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 exaggerated immune system 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?
It is important to keep working with your GP, as he or she has a relationship with your whole family. Also the symptoms of food allergy can mimic many other conditions in infants so it can be difficult to diagnose, particularly if the reactions are not immediate and obvious. If it is your child, you can ask your doctor to refer you to a paediatrician at your local hospital.
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. However, there is a waiting list and patients can self-refer to a private specialist (the list is
here).
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. This is to ensure the child's development is monitored through the time they are on a limited diet.
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 40 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.
Q. I have heard the child disability allowance is available through WINZ. What is this?
We have has a lot of queries about how to access financial support. A study was conducted into the Child Disability Allowance for Allergy New Zealand in 2010 by Steela Li and Yung-Lan Yang, BHSc students at the School of Population Health, University of Auckland. From this we have developed the following information:
If your child is assessed as being at risk of anaphylaxis in relation to food allergies you may be eligible for a Child Disability Allowance from WINZ.
This is not means or asset-tested and is paid soley in relation to the significantly more care and supervision your child needs for their health and safety. It is not for the costs associated e.g. medicines. The application has to be filled in and signed by a doctor (GP or specialist). The allowance is about $44 per week paid to the principal carer. In some cases WINZ may require the allowance to be reviewed annually.
We also understand that if you are a beneficiary or on a low income you may be able to apply for a Disability Allowance to cover the costs associated with your or your child's medical condition (e.g. food allergy and/or anaphylaxis). This can include medicines, doctors fees, mileage for going to the doctor, and even dust mite covers if prescribed by the doctor.
You will need to get a printout from the pharmacy and doctor and the doctor will have to fill in the form including the items the allowance should cover. WINZ assess the annual cost then divide by 52 to arrive at a weekly allowance. The allowance is reviewed annually.
