Description

This video by TV360 shows you how to cope with an allergy to wheat and the treatments available.

Transcript

What Jen’s story illustrates which is really important for people with food allergy to be aware of is that you need to be diligent regarding avoiding the food that you're allergic to and this includes reading labels and when you go to a restaurant asking specific questions to be certain that there is no possibility you're going to be exposed to the food you're allergic to. Food allergy has become much more common in recent years. Millions of Americans are affected by food allergy and estimated 8% of children and about 2% of adults. Wheat is one of the common allergens that people can be allergic to, so that the major food allergens would include wheat, peanut, tree nuts, shellfish, other fish, milk, egg and soy. Individuals should suspect that they're allergic to a food when consuming that food on a consistent basis is associated with an adverse reaction that can vary in severity from itching of the mouth and throat, to stomach upset to a generalized reaction that may include hives, difficulty breathing, sensation of throat closing and even feeling light headed because your blood pressure is going to drop. Jen’s case illustrates some important aspects of management of food allergy. More specifically number one, avoiding the food you're allergic to and number two given the fact that despite their best efforts patients may inadvertently consume the food that they're allergic to and have a potentially serious reaction. They need to carry injectable epinephrine with them at all times.