Food allergy
Information, Symptoms, Treatments and Resources
Food Elimination Diet & Desensitization
Elimination diet is for suspected food allergies. An elimination diet
is designed to detect and identify sensitivities to certain foods. Here, the
suspected allergen (type of food) is totally eliminated from the diet for a
period of time (from two weeks to two months) and observations are made to see
if the symptoms are resolved during this period. And if resolved, the ‘food' is
re introduced to see if symptoms re occur, termed as
challenge-dechallenge-rechallenge (CDR).
A food diary can help to make elimination diet
more accurate and successful. Keeping track of the food one eats and the
symptoms helps to look for patterns. It can also help identify possible sources
of cross-contamination, or other foods that may be contributing to the
symptoms.
On the other hand, Desensitization or allergy
immunotherapy works like vaccination. Very small amounts of the allergen are
injected in gradually increasing doses, so that the body develops an immunity
to the allergen, so that the person will have a reduced response or fewer
allergic symptoms when he is exposed to these allergens again.
Paderla Anitha, DNB (Family Medicine)
Return to Food Allergies Community
