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Dennis Mihalka, DDS October 1, 1998

Although allergies can be irritating nuisances, they can also lead to very serious, life threatening experiences and significant complications. This paper will introduce a food allergy model that may affect nearly one-third of our population. By observing symptoms in infants and children you can help minimize allergy problems and lifetime consequences.

Recent research has provided much information that can be used to explain many of the problems afflicting our society today. Over 3,000 recently published articles have been reviewed to develop the conclusions found in this paper. The picture is like a 1,000-piece jig saw puzzle that is made more clear as the pieces are fitted together. The most important points to remember are:

Each of us has a vested interest in our own and our family's health.
Clear observation of symptoms and cause and effect relationships are key to health.
We must be willing to be flexible in dietary habits to maximize health and minimize disease.
Observe any changes in physical and emotional status and consider the possibility of a food allergy as being the primary trigger.
Consider testing the reaction after remission by introducing the same food and observing the possible return of symptoms. If they do return, eliminate that trigger item from the diet.
Once cause and effect are determined, it then is appropriate to decide if the benefits outweigh the consequences of the ingested food or substance.

The following facts are key to this discussion: Allergies impact over one-third of our population. At birth, the umbilical cord blood of some newborns has been shown to have antibodies to proteins in dairy products and egg whites. Antibodies are created as an immune system response to "foreign" proteins. Other studies report that twenty-nine percent of newborns are allergic to the proteins in dairy products. Of these infants who have an allergic reaction to dairy proteins, 39% have been shown to develop allergies to many other substances which vary throughout the child's lifetime with the reactions peaking at young adulthood. Allergic responses can be triggered by different substances, then may go into remission and possibly return at unpredictable points in one's lifetime. Typical allergy sensitivity tests are about 50% accurate, which leaves elimination diets as the more accurate tool in determining sensitivities or allergies.

A typical infant allergic response can include one or more of the following:

• Eczema (flaky, dry skin) anywhere on the body
• Rash (red) anywhere on body, "diaper rash" is common
• Congested nose
• Colic
• Constipation or diarrhea
• Gastroesophageal reflux (throwing-up)
• Bed wetting problems
• Middle ear infections

Any of the above symptoms should be considered an allergic response to proteins to which an infant's immature immune system produces an allergic reaction. It is understood that an infant's immune system matures over a period of time. Hence, the value of breast-feeding. The first milk, called clostrum, provides initial protection for a baby. The continuation of breast-feeding allows the infant to be slowly exposed to "trigger" proteins (allergens) over a period of time, enabling the infant to better adopt to the various allergen-containing foods. Several studies have shown that a baby in the mother's womb can develop allergies to egg whites and dairy products from foods the mother ingests. In other studies, breast-fed infants have been shown to develop allergic reactions to foods eaten by their mother. Studies indicate that cow's milk contains 30 different proteins that have been shown to cause allergies in humans. Once these are digested, over 100 smaller protein segments have been identified as being allergenic. It must be emphasized here that not all infants/adults develop allergies. Statistics show that about one third of our population have allergies. This is a large segment and should cause us to at least consider the "illnesses" and symptoms of our infants, children and adults as being the result of allergic reactions. Allergic reactions have been shown to impact every tissue and system of the human body.

The most significant and most readily observed reaction in infants and children is that of nasal congestion or chronic running and/or stuffy nose. Some may say, "what's a sniffle or two, they are very common in infants, they catch everything?" Illnesses come and go, while allergies continue to reoccur and persist. Consider the disastrous impact of chronic nasal congestion:

• Chronic colds: congestion resulting in tonsillectomies and removal of adenoids.
  
• Nasal congestion: the nose is blocked from breathing.
  
• Mouth breathing has to occur: When breathing is blocked the tongue must assume an abnormal, low position in the mouth. Normal position for the tongue is to rest against the roof of the mouth just behind the upper front teeth, which is also the spot upon which the tongue presses in a normal swallowing pattern. (Swallowing occurs 1500 to 2000 times each day.) The resting or swallowing tongue in this low position causes the tongue to press against the front teeth, resulting in numerous orthodontic problems.
  
• The roof of the mouth (palate) becomes elevated due to the airflow of mouth breathing.
  
• Chronic mouth breathing becomes a habit pattern, especially in the congested infant.
  
• If mouth breathing is dominant, growth and development of nasal airways are impacted. The roof of the mouth is the floor of the nose. If the floor is raised, there is less vertical space inside the nose causing a deviated septum and reduced breathing nasal passage size for breathing.
  
• Lack of stimulation of the nasal passageways and nares (nose holes) to grow during critical growth periods result in a narrow, flatter bridge and smaller nares. These add to future breathing difficulties, even if there is no congestion. Consider the number of "Breathe Rite Strips" being used today.