Even though we’ve been used to seeing eggs as part of our breakfast meals some individuals would prefer not to even take a whiff of this delicious food all because they’re allergic to it.

A person with an egg allergy will exhibit symptoms of it right after ingesting an egg or ingesting a food with egg in it.

The symptoms can be: rashes, hives, nasal congestion, nausea, vomiting or any digestive problems.

Although egg allergy may exhibit symptoms quickly it is very rare for an individual to experience anaphylactic shock from this food.

Children often develop egg allergy although according to experts most of them will outgrow this before they reach 16 years of age.

Also, only two percent of children nationwide are reported to have egg allergy.

Symptoms

Just like every other allergy the symptoms for egg allergy are as follows:

• Rashes
• Skin hives
• Runny nose
• Red eyes or watery eyes
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Wheezing or difficulty in breathing
• Anaphylaxis (although rare)

It is important to monitor your child for this kind of allergy because a lot of food items nowadays have eggs in it and just a minute amount of this food can trigger an attack.

If you notice your child exhibiting these symptoms right after ingesting an egg or any food with eggs in it have him/her checked by an allergist right away. If your child experiences an anaphylactic shock (an allergic attack that constricts the airway of the individual) bring him/her to the emergency room right away because this is a life-threatening condition.

Anaphylaxis can also exhibit symptoms different from a constriction of the airways such as: abdominal pain, rapid pulse and/or shock followed by a quick drop in blood pressure, which could lead to dizziness or fainting.

Diagnosis

If you or your child are allergic to eggs chances are both of you are allergic to all types of eggs.

In order for doctors to determine if you are allergic to eggs they will conduct a skin-prick test, wherein they will insert an allergen to your skin and they will monitor it to see if it will trigger an allergic attack.

They can also perform a blood test wherein they will check to see if there is a presence of IgE antibodies (immunoglobulin E) to specific food.

The body produces IgE whenever the immune system detects a foreign substance and deems it as a threat. People with allergies often produce an exaggerated amount of IgE to foreign substances that are not exactly harmful, which is why people have allergies to trivial stuff.

If the doctors find out that you or your child has an allergic reaction to eggs they will prescribe some medications for you depending on the severity of your reaction.

If it’s just hives, rashes or nasal congestion most doctors would prescribe antihistamines to alleviate the symptoms.

If the reactions are severe such as anaphylactic shock then doctors would prescribe an epinephrine injection or an EpiPen. EpiPen are easy-to-use injections that can quickly alleviate symptoms of anaphylaxis.

Treatment

Treating egg allergy is quite easy. All people should do is to avoid these food items and since most items in the supermarket have labels informing buyers what the ingredients are in certain foods it is easier to avoid any item with egg in it.

Also, ask your allergist what foods you need to avoid and what foods you can eat. There are baked goods with eggs in it that are safe for people with an egg allergy but for the sake of safety please consult your allergist first.

Some vaccines have eggs or egg proteins in it and they can trigger an allergic attack on someone with an egg allergy.

Flu vaccines have egg proteins in them but the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) says that it’s safe for people to take the injectable flu vaccine and not the nasal spray.

Consult your allergist too if you’re checking out flu vaccines for yourself or for your child.

As for meals, there are recipes you can ask a nutritionist where you can get all the protein you need without the need of eggs. You can opt to eat firm or silken tofu instead of eggs. You can also eat spicy bean burritos, peanut butter oatmeal, white bean avocado toast, overnight oats or Greek yogurt parfait.