Food allergy
Investigating food allergy and intolerance: medical history, skin tests, specific IgE and an avoidance plan without cutting out more than needed.
Allergy isn't the same as intolerance
The two get mixed up all the time, and the treatment isn't the same. In food allergy the immune system is involved: the reaction appears quickly — hives, swelling, vomiting, breathing difficulty — and with very small amounts. In intolerance the problem is digestive, the reaction depends on the amount, and the severity is different: unpleasant, but not life-threatening.
Telling them apart is the point of this consultation, because that's what decides what you need to avoid and what you don't.
When to book an appointment
- Hives, an itchy mouth or swollen lips after eating something specific.
- Repeated vomiting, abdominal pain or diarrhoea after certain meals.
- A sudden, obvious reaction after a meal, even if it's only happened once.
- Suspected food allergy in a child.
- A diet that's ended up restricted on its own, without anyone investigating it.
How we investigate it
It starts with your history: what you ate, how long it took to appear, how long it lasted, whether it's happened again. Then whatever tests are needed — skin tests and a specific IgE blood test — and, depending on the case, other checks to confirm or rule it out. The goal isn't a long list of things to avoid, but the shortest one possible.
Living with it
Once the diagnosis is confirmed, the plan covers how to read labels, what alternatives you have so you don't lose out on nutrients, and what to do if there's a reaction. If your case needs it, we explain when and how to use rescue medication. With check-ups, because some childhood food allergies are outgrown over the years, and it's worth checking rather than carrying the diet for life.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a food allergy and a food intolerance?
An allergy involves the immune system: the reaction appears quickly, with very small amounts, and it can be serious. In an intolerance the problem is digestive, it depends on the amount and it causes discomfort without being life-threatening. Telling them apart is the aim of the consultation, because the treatment is nothing alike.
Can a food allergy disappear over the years?
Some do, especially those that appear in childhood, such as milk or egg allergy. That is why it is worth reviewing them periodically instead of carrying the diet for life. Others, such as nut or shellfish allergies, tend to persist. This is checked with proper testing, never by trying the food at home.
What should I bring to the first appointment?
The most useful thing is the history: what you ate, how long the reaction took to appear, how long it lasted and whether it has happened again. If you have kept the product packaging, bring it. And if you have been cutting out foods on your own, write down which ones: part of the work will be putting back into your diet what did not need removing.
What are the symptoms of a food allergy?
The most common are hives, itching in the mouth or throat and swelling of the lips or eyelids within minutes of eating, sometimes with vomiting, abdominal pain or diarrhoea. The warning signs of severity are difficulty breathing, hoarseness, dizziness or feeling faint: that is an emergency.
What are the 14 allergens?
They are the ones European regulations require to be declared on labels and in hospitality: cereals containing gluten, crustaceans, eggs, fish, peanuts, soya, milk, tree nuts, celery, mustard, sesame seeds, sulphites, lupin and molluscs. Knowing which one is yours is what lets you read labels with judgement.