Building Tolerance to Egg Allergies

Filed in archive Food Allergies on July 24, 2008

Photo courtesy of iStockphoto, Carmen Martínez Banús

Although eggs belong the most common causes of food allergies in children, lots, if not most, kids eventually outgrow their egg allergies by age 5. I can't remember just exactly when my son had outgrown his egg allergies, but if I remember right, it must be when he was around 2 years old (definitely before he turned three).

Previous reports suggest that feeding the children increasing amounts of eggs over a period of time may help them tolerate larger amounts of egg-containing foods without having a reaction. A new study yet to be published in an upcoming issue of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology supports this. According to the report:

In the trial, 94 children were regularly given tiny amounts of cake containing egg. Over a period of several months, the quantity of cake was gradually increased. Eighty-seven children (90 percent) were able to eat the maximum amount without symptoms.

After six months of daily doses of the processed egg, those children were challenged to eat egg that was not cooked to the same degree. More than 95 percent had no reaction and were believed to have outgrown the allergy.

It looks like heat-treatment does not only work for reducing the allergenic properties of milk, but also of eggs.