Food Allergies and Children: The Hard Facts

1 in every 13 children have food allergies. That’s 5.9 million children. And in just over a decade, the prevalence of food allergies in children has increased by a whopping 50%.

But this population study was done almost a decade ago. Imagine the numbers in 2019.

As a nutritional therapist, I see an uptick in allergies with my clients. As a mom, I also see it in the day to day. This year, my son’s preschool implemented a “bring your own snack” rule — too many children with food allergies for the school to keep up with.

Children’s food allergies are not just an inconvenience, they may cause financial stress, social isolation, increased prevalence of bullying and higher risks of eczema and asthma. With the possibility of life-threatening reactions, stress and anxiety just scratch the surface of what we go through as moms.

Maybe it’s because we feel helpless to these food allergies — allergic reactions can strike in a matter of minutes to hours of being exposed to even trace amounts.

Exposed. Not ingested — exposed.

My son breaks out in hives when he eats “something wrong.” My son has also been to the ER for an epileptic seizure (their body’s innate reaction to help control, rapidly rising fevers).