Allergic diseases are on the increase across the world. We don't seem able to adapt to our current environment, and a volcano of allergies is erupting. We know that eczema is a genetic disease but we do not know the actual cause of the condition. However numerous studies and research findings do point to a correlation between food allergies and eczema flare-ups. We need to test to determine as accurately as possible the cause of the eczema and once determined appropriate steps must be taken to secure the safety of the individual at risk.
We can classify eczema in a simple way; the skin condition is either allergic or something else is going on. If allergic, the triggers are either food or surface contact materials or both. Up to 60% of those with eczema have skin symptoms in reaction to food. In order to diagnose an allergy to a specific food, you have to take into account the skin test, the blood test and history. One of them being positive or negative isn't the whole story. Eczema that does not respond to treatment is the first clue that you may have an allergy related condition.
Skin testing is the most common method used to determine an allergen, because several allergens can be tested safely at the same time. Skin prick tests tell us something about your immune system, but they are poor at predicting whether or not the eczema is due to a particular food. Careful observation of your foods is still the most useful way of diagnosing food allergy in eczema. If the skin improves on an elimination diet, foods are introduced one at a time to see whether the eczema flares up. Uninformed elimination and restriction of foods can lead to malnutrition so this course of diagnosis should be undertaken only under a doctor's supervision. It is also important to understand that, over time, most children will become tolerant to certain food allergens such as milk, egg or soy protein, even if skin tests are positive. However certain foods, usually those with heat resistant allergens, are highly allergenic and it is unlikely that allergy to them will be outgrown. These include peanuts, tree nuts, fish and shellfish.
Once you have determined which foods are allergens what do you do? First of all avoid those foods. But what if it isn't the food itself but an ingredient that is the culprit? Food coloring or gluten, for example, can be highly allergenic. It means that a lot of foods in their normal forms cannot be eaten but the offending allergens might be able to be swapped out for another ingredient. For example rice flour may be substituted for wheat flour thereby avoiding gluten. Butter may be homemade to avoid food coloring. This course of action will not be easy although it is getting easier as some of these special food items are becoming commercially available. It will also be expensive as natural foods can be two, three or even four times as costly as regular foods.
We know that allergy and eczema can be related. If eczema does not respond to regular treatment a food allergy may be suspected. Skin testing and food elimination testing may uncover the culprit and once that happens, the appropriate steps must be taken to ensure the safety of the sufferer. This may include avoidance of all suspected allergenic foods and the replacement of allergenic ingredients with non-allergenic ones.
