Allergy to chocolate in adults and children

Who doesn't love chocolate products? Charging Snickers bars, the airy splendor of a white bar or the tart bitterness of a dark one. So how can you resist the temptation? But on the way to this delicious treat, many of us are in for an unpleasant ambush - an allergy to chocolate.

This disease can manifest itself in almost every person. Another thing is that the critical allergenic dose is a strictly individual thing. Someone will eat a kilogram in one sitting and get off only with indigestion. And someone will be covered with a rash at the mere thought of a cherished bar. And, if you belong to the second category, read carefully. After all, now we will tell you about the basics of dealing with your illness.

Causes of the disease

Chocolate products are considered extremely allergenic. And the funny thing is that cocoa powder, which is one of the main ingredients of chocolate, is quite hypoallergenic. The main blame for an allergic reaction lies with the following components:

• Palm and peanut oils. Many manufacturers save on cocoa butter, adding cheaper analogues instead, which are quite strong allergens;
• Powdered milk. Another "popular" allergen. It is lactose intolerance that is responsible for most cases of chocolate allergy in children;
• Soy. More precisely - soy lecithin (aka E322). A valuable antioxidant that our body needs. But the extensive use of genetic modifications in soy can cause rejection of foreign proteins. In other words, an allergic reaction;
• Nuts and dried fruits. There is no need to even explain anything. If you are allergic to almonds or peanuts, it is better to forget about chocolate with filling;
• Chitin. Another highly allergenic substance. It is part of the shells of beetles that feed on cocoa beans. And, despite all the tricks of manufacturers, it is almost impossible to completely clean raw materials from it.
• Dyes, preservatives and other food chemicals. An integral and highly allergenic attribute of any confectionery product.

As you can see, chocolate treats have a lot of allergy triggers. Fortunately, most of them have a high enough threshold of allergenicity, which makes it possible to enjoy your favorite dessert, albeit in moderate doses.

Symptoms

Due to the large number of potential allergens, the symptoms of a chocolate allergy are quite varied. As a rule, allergic symptoms appear already in the first hours after consumption. But some allergens cause a response only with frequent and regular consumption.

In general, the list of symptoms looks like this:

• Prolapse of a red rash. In adults, it most often appears on the arms and legs. In children - on the face and trunk;
• Dryness and flaking of the skin. Although in some cases the opposite picture is observed - increased sweating;
• Runny nose and discharge of purulent secretion from the eyes;
• Pain in the stomach and intestines, flatulence, diarrhea. As a rule, they arise due to lactose intolerance;
• In severe cases, such as nut allergies, Quincke's edema is possible.

Less obvious symptoms include low blood pressure, weakness, and drowsiness. But, as we have already said, the reaction to chocolate allergens is an extremely individual thing.

Most often, symptoms appear in children under the age of 7 years. The reason for this is an unformed digestive system. Therefore, doctors do not recommend giving chocolate to young children.

Risk groups for chocolate allergies also include:

• Patients with allergic asthma;
• People with diseases of the liver and gastrointestinal tract (gastritis, hepatitis, cholecystitis), as well as beriberi;
• Women during pregnancy or breastfeeding;
• Persons who have had serious illnesses, in the recovery period, as well as recently vaccinated.

Diagnosis and treatment

If an allergic reaction to chocolate products begins to manifest itself too strongly, you should seek medical help. This is done not only for the sake of getting rid of the symptoms, but also in order to exclude the possibility of more serious diseases. Therefore, in addition to the allergist, you should also visit a gastroenterologist.

Diagnosis of the disease includes tests to identify a specific allergen. As you can imagine, the list of potential pathogens is quite large. And many of them are found not only in chocolate products.

The treatment of chocolate allergy itself includes 3 main elements:

1. The use of antiallergic drugs. If the symptoms are limited to allergic dermatitis, then only antihistamine ointments are sufficient. In more severe cases, drugs with a broader spectrum of action are prescribed;
2. Cleansing the gastrointestinal tract from allergens. For this, sorbents are used. The most famous of them is activated carbon. However, more modern means of selective action can also be used;
3. Diet . In view of the strictly individual needs of each organism, the dietary ration should be formed by a specialist. Radical methods, such as therapeutic fasting, can be used only after consulting a doctor.

As you already understood, this treatment is aimed only at relieving the patient of the symptoms of the disease. To completely recover from this disease, more radical methods are needed in the form of allergen-specific immunotherapy (ASIT). Such treatment is quite long and expensive, so we recommend leaving it as a last resort.

Features of treatment and prevention in children

Particular attention should be paid to cases of chocolate allergy in children. Their developing immune system is not able to adequately respond to allergens that cause a more acute reaction. In addition, improper treatment of a child can lead to very disastrous consequences. Therefore, at the first symptoms of childhood allergies, you should contact the clinic.

When treating children for allergies, it should be remembered that most antihistamines are designed primarily for adults. Therefore, before using them, it is necessary to consult a pediatrician and strictly follow the prescribed dosages.

Treatment with folk remedies

Most folk remedies are aimed at combating the rash. These include various poultices and compresses based on nettle, sage or string. In addition, patients are advised to add 2-3 tablespoons of coniferous extract and 25-30 ml of valerian root tincture to the bathroom.

Another remedy for the skin symptoms of a chocolate allergy is crushed eggshells. It is diluted with a small amount of lemon juice and taken a quarter teaspoon daily, before meals.

After the use of sorbent drugs, it is necessary to restore the disturbed intestinal microflora. If you do not want to take drugs with lactobacilli, the use of kefir, yogurt, as well as cucumber or apple juice can be a good way out.

Allergy to chocolate is an extremely unpleasant disease. But, unlike allergies to dust or pollen , avoiding contact with the allergen is much easier here. Of course, many types of familiar delicacies will be banned for you. But look at it from the other side. You will be motivated to discover new dishes. And they can be much tastier than a simple milk bar.