1. Now we are going to talk about food allergies versus food intolerances.

2. harmless food protein = threatening substance (allergen)
What is a food allergy?
What exactly is a food allergy?
It is when your body’s immune system recognizes a harmless food protein as a threatening substance, like it does when your body is exposed to bacteria, viruses, parasites etc. This harmless food protein becomes what is called an allergen to your immune system. What other things become allergens for certain people?
Certain plant pollen
Dust
Cat dander and fur
harmless food protein = threatening substance (allergen)

3. Allergens
Stimulate the immune system to make Immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies to attack that food protein
Allergens stimulate the immune system to make immunoglobulin E antibodies to attack the food protein, to rid your body of the foreign substance.

4. Antibodies
Circulate in the blood and enter body tissues Cells release histamine, prostaglandins and leukotrienes = allergic reaction
These antibodies circulate in the blood and enter the body tissues. The cells release histamine, prostaglandins, and leukotrienes which cause the actual allergic reaction.

5. Direct Food Consumption
Allergic Reaction
Inhaling
Direct Food Consumption
Cross Contact
What action can trigger an allergic reaction? This is what you are going to want to start thinking about when putting together action plans for managing food allergies and intolerances.
Direct Food Consumption of the allergen
Inhaling the allergen
Touching someone or something that has the allergen on them
Cross Contact: When one food comes in contact with another food and their proteins mix. As a result, each food then contains small amounts of the other food, often invisible to us. Sometimes referred to as cross-contamination.
Can you think of examples of what would be cross contact?
An example of this: Let’s say you were preparing burritos one day, and a child has a wheat allergy. So, you are going to make a burrito with a 100% whole corn tortilla instead. You are going along and cutting up the wheat tortillas in preparation of the burritos. But, then before preparing the corn tortilla burrito, you just lightly wipe off the same cutting board with a towel before cutting the corn tortilla. Residue from the wheat tortillas are still on the cutting board and the wheat protein has now mixed with the corn protein on the corn tortilla. You should have washed and sanitized the cutting board before cutting the corn tortilla or used a different clean and sanitized cutting board.
Touching

6. Onset - Immediate to a few hours
Food Allergy Symptoms
Skin
Onset - Immediate to a few hours
Respiratory
Food allergy symptoms
The onset is generally immediately to a few hours.
What symptoms may be triggered in the GI (or digestive) tract -
You may see swelling and itching of the lips, mouth, and/or esophagus
The child may feel stomach pain and intestinal discomfort; he or she may have nausea, vomiting, cramping, and diarrhea
How about the child’s skin – he may be showing signs of redness, itching, hives, or eczema.
And, the respiratory system – he may be sneezing have a runny nose, and/or shortness of breath.
GI Tract

7. !
Anaphylaxis
A severe allergic reaction – happens quickly and may cause death
Stop breathing
Dangerous drop in blood pressure
What happens if a child has an anaphylactic reaction?
This is a severe allergic reaction which happens quickly and could cause death. The child may stop breathing and/or experience a dangerous drop in blood pressure.
A child with a severe allergy may have an Epipen for treatment if he is exposed to the specific allergen. Make sure to know what to do, or have the instructions provided by the health care provider and parents if the child is exposed or is potentially exposed to the allergen.

8. The Big 8 Food Allergens
What are the big 8 food allergens?

9. Wheat, fish, eggs, shellfish, peanuts

10. Dairy products

11. Soy beans

12. Tree nuts such as
Walnuts
Almonds
Pistacchios
Cashews
Coconut

13. Allergens What are some non-food sources of allergens?
Soaps
Crayons
Finger paints
Modeling clay
Play dough
Pasta
Bird food
You want to be aware of these too when planning craft or art activities.

14. What is a Food Intolerance?
Inadequate digestion due to the inability to fully metabolize certain foods
Metabolic Intolerances
What is a food intolerance? It is different than a food allergy.
There are metabolic, pharmacological, and idiopathic intolerances.
We are talking about metabolic intolerances.
For some people, certain foods cannot be adequately digested because their bodies cannot fully metabolize them.

15. Most Common Food Intolerances
Lactose Intolerance
Gluten Intolerance
(Non-Celiac and Celiac)
Cannot metabolize milk sugar because of deficiency of the enzyme lactase in the intestine
The most common food intolerances are lactose and gluten intolerance.
Non-Celiac Gluten Intolerance and Celiac Disease are similar in that they both involve difficulty in breaking down the gluten protein.
Celiac Disease is a disease of malabsorption of nutrients and abnormal immune reaction to gluten.
Gluten causes inflammation of the small intestine. When eat gluten, the immune system responds by damaging or destroying villi, the tiny fingerlike protrusions lining the small intestine. (But, Immunoglobulin E antibodies are not released, like for allergic reactions.) Villi normally allow nutrients from food to be absorbed through the walls of the small intestine into the blood stream. Without healthy villi, a person becomes malnourished, no matter how much food one eats.
Can be confused with irritable bowel syndrome, iron-deficiency anemia caused by menstrual blood loss, inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s Disease – immune system attacks normal flora of intestine and there is inflamation, ulceration, and thickening of intestinal wall), diverticulitis, intestinal infections, and chronic fatigue syndrome. As a result, it has long been underdiagnosed or misdiagnosed.
Non-celiac gluten intolerance – cannot break down gluten protein as well. May be able to consume some gluten.
What other intolerances have you heard of?
Sulfite sensitivity
MSG Intolerance
If you have lactose intolerance, your intestines cannot break down milk sugar, or lactose, because of a deficiency of the enzyme lactase, and therefore cannot be absorbed though the intestinal wall.
People can have varying degrees of lactose intolerance. Some may be able to eat cheese and yogurt, and cooked dairy products, and a little milk. Others not so much.
Negative intestinal reaction to gluten protein within wheat, rye, and barley

16. Symptoms of Food Intolerances
Glucose Intolerance
Abdominal Pain
Chronic Diarrhea
Bloating
More gradual onset
Lactose Intolerance
Constipation
Vomiting
Weight Loss
Abdominal Pain
Bloating
Symptoms of Food Intolerances
There is generally a more gradual onset of symptoms compared to allergic reactions.
The symptoms are fairly similar between gluten and lactose intolerance.
For lactose Intolerance,
The child may experience abdominal pain and bloating, gas, diarrhea, and/or nausea
For gluten intolerance and celiac disease, symptoms vary depending on a person’s age and the degree of damage to the small intestine.
The child may experience abdominal pain and bloating, chronic diarrhea, vomiting, constipation, and/or weight loss
Diarrhea
Nausea
Gas

17. Food Intolerances - Sources
Gluten Protein
(wheat, rye, barley)
Primarily found in items such as breads, pasta, cookies, and pizza crust
Lactose Sugar
Primarily food items that contain milk or are made with milk
(i.e. cheese)
Food intolerance sources
Lactose sugar is primarily found food items that contain milk from animals or are made with milk (i.e. cheese)
Gluten Protein is found in wheat, rye, and barley.
Primarily found in baked goods, items such as breads, pasta, cookies, and pizza crust
Gluten can also be found in medicines, vitamins, and lip balms