With almost one in 12 children now suffering from a food allergy, what can be done to keep on top of their eating habits?

Food intolerances are on the rise and parents must be able to spot symptoms and cope with diet demands, reports

HEALTH and safety is vital when it comes to children, so even organising a birthday party can be a daunting prospect.

Our concerns are not the ones our parents had. Back then, a child would cry if there wasn’t a sweetie hidden in the wrapper during pass-theparcel – today it is likely that finding a sweet would be the problem.

Food allergies and intolerances to all manner of things seem to be on the increase. Almost one in 12 young children is now thought to have a food allergy, and the past 40 years have seen a dramatic rise in allergic diseases such as asthma, eczema and hay fever, particularly in the West.

Common culprits are nuts, eggs, wheat, dairy and shellfish, among others – McDonald’s latest allergen awareness list even includes celery.

Many food allergies occur when the immune system becomes confused and reacts to harmless proteins. This releases histamine, resulting in classic symptoms such as swelling and redness. Others can lead to severe anaphylaxis, which can be life-threatening.

Coeliac disease, an increas- ingly common gluten-related condition, results in the inflammation of a part of the small intestine and interferes with the body’s ability to absorb nutrients from food.

For parents, dealing with any allergy or intolerance can be a traumatic experience.

Frances Cathcart is the mother of three children who all have coeliac disease. About 10 years ago, her middle child, then three, started suffering from alarming symptoms.

“She was eating well but she wasn’t growing. She had no energy – by the time we had walked to the end of the street she was exhausted,” explains COMMON CULPRITS: children’s party favourite pizza contains wheat and dairy – substances people are becoming increasingly intolerant to along with nuts, eggs and shellfish.