to shock, so babies with this allergy rarely need epinephrine or other emergency treatment.

Diagnosis

Food allergies are diagnosed by removing the suspected allergy-causing food from baby’s diet, (and, if mom is breastfeeding, her own diet too). Then symptoms are watched to see whether they improve. The food is then reintroduced to see whether symptoms return.

IgE-mediated food allergies are easy to diagnose, as symptoms appear within minutes of eating the offending food. Skin prick tests and blood tests for IgE antibodies can help confirm the diagnosis.

Non-IgE mediated food allergies are harder to identify, as symptoms take hours or even days to develop after eating the food that causes them. Symptoms tend to affect the gastrointestinal tract, such as stomach pain, vomiting and diarrhea.

If a doctor suspects a non-IgE-mediated allergy, they may test the food by introducing it to baby during a clinic visit or performing an oral food challenge in hospital. They may also recommend a food-specific IgE antibody test to check for IgE antibodies to the suspect foods.

Treatment

Although symptoms of food allergies affect families significantly (more money spent on special foods, fear and anxiety, lack of freedom to eat out or cook at home), most children reach a point where they become tolerant of their food allergy. Some even develop other foods as tolerance increases.

In a food allergy caused by IgE, symptoms occur within minutes of eating the trigger food and involve primarily the skin or gastrointestinal tract. Blood tests can show positive results for immunoglobulin E, which is the antibody responsible for the reactions.

Non-IgE food allergies are more difficult to diagnose and can cause gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea and vomiting. The gastrointestinal symptoms can be very severe in some babies, leading to shock. Babies with this type of reaction, called food protein induced enterocolitis syndrome or FPIES, need to be treated with epinephrine in case they go into shock. They also need to be kept away from the trigger food and have their mother eliminate it while breastfeeding.

Prevention

Food allergies happen when your baby's immune system mistakenly treats a protein in a food as dangerous. The immune system then makes antibodies that overdefend the body against the food, causing symptoms. Symptoms of an IgE-mediated allergy show up seconds to minutes after the food is eaten and can be lifethreatening, including anaphylaxis.

The other type of food allergy is called non ige allergy mediated, and it can be much harder to diagnose. This type of allergy can cause gastrointestinal symptoms, including stomach pain, abdominal cramps and diarrhea. Unlike IgE-mediated allergies, symptoms of a non-IgE reaction can take hours to appear after eating the food.

Often, a non-IgE food allergy is misdiagnosed as a food intolerance. This is because the symptoms of a food intolerance are very similar to those of a food allergy. For example, many babies who have a milk allergy are also believed to have dairy intolerance. However, dairy intolerance is not a true allergy and can be outgrown.


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