Clara is a 17-month-old baby girl. At birth, she was breastfed, but 2 weeks later cow's milk-based formula was introduced, which she did not appear to tolerate. Each feeding resulted in diarrhea and vomiting. The pediatrician recommended that her mother switch to a partially hydrolyzed casein infant formula, which Clara seemed to tolerate. However, at age 4 months she developed eczema that was treated with steroid creams. Cow's milk was introduced when Clara was 12 months old. Her skin symptoms became more pronounced. When eggs and later, peanut butter, was introduced, she experienced immediate wheezing, watery, swelling eyes, hives, increased itchiness and diarrhea.
Clara currently weighs 27.2 lbs and is 30 inches in length.
Clara's parents are lower income parents that dropped out of high school. They are not aware of how to detect if egg or peanuts are in a food product. Because of this, Clara has been treated multiple times in the emergency room. The doctor thinks this is an allergy problem and has sent Clara to see a board-certified allergist and a RDN.
Questions:
1. How many food allergen suspects are there for Clara? List them and justify your reason.
2. What measures will her parents need to take if Clara is to lose sensitivity to any of the food allergens? - Emma
