In Australia and New Zealand about 2 per cent of babies are allergic to cowâ€[TM]s milk and dairy products, according to the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy. Although most children outgrow cowâ€[TM]s milk allergy by four, persistent cowâ€[TM]s milk allergy can occur. Remember, most children allergic to cowâ€[TM]s milk will be allergic to goatâ€[TM]s milk, so products made from goatâ€[TM]s milk are not only inadequate substitutes but usually trigger similar symptoms. It is important to read all labels of prepared foods and ASCIA advises avoiding any food which contains cowâ€[TM]s or goatâ€[TM]s milk, cheese, butter, ghee, buttermilk, cream, creme fraiche, milk powder, whey, casein, caseinate and margarines which contain milk products. Dietitian Charlene Grosse says to watch ingredients called ammonium caseinate, butterbutterfat, casein caseinhydrolysate, cultured buttermilk, curds, delactosed whey, ghee, hydrolysed casein, hydrolysed whey, imitation milk, lactalbumin, lactalbumin phosphate, lactoacidophilus, magnesium caseinate, malted milk, nougat, potassium caseinate, rennet casein, sodium caseinate, sweet whey, whey proteinsolids powder, whitener and yoghurt. 
Although most children outgrow cowâ€[TM]s milk allergy 
by four, persistent cowâ€[TM]s milk allergy can occur. Remember, most children allergic to cow's milk will 
be allergic to goatâ€[TM]s milk, so products made from goatâ€[TM]s milk are not only inadequate substitutes but usually trigger similar symptoms.
 Soy  
Children with soy allergies needs to avoid soy-containing products or derivatives, Ms Grosse says. Common products include soy milk, soy sauce, tofu and soybean. The most common commercial version of the food additive lecithin (332) is made from soybeans. However when lecithin is present in a product it should have â€oesoyâ€ next to it. Other ingredients to look out for are bean curd, edamame, hydrolysed plant protein, hydrolysed soy protein, hydrolysed vegetable protein, miso, natto, okara, soja, soya, soyabean, tamri, tempeh, textured vegetable protein, soyflour and yuba. Worcestershire sauce can also contain soy.
 Tree nuts  
Although peanut allergy often receives greater attention, tree- nut allergy is also common in young children. These, along with peanuts and shellfish, are the most common foods causing life-threatening anaphylaxis, says the ASCIA. Remember that pesto and dips may have nuts as an ingredient. And many trendy salads have nuts or seeds added for texture. Sometimes nuts can be added to gravies and sauces too. Ms Grosse adds it is vital to consider methods of cooking and possible cross- contamination and even the likelihood of shared utensils and cookware. In fact, when it comes to food labelling, there are many traps for the unwary. â€oeChildren with a tree-nut allergy need to avoid any food containing nuts or nut products such as nut milk, nut butters, nut meal or nut oil. Nutmeg is generally fine,â€ she says. â€oeAs with peanut allergies, eating out can be challenging and it is important to ask food providers about nuts.â€ She says to avoid products with almonds, artificial nuts, Brazil nuts, carponata, cashews, gianduja (a nut mix), hazelnuts filberts, hickory nuts, Indian nuts, macadamia nuts, marzipanalmond paste, non-gai nuts, natural nut extract, pecans mashuga nuts, pine nuts, pistachios, pralines, shea nuts and walnuts. 
 Henâ€[TM]s eggs  
For children with egg allergies it is important to look out for all forms of egg such as dried eggs, egg solids, egg substitutes, egg white (albumen), egg-white solids, egg yolk and powdered egg. Egg is used as a glaze for some baked goods so be sure to check ingredient lists for these products, or with bakery or supermarket workers if they are fresh products. Other egg-containing ingredients are apovitellin, avidin, flavoproteins, globulin, imitation egg product, livetin, lysozyme, meringue mix, ovalbumin, ovglycoprotein, ovomucoid and ovomuxiod.
 Peanuts  
Peanut allergy is common in infants â€" affecting about 3 per cent â€" and young children but may appear for the first time in adults. Exposure is hard to avoid and in some cases even trace amounts can trigger symptoms. According to the ASCIA, about 20 per cent of cases resolve and, while severity may occasionally lessen with age, about 20 per cent of cases can become worse with time. â€oeIt is very important to ask about peanuts when eating out with children who have a peanut allergy,â€ Ms Grosse says, â€oeespecially if you are consuming baked goods, sauces, gravies, salads or seasonedmarinated meats.â€ Children with peanut allergies need to avoid any products containing peanut or peanut derivatives (e.g. peanut flour, sodium peanutate, and peanutamide), and also arachis oil, beer nuts, goober nuts, groundnuts, madelonas, mixed nuts, monkey nuts, nu-nuts, nut pieces, nutmeat, peanut, peanut butter, peanut oil (cold-pressed, expelled or extruded) and peanut sprouts.
How can I best protect   
my child against developing   
food allergies?  
 There is an abundance of research into allergy prevention, and this is ongoing, but to date there are no clear guidelines on how to prevent food allergy. ASCIA states there is no evidence that restricting a motherâ€[TM]s diet during pregnancy or during breastfeeding reduces the risk of a child developing a food allergy. However, it does advise delaying the introduction of solid foods until the child is 4-6 months of age. Thereafter foods can be introduced, with a new food offered every 2-3 days, and preferably one at a time so any reactions can be readily identified. There is no evidence that delayed introduction of allergenic foods such as egg, milk, peanut, tree nuts or seafood beyond the first 4-6 months of life reduces the risk of food allergy and eczema. 
Health experts say the best advice is to: 
  Breastfeed for at least six months and continue to breastfeed while introducing solid foods. 
  Do not smoke during pregnancy and avoid exposure to any tobacco smoke in the home. 
How to spot a severe  
reaction and what to do: 
Anaphylaxis: 
A severe allergic reaction can have any one of the following signs:
  Difficultnoisy breathing
  Swelling of tongue
  Swellingtightness in throat
  Difficulty talking andor hoarse voice
  Wheeze or persistent cough
  Persistent dizziness or collapse
  Pale and floppy (in young children) 
What to do: 
  Lay person flat but if breathing is difficult, allow to sit. Do not allow them to stand or walk.
  Give the adrenaline autoinjector if available (instructions should be stored with the adrenaline autoinjector, which may go by the name EpiPen or an Anapen).
  Call ambulance on 000 first and then contact parentguardian or other emergency contact.
  If there is no response after five minutes, further adrenaline doses may be given if another autoinjector is available.
Remember: 
If in doubt about what to do, give the adrenaline autoinjector. If uncertain whether it is asthma or anaphylaxis, give adrenaline autoinjector first, then asthma reliever. Commence CPR at any time if person is unresponsive and not breathing normally but if CPR is given before administering the autoinjector there is a risk the adrenaline is delayed or not given, and withholding or delaying the giving of adrenaline can result in deterioration and death. Adrenaline is life-saving and must be used promptly. 
 Allergies more common in adults and the ingredients to look out for on food labels include:   
Shellfish:  Ms Gross says shellfish tend to be lifelong allergies and it is important to note that it is possible for an allergic reaction to be triggered by cooking odours, handling shellfish or cross-contamination during food preparation. Ingredients to look out for in products include abalone, clams, cockle, crab, crawfish, lobster, molluscs, mussels, octopus, oysters, prawns, scallops, shrimp (crevette), sea snails and squid (calamari). 
Seafood:  As with shellfish, an allergic reaction to seafood can occur from cross-contamination during the food preparation, cooking odours and handling of seafood. â€oeSeafood allergies affect approximately 0.5 per cent of the Australian population and they tend to be lifelong,â€ Ms Grosse says. Ingredients to avoid are anchovy, bass, bluefish, bream, carp, catfish, caviar, char, chub, cisco, cod, eel, flounder, grouper, haddock, hake, halibut, herring, imitation crab, mackerel, mahi-mahi, marlin, monkfish, orange roughy, perch, pickerel, pike, plaice, pollock, pompano, porgy, rockfish, salmon, sardine, shark, smelt, snapper, surimi, tilapia, trout, tuna, whitebait and whiting.
Sesame:  Some very popular sesame products include hummus, tahini and halvah and they are sometimes added to other products without clear labelling. Sesame is also a popular ingredient in foreign products. In these foods it can be labelled as benne, gingelly, til or teel, simsin and anjonoli. Other ingredients to look out for on labels are benniseed, gingelly seeds, sesame, sesame flour, sesame oil, sesame seed, sesarmol, sesomolina and sim sim.
Wheat:  Wheat allergies should not to be confused with coeliac disease or wheat intolerance, Ms Gross says. â€oeA wheat allergy is where the bodyâ€[TM]s immune system responds to the protein in wheat,â€ she says. â€oeMost true wheat allergies resolve in early childhood but it varies; for some people they donâ€[TM]t develop until early adulthood.â€ Ingredients to avoid are bran, breadcrumbs, bulgur, couscous, cracker meal, farina, flour ( all-purpose, bread, durum, cake, enriched, high gluten, high protein instant, multigrain, pastry, plain, self-raising, soft wheat, steel ground, stone ground, wholemeal, and whole wheat ) gluten, kamut, matzoh, pasta, seitan, semolina, spelt, tabouleh, triticale, wheat brangermflakessproutscornflour, whole wheat berries. 
DID YOU KNOW? 
Peanuts are legumes, like peas, lentils and chickpeas. They can also be found in diverse other plants such as wattles and the black bean tree of Queensland. The proteins in peanuts are very different to those in tree nuts which include almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, pistachios and walnuts. Therefore someone allergic to peanut is not automatically going to be allergic to tree nuts. SOURCE: The Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA).