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Child · 1 to 12 years

Child food allergies & managing them at home

Managing diagnosed allergies at home and school, planning for reintroduction, and the difference between real allergy and the 'intolerance test' industry.

Read more about me
Best forChildren 1 to 12
FormatOnline · 60 minutes
IncludesWritten plan
Fee£90 new patient
Child enjoying a healthy meal
Colourful fresh food for children
Parent and child preparing food together
Baby exploring food during weaning
Fresh fruit and vegetables
Family mealtime with healthy food
Child with a balanced plate
Healthy ingredients for children's meals
Baby-led weaning with finger foods
Mother feeding infant
Happy family eating together
Child enjoying a healthy meal
Colourful fresh food for children
Parent and child preparing food together
Baby exploring food during weaning
Fresh fruit and vegetables
Family mealtime with healthy food
Child with a balanced plate
Healthy ingredients for children's meals
Baby-led weaning with finger foods
Mother feeding infant
Happy family eating together

Living with food allergies day to day

Once a food allergy is diagnosed, life changes. The focus shifts from 'what is this?' to 'how do we manage it safely?' - and that covers a lot of ground. Safe eating at home, reading every label, communicating with school, navigating birthday parties, managing holidays, and eventually planning for reintroduction where appropriate.

In my consultations, I spend a lot of time on the practical side of allergy management. Which foods to watch out for (the obvious and the hidden sources), how to read UK food labels properly (resources from Allergy UK can also help here), how to communicate your child's allergy to school and other caregivers, and how to make sure the restricted diet is still nutritionally complete. Cutting out a major food group like dairy or wheat without replacing those nutrients properly is a common and avoidable problem.

It's also common for families to be avoiding more foods than they need to. Sometimes an allergy that was diagnosed in infancy has been outgrown, or the original 'diagnosis' was based on unreliable testing. Periodic reassessment is part of good allergy management.

Testing - what works and what doesn't

For immediate (IgE-mediated) allergies, skin prick tests and specific IgE blood tests are useful diagnostic tools. They're not perfect - false positives happen - but in the right clinical context they guide management well. For delayed (non-IgE) allergies, these tests don't work. Delayed allergy is diagnosed by structured elimination and supervised reintroduction, which gives a much clearer answer.

What doesn't work: the IgG-based 'food intolerance tests' sold direct to consumers. The British Dietetic Association, BSACI, and every major allergy organisation in the UK has stated clearly that these tests are not reliable. They commonly flag foods that are perfectly safe for your child, leading to unnecessary restriction that can compromise nutrition and quality of life.

If you've had a commercial intolerance test suggesting your child is 'intolerant' to multiple foods, please speak to a registered dietitian before restricting the diet. Most of those results don't stand up to proper clinical assessment, and unnecessary restriction can compromise a growing child's nutrition.

Allergy management at school

Getting allergy management right at school is one of the most common concerns parents bring to me. The good news is that most UK schools manage this well once proper communication is in place. The less good news is that the legwork falls largely on the parent.

Getting allergy management right at school requires coordination across several areas — action plans, staff communication, emergency medication access, and meal safety. A consultation helps you work through what needs to be in place and how to set it up.

I help families put these plans together and think through the less obvious situations: school trips, cooking lessons, art materials that contain allergens (wheat paste, egg in some paints), and the social side of food at school. Getting this right means your child can participate fully without unnecessary anxiety.

Reintroduction and outgrowing allergies

Many childhood food allergies are outgrown. Milk, egg, wheat and soya allergies are commonly outgrown by school age, often earlier. Peanut, tree nut and shellfish allergies are less likely to resolve but it does happen, and periodic reassessment is always worthwhile.

Reintroduction should be planned and supervised, not attempted at home without guidance. As recommended in the NICE food allergy guideline, structured reintroduction protocols exist for allergies like milk and egg, allowing gradual expansion of the diet under professional guidance. This is something I guide families through as part of allergy management.

Knowing when to reassess matters. If your child's allergy was diagnosed in infancy and they're now school-age with no accidental exposures to confirm or deny ongoing allergy, it's time for a review. Continuing to avoid a food that's been outgrown restricts the diet unnecessarily.

Common questions

Look for patterns. Immediate reactions (hives, swelling, vomiting, breathing changes within minutes) are usually obvious. Delayed reactions (eczema flares, persistent gut symptoms, poor growth) are harder to spot. A clinical assessment is the starting point - I look at history, symptoms, timing, and whether formal testing is needed.
Cow's milk, egg, peanut, tree nuts, and wheat are the most common in UK children. Soya, fish, shellfish and sesame are also in the top allergens. Many children have more than one allergy, which makes dietary planning more important.
Many do. Milk, egg, wheat and soya allergies are commonly outgrown by school age. Peanut and tree nut allergies are more often lifelong but not always. Periodic reassessment is part of good allergy management - continuing to avoid a food that's been outgrown restricts the diet unnecessarily.
The IgG-based tests sold direct to consumers are not. The BDA, BSACI, and major UK allergy bodies do not recommend them. They commonly produce false positives leading to unnecessary restriction. A proper allergy assessment is what you actually need.
Through your GP, who can refer to allergy services, or through a private consultation with an allergy-trained clinician. Skin prick tests and specific IgE blood tests are the standard for immediate allergy. Delayed allergy is diagnosed by structured elimination and challenge, which a dietitian can guide.
A clear written allergy action plan from your clinical team, communication with the school including kitchen staff, trained staff who can use adrenaline auto-injectors, and allergen information for school meals. Think through less obvious situations too - school trips, cooking lessons, art materials.
A loose term covering several things. True gluten intolerance is coeliac disease, an autoimmune condition diagnosed by blood test and biopsy. Non-coeliac gluten sensitivity exists but is less well understood. Don't self-diagnose - the coeliac blood test must be done while eating gluten, so going gluten-free first means you'll never get a clear answer.
FPIES (Food Protein-Induced Enterocolitis Syndrome) causes severe vomiting, often with pallor and lethargy, typically two to four hours after eating the trigger food. It can look like a stomach bug but happens repeatedly with the same food. Diarrhoea may follow. It's a non-IgE allergy, so standard allergy tests are negative. Most children outgrow it by school age.
Related

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Infant · 0 to 1 yearInfant food allergies & cow's milk allergyRead more
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Book a consultation

A clear plan,
built around your little one.

All consultations are online and you can self-refer directly. You'll receive a written plan after every appointment.

How it works
Initial consultation · £90

Thorough assessment & plan

Your first appointment is 60 minutes. It includes a full clinical and dietetic assessment, and you'll receive an agreed, written plan to take away.

Follow-up · £60

Review & adjust

Follow-ups are 30 minutes. We review the plan, problem-solve anything that's come up, and adjust guidance as your child progresses.

What's included
Full dietary and clinical history
Growth chart review and interpretation
Assessment of current intake and feeding patterns
Identification of any nutritional gaps or concerns
A clear, written plan with specific recommendations
Guidance on next steps and when to come back

Currently self-pay only. All fees are VAT-exempt as registered healthcare services. I provide receipts with my HCPC registration details which you can submit to your insurer.