Doctors’ Tips for Keeping Your Kids Healthy

Know the Difference Between a Food Allergy and a Less-Serious Reaction

What the doctor wants you to know: “One often cited study showed that only one-third of children suspected of having a food allergy actually do. A true allergy will cause hives or facial swelling, vomiting, diarrhea, or wheezing, usually within 15 minutes to two hours of eating a food,” according to Subhadra Siegal, a pediatric allergist and an immunologist at Westchester Medical Center, in Valhalla, New York. “Much more common are adverse food reactions, which can include any type of food intolerance, like an upset stomach, gassiness, or headache. Don’t jump to the conclusion that your child is allergic to his food. Check with your pediatrician. And relax: Food allergies aren’t necessarily a lifelong curse. A large proportion of kids outgrow allergies to milk, eggs, and wheat.”

Where she slacks off: “I don’t treat my daughter’s fevers with medication unless they’re high enough that she’s irritable or uncomfortable. Fever is an immune response to infection. It’s not dangerous on its own; you just need to find out what’s causing it.”