Wheat allergy

According to statistics, about one in two hundred people have varying degrees of allergy to cereal crops. Wheat allergy occurs as a result of the body's increased sensitivity to wheat protein, and can often be caused by inhaling its pollen. With hypersensitivity to wheat, the body also reacts sharply to products containing its derivatives.

Patients with wheat allergies should not eat flour products made from wheat - bread, pasta, as well as semolina, ice cream, beer and other products containing wheat in one form or another. To determine the diagnosis if there is a suspicion of an allergic reaction to wheat, special allergy tests are carried out, a blood test is taken, after which, if the diagnosis is confirmed, the patient is prescribed a special diet and antiallergic drugs. In most children with wheat allergies, it goes away on its own at about the age of five. When choosing food products in the store, you should carefully study the labels describing the composition of the product. If you have an allergic reaction to wheat, you should not eat products containing the following substances:

• Gluten;
• Gelatinized starch;
• Hydrolyzed vegetable protein;
• Wheat bran;
• Sprouted wheat;
• Plant gluten;
• Vegetable starch.

Causes of Wheat Allergy

The causes of wheat allergy are the body's acute reaction to the substances included in its composition, which can manifest itself in the form of skin rashes, respiratory disorders, gastrointestinal tract disorders, etc. A disease such as gluten enteropathy, in which digestion processes are disrupted due to damage to the villi of the small intestine by gluten-containing substances included in wheat and other cereals, should be distinguished from a true wheat allergy.

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Symptoms of Wheat Allergy

Symptoms of wheat allergy may include itching, neurodermatitis, rashes on the face, hands, neck and other parts of the body. Allergic manifestations of the respiratory system include the development of spastic bronchitis, endogenous bronchial asthma. Symptoms of wheat allergy may include intestinal dysfunction, irregular heartbeat, body temperature reaction, hay fever, eczema, and gastrointestinal disorders.

Allergy to wheat and milk

Allergy to wheat and milk occurs as a result of increased sensitivity of the body to the protein contained in these products. Manifestations of an allergic reaction in both cases may include skin rashes and itching, disorders of the respiratory system, and digestive tract. In such situations, to correct the condition, the patient must follow a special therapeutic diet that excludes products containing milk and wheat derivatives. In young children, a negative reaction to wheat or dairy products often goes away on its own by the age of five or six. However, it should be remembered that each case is individual and any manifestations of an allergic reaction require consultation with an allergist to accurately identify the allergen and take the necessary measures.

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Wheat allergy in a child

An allergy to wheat in a child can be caused by introducing complementary foods with wheat into the baby's diet too early, for example, semolina porridge, which is known to contain wheat. Since the enzyme system of babies at a very early age is not yet fully formed, the body's reaction to gluten can manifest itself in the form of an allergy - as a result of large fragments of protein molecules entering the body, the immune system produces a "protective" reaction, which can manifest itself in the form of a rash and redness on the skin, itching, burning and other allergy symptoms.

As a rule, an allergic reaction to wheat first appears in infancy and may pass by the age of three to five years. It should be remembered that if a child is allergic to wheat protein, a similar reaction may also occur to rice, oats or barley. If a child is allergic to wheat, all products containing it should be excluded from the child's diet. Before visiting an allergist, it would be useful to start a notebook in which you need to describe the regimen and diet of the baby and mother (if the child is breastfed). In such a notebook, you should make daily notes about the baby's daily menu, any reactions that occur after eating a particular food (with a clear indication of the date and time), and also indicate what medications the child took and what skin care products were used.

Diagnosis of wheat allergy

Diagnosis of wheat allergy is carried out using enzyme immunoassay. Thanks to this method, it is possible not only to establish the presence of an allergic reaction, but also to determine the degree of its severity. During the analysis, the concentration of immunoglobulin E, as well as immunoglobulin G antibodies, is determined. This method does not require special preparation, and during its implementation, you can continue taking antiallergic drugs. Depending on the results obtained, the allergist prescribes the necessary treatment. With a true allergy, a hypersensitivity reaction occurs when even a small amount of an allergen is introduced, while with pseudoallergy, the manifestations of an allergic reaction depend on the amount of allergen that has entered the body. An eliminative test can be used to diagnose wheat allergy. Its essence lies in the exclusion of a certain product from the diet for several weeks (in this case, wheat and its derivatives), after which the product is reintroduced into the diet and the reactions occurring in the body are observed, on the basis of which appropriate conclusions are made.

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Wheat Allergy Treatment

Treatment of wheat allergy consists primarily of eliminating foods that contain it from the diet. The patient should be prescribed a diet menu that also limits the consumption of alcoholic beverages, since many of them may contain wheat derivatives that cause increased sensitivity of the body. The use of genetically modified products should also be avoided. If an allergic reaction to wheat occurs, the patient should take an antihistamine, then consult an allergist for diagnosis and selection of medications and a therapeutic diet. Nutrition for wheat allergy may include weak tea, juices, dishes made from meat, rice, corn, potatoes, liver, fish, eggs, as well as bakery products made from corn, rice, rye, barley, oatmeal or potato flour.

Preventing Wheat Allergy

Prevention of wheat allergy in case of hypersensitivity to any of its components consists of excluding products containing wheat and its derivatives from the diet. Patients with a tendency to allergic reactions to wheat should take into account that it is included in not only flour, bread and pasta, but also in various cereals, such as semolina, and alcoholic beverages (wine, beer). In addition, wheat starch is contained in various ointments for medical purposes, and in cosmetology, wheat germ extract is used in skin rejuvenation creams. It can also be included in immunomodulatory drugs. An alternative to cultivated wheat can be einkorn, or einkorn, which, according to existing opinion, does not pose a harm to people suffering from wheat allergies. Corn, potatoes, barley, oatmeal, rice or soy flour can also be used to replace wheat.