What will happen when we see a healthcare professional?

Information for the public

If you think that your child's care does not match what is described in this information, please talk to a member of your child's healthcare team in the first instance.

If you are concerned that your child may have a food allergy you can talk to a healthcare professional (it could be your child's GP, health visitor or school nurse). They should ask you about your child's symptoms to see if food allergy could be a possible cause. They should ask if your child has had any of the following:

Skin problems, such as reddening of the skin, an itchy nettle sting-like rash, swelling of the lips, face or around the eyes, or eczema.
Problems with eating or their digestive system, such as reluctance to eat or feed, apparent stomach ache, vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation or 'reflux' (where stomach acid leaks into the oesophagus, or gullet; in a baby this can cause excessive crying, back arching and frequent vomiting after feeds).
Hay fever-like symptoms, including sneezing, itchy nose and/or eyes or a blocked nose.
Sudden development of wheezing, cough, shortness of breath or difficult, noisy breathing. This is because of swelling of the throat or lower airway which can be an early sign of an uncommon reaction called 'anaphylaxis'. Anaphylaxis is a medical emergency and needs immediate treatment because in a small number of cases it can be fatal.

The healthcare professional should also ask whether your child often feels very tired and whether they have had any growth problems.