How To Know If Your Child is Allergic to Gluten Or Wheat

General Mills recently recalled 1.8 million boxes of Gluten Free Cheerios due to a production fault that may have added wheat into products labeled as gluten-free. But how would you know if you or your child are allergic to gluten or wheat?

It’s not always easy to determine whether or not your child may be allergic to gluten or wheat but there are a few signs which help you recognize a problem:

1. Reactions after meals

If your child is allergic to wheat, they could have a reaction during or up to two hours after a meal.

2. Risk Factors

Your child is more likely to develop a wheat allergy as an infant or toddler. A child is also more likely to develop an allergy if he or she has relatives with allergies. If both biological parents have pollen or food allergies, chances are higher.

3. Respiratory Symptoms

Difficulty breathing or wheezing may indicate an allergic respiratory response. Swelling in the throat or mouth could also point to an allergy.

4. Skin Reaction

A child who is allergic to wheat may develop red spots, a rash or hives after ingesting gluten. Any rash that develops after eating could be an indication that your child may have a wheat gluten allergy.

5. Non-food items

Wheat can also be found in non-food items such as bath products and even play-dough! Check the content of the objects they are handling and get your child tested for a wheat allergy.

If your child displays any of these symptoms you would need to get him or her tested by an allergist, who is a physician that specializes in allergy detection and management.