What are the symptoms of food allergies?

If your baby is allergic to a food, the signs will be there within minutes or even seconds. The most common symptoms are:

• Coughing
• Dry, itchy throat and tongue
• Itchy skin or rash
• Nausea and feeling bloated
• Diarrhoea and/or vomiting
• Wheezing and shortness of breath
• Swelling of the lips and throat
• Runny or blocked nose
• Sore, red and itchy eyes

How do I get the balance right?

You should aim to include these sorts of food in your toddler’s diet every day:

• Milk and dairy foods such as cheese, milk and yogurt
• Lean meat, chicken, fish, eggs, beans and lentils
• Carbohydrate rich foods such as bread, rice, pasta, potatoes and breakfast cereals
• Plenty of fruit and vegetables

Some from each group

• Try to balance meals out, with foods from each of the above groups every day.
• If your baby has had cereals for breakfast, for example, and pasta with vegetables for lunch, try to include a protein-rich food such as meat, fish, eggs or beans for tea, with fruit and yogurt to follow.