Chocolate allergy refers to a variety of food. Often, children who are consuming chocolate candies, drinking cocoa drinks and consuming other sweets are prone to it.
Chocolate consists of a variety of substances, but mostly from cocoa and glucose. Accordingly, chocolate allergy is caused in most cases by one of these components.
If the allergy arose on white chocolate, then, most likely, it appeared because of additives: flavors, dyes, emulsifiers and stabilizers, which prolong the shelf life of the product, provide its more attractive appearance and equip with special taste qualities.
How does the chocolate allergy manifest itself?
When a large amount of an allergen accumulates in the body, a person has skin itching and a red rash in the form of blisters. The reaction may also occur within half an hour after the reception of chocolate, but in most cases a systematic reception of this sweetness is necessary.
The main symptoms of chocolate allergy:
- Hives. On the skin blisters of crimson color appear, which are accompanied by itching, and when combed, they combine into vast areas. Often hives occur on the legs, arms, back and stomach. In more rare cases, there are red spots on the face. Symptoms of hives last no more than 12 hours: basically, they pass without a trace even an hour after taking the antihistamine.
- Edema of the Quincke. This manifestation of allergy is more dangerous in comparison with urticaria: it is accompanied by swelling of the tissues, which is formed within 1 minute and can persist for up to 2 days. The greatest danger is the swelling of the larynx, which can lead to asphyxia.
- Skin rashes in the form of a small red rash. This is a rare manifestation of the allergy to chocolate: a small rash of red appears on the hands, feet, back and stomach, which is accompanied by itching.
Treatment of allergies to chocolate
Treatment of allergies should always be comprehensive. As a rule, it lasts not less than a month and includes the following items:
- Reception of antihistamines. These medications can be in the form of tablets, syrups, injections, as well as creams and ointments. The latter are used for local itching, and the first group of drugs is designed to reduce the production of histamine, which is involved in the occurrence of urticaria. There are several groups of antihistamines, depending on their generation. In the treatment, it is best to use antihistamines of the 2nd and 3rd generation, since they have less side effects.
- Cleansing of blood and intestines. Sometimes an allergy occurs because of slagging of the intestine or dysbiosis. To eliminate these factors, doctors prescribe sorbents: the simplest of them is activated charcoal, but you can also use its more modern analogues. Sorbents clean the intestines, but this can lead to constipation due to the disturbance of a favorable microflora. Therefore, the second stage is the reception of lactobacilli, which will adjust the work of this organ. Purification of blood is necessary only in extreme cases with acute urticaria. To do this, use plasmapheresis.
- Diet. This is an important stage in the treatment of food allergies: during the period of treatment you need to exclude fruits of red color, chocolate and sugar. It is undesirable so to drink coffee and strong tea.
Treatment of allergies to chocolate in children
Treatment of children from chocolate allergies is not much different from the classical scheme, except that it is necessary to take antihistamines (if possible) in minimal amounts.
It should also be noted that during a period of acute illness, a child should not be given any sweets, even those based on natural substances.
Another important point - a child is extremely undesirable to do plasmapheresis, because with this method of treatment there is a risk of contracting blood-borne diseases: for example, HIV or hepatitis.