allergy faqs

Q. How do I know if I have an allergy?

Our Allergies A-Z section has all the information you need to know about allergies. You can find information on specific allergies, for example alcohol, pollen, food, insect sting, latex and many, many more.

Q. What is the difference between a food allergy and a food intolerance?

A food allergy is an immune system over-response to a food protein and the body triggers an allergic reaction. Symptoms can include hives, itching, swelling, vomiting, diarrhoea and nausea. In some cases, it can cause potentially life-threatening symptoms, called anaphylaxis, either by breathing difficulties and/or a sudden drop in blood pressure.

Sometimes food allergy may be less obvious and can be characterised by infantile colic, reflux of stomach contents, eczema, chronic diarrhoea, and failure to thrive. Recent studies have found that up to 40-50 per cent of eczema cases in young children are triggered by food allergy.

Eight foods cause 90 per cent of allergies: milk, egg, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shell fish, wheat and soy. However, any food can cause an allergic reaction.
Click here for more information on food allergies.

A food intolerance is an adverse reaction to a food that does not involve the immune system. Reactions can be immediate or delayed up to 20 hours after a food is eaten.

Symptoms of intolerance are sometimes vague and can include a combination of the following: gastrointestinal problems such as bloating and wind, diarrhoea, nausea and indigestion, aggravation of eczema or asthma. Food intolerances can sometimes mimic symptoms of other medical conditions - it is important to get checked out by a doctor to eliminate other problems first.

Click here for more information on food intolerances.

Q. What should I do if I suspect I have a food allergy?

The first step is to see your doctor. An experienced GP, paediatrician or an allergy specialist will take a history of reactions, examine you and possibly arrange for allergy tests. Click here for our information on diagnosing allergies.

Q. I had my hair tested for allergies. Is this an acceptable diagnosis?

Measurement of food specific IgG antibodies, hair-analysis, cytotoxic tests, kinesiology, iridology, and electrodermal testing are a number of alternative methods of diagnosis. None of these test have been proven to be accurate in diagnosing allergies, hence clinicians cannot recommend the use of them in diagnosing allergies.

For more information, click here for the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy's position.

Q. What do I do if my GP dismisses my concerns and refuses to carry out any testing?

If it is your child, you can ask your doctor to refer you to a paediatrician at your local hospital.

You can also make your own referral or you can contact your public health nurse to do this. A referral to a paediatrician (or Paediatric Allergy Clinic at Starship Hospital in Auckland) should always be made if your child has had an anaphylactic reaction.

Food allergy is mainly a paediatric condition. General paediatric clinics can do initial testing and may refer on for more specialised help, for example to the Starship Allergy and Immunology Clinic at Auckland.

Adults who have had an anaphylactic reaction should always be referred to an allergy or immunology specialist. Adults with a suspected food allergy in the Auckland region can be referred to the Allergy Clinic (part of the Department of Virology and Immunology) at Auckland City Hospital. There are also immunology departments at Wellington and Christchurch hospitals.

Alternatively, there are a number of private allergy specialists.

There are gaps in other areas, although specialists from public hospitals can refer patients to a tertiary service in another region. So it is still worth getting your doctor to make a referral to a specialist (paediatric or general physician) at your local district health board. This will also help demonstrate the need for specialist services.

If you are unhappy with your quality of care, you can write to the Health and Disability Commissioner. Don’t be frightened to do this, as it will not get your doctor in trouble and will actually help with access to allergy services in the long run.

Q. My baby has severe eczema and I heard there is a link between that and food allergy. What should I do?

Recent studies have found that up to 50 per cent of infants who have eczema before the age of six months of age have a food allergy. If this is your child, ask your doctor to carry out allergy testing. The rule of thumb is the earlier the onset of eczema or the more the severe the eczema, the more likely that food may be a trigger.

Food allergy is less likely to be a culprit in adult eczema, although salicylate sensitivity may be. Click here for more information on eczema.

Q. I am pregnant and both my partner and I have a history of allergies. What can I do to prevent food allergies?

Unfortunately, there is not a lot you can do to prevent food allergies. Much of it largely comes down to genetics, although there are myriad studies being carried out. Until the results come through on these, the best things you can do for your baby is to not smoke, to breastfeed exclusively for four to six months. Click here to read more about allergy prevention.

Q. My child is about to start school. What do I need to know?

You can find this information here, in Education Sector.