Flour is found in a variety of foods. This component is present in the diet of almost every family. Wheat flour is especially popular, but, unfortunately, it is not suitable for everyone. The cause is an allergy.
Causes of occurrence
An allergic reaction to flour occurs if there are some features in the human body. One common cause of the disease is gluten intolerance.
Don't know gluten - what is it? It is an element found in almost all plants of the cereal family. These include wheat, rye and barley. People suffering from intolerance to this component have to forever refuse food that contains it.
Very often children suffer from allergies to wheat flour. As a rule, the disease occurs due to a genetic predisposition. In the adult population, intolerance appears due to a decrease in the protective properties of the body / immunity.
In medical practicethere are cases when an allergic reaction manifests itself from flour dust. That is, the human body copes well with the processing of wheat, but it is not able to resist the impact of a bulk substance. Most often, this kind of disease is observed in cooks and bakers.
Symptoms of the disease
Allergic reaction to food is most often manifested by the organs of the digestive tract and skin. But this is expressed somewhat differently than with other types of allergies.
The symptoms of the patient may be different, it all depends on the causes that provoked the disease. In addition, the age and personality of a certain person is of great importance.
Signs of a wheat flour allergy may include the following:
- Colic and swelling of the abdomen.
- Dry skin.
- Redness.
- Various rashes on the face, arms and abdomen.
- Fever.
If there are cross-reactions, the same symptoms appear, but if the patient has hay fever, then the following symptoms are likely to appear:
- Allergic rhinitis.
- Increased sneezing.
- Dry cough.
- Red eyes, teary discharge and so on.
The manifestation of allergies in children
The introduction of complementary foods in the form of porridge is a necessary process for a child as they grow up. Very often, for these purposes, mothers use wheat porridge. But for some kidsuse may cause an allergic reaction. There can be several reasons for a child to develop an allergy to wheat flour and cereals.
The problem may be in the milk on which the porridge was prepared. Children growing up on artificial nutrition show increased sensitivity to milk protein. Therefore, if the child's body reacted badly, then you should try to cook wheat porridge in water. If in this case the allergy went, then the child has gluten intolerance. What it is has been described above.
Symptomatics in children may include the following:
- Skin rashes and spots.
- Sores.
- Skin irritation.
- Abdominal pain and bloating.
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Breach of stool.
- Cough.
- Dizziness.
- Decrease in activity.
When an allergy to wheat flour is detected, it is urgent to remove the element from the child's diet.
How to determine the reaction to flour
Diagnosing an allergy to wheat flour always starts with a history. First of all, the doctor gives the patient a referral for testing. An accurate diagnosis can be established only after passing a series of studies. Most often, they check the blood.
When an allergic reaction to gluten is suspected, doctors usually choose another diagnostic method - an application patch. This method consists in applying a concentrated dose of wheat flour allergen to the patient's skin. On handbandage with liquid is applied. Initial response evaluation is completed in 1-2 days.
Only after receiving the results of the examination, the immunologist can begin to develop a treatment plan. It is compiled taking into account the individual characteristics of the patient - age, heredity and the state of immunity.
General recommendations and treatments
The basic rule to follow in case of illness is the exclusion of foods containing gluten from the diet. Subsequently, a special diet is prescribed for a patient with an allergy to wheat flour. To achieve improvement, you must follow it unquestioningly, as well as follow other doctor's recommendations.
The following groups of drugs are commonly used to treat allergies:
- Antihistamines.
- Sorbents.
- Corticosteroids.
In addition, non-traditional (folk) methods of treatment are popular. But before making this decision, it is recommended to consult a specialist.
Medicated treatment
As mentioned above, when prescribing a treatment program, the allergist takes into account the age of the patient, as well as the state of his immune system. Sorbents are used to remove toxins from the body. The most popular drug of all existing is "Enterosgel". But it can easily be replaced with ordinary activated carbon. Antihistamines are used to relieve itching. Corticosteroids help strengthen the immune system.
In the treatment of children, only antihistamines are prescribed. The treatment course should not exceed 10 days.
Taking medicines without a doctor's prescription can at best not give a result, and at worst aggravate the situation. Therefore, before starting treatment, it is necessary to consult with an allergist or immunologist.
Treatment in non-traditional ways
After a mandatory consultation with a specialist, the patient has the right to use folk methods for the treatment of allergies to wheat flour. As a rule, various herbal infusions are used for this. They can be used both internally and externally.
For the treatment of each type of allergic reaction, certain plants are used (for internal use). For outdoor use, the most effective are:
- Series. It is not recommended to apply more than three times a week, as the plant dries out the skin.
- Chamomile. Suitable for daily use.
- Calendula.
- Nettle.
Before you start using a particular plant, the patient needs to make sure that he is not allergic to the plant. Otherwise, the situation may become critical.
Effectively copes with an allergy to flour mummy solution. It is very easy to prepare it - you need to dissolve 1-2 grams of the product in one liter of warm water. The resulting solution is completely safe. You can use it at any age, both internally and externally. Butthe dosage should be determined by a specialist who has the skills to work with such cases.
Diet as the main treatment
Allergic reactions to wheat flour are much less common than to eggs and cow's milk. At the same time, not only flour is excluded from the diet, but also all products in which it may be contained - semi-finished products, crackers, semolina, bran, baking ingredients, etc. As a rule, the product label indicates what is included.
Do not know if you are allergic to wheat flour, what to exclude from the diet? As a rule, all recommendations on this subject to the patient are given by the doctor after drawing up a treatment plan. The list of prohibited products includes:
- Soups with pasta, dumplings and other types prepared with this ingredient.
- Meat, fish, poultry, breaded.
- Meat products with fillers - sausages, sausages and more.
- Pasta.
- Bread containing wheat flour.
- Croutons, pancakes, pancakes.
- Wheat porridge.
- Ready-made sauces containing flour.
- Any pastry made with wheat flour. This applies to home and factory-made products.
- Ice cream on waffles and in a cup.
- Some varieties of coffee, candy and chocolate substitutes. Carefully study the chemical composition of the purchased product, it should not contain wheat flour.
- Beer, wheat vodka.
Don't get upset aftercheck the list, because you can always use other products instead of wheat flour. Don't know what to replace wheat flour with? For example, instead of it, you can take potato or corn starch, rice flour, oatmeal, corn or potatoes. One cup of wheat flour can be replaced with another ingredient in the following proportion:
- Starch/potato flour - half cup.
- Rice flour - 0.9 cups.
- Rye flour/ground oatmeal - one and a quarter cup.
- Corn flour - one cup.
- Barley flour - half cup.
Nuances
If you replace wheat flour with analogues in a regular recipe, then the following points should be considered:
- Products that replace wheat flour should be baked on the smallest fire, especially if they do not contain milk and eggs.
- To make the dough more tender, it is recommended to add several types of flour.
- Pastries that use wheat flour substitutes are difficult to bake, so small buns and pies should be made.
- Products made from non-wheat flour dry out faster. It is recommended to store them in sealed packaging.
- Doughs made with other wholemeal flours may contain lumps. It is recommended to knead it more thoroughly. Milk or water is first added to the flour, the resulting mixture is boiled. And only after it has cooled down, other ingredients are added.
What else can replace wheat flour?
Great alternativewheat is einkorn. In another way, it is also called an einkorn. This product is absolutely harmless for those who are allergic to wheat flour. In addition, you can safely use barley, potato tubers and corn. Oatmeal and soy will also work.
You can make flour from the listed products yourself at home. To do this, you need to take the selected type of product and grind it in a blender. If this option seems complicated, then you can buy the right flour at the grocery store, in the hypoallergenic products section.
If you have an allergic reaction to wheat flour, you must immediately stop eating foods containing it. If the symptoms of an allergy to wheat flour are very severe, causing discomfort, then you should contact a specialist without delay. As a rule, this issue is de alt with by an allergist or immunologist. He will conduct all the necessary studies and draw up a treatment plan. Usually, everything is limited to prescribing antihistamines and diet.
Preventive measures
Prevention of allergy to wheat flour in case of hypersensitivity to certain of its components consists in strict adherence to the diet prescribed by the doctor. The nutrition program completely excludes the use of pastries, as well as products containing wheat protein.
In addition, one should take into account the fact that this element may be present in the composition of medical ointments, as well as some cosmetic care productsleather.
Conclusion
Remember that an allergy to wheat flour is a disease that, at first glance, seems harmless. Neglect of treatment and further use of the allergen can lead to asphyxia or Quincke's edema. In this case, only timely professional help will help save the patient. Therefore, when identifying the first signs of an allergic reaction, you should immediately contact a specialist.
