Egg Allergy Nutrition

Egg Allergy Nutrition

Egg Allergy Nutrition
Reading Level

	edHelper's suggested reading level:	grades 4 to 7
	Flesch-Kincaid grade level:	6.83

Vocabulary

	challenging words:		eczema, flushing, outright, pose, respiratory, sufferers, tract, therefore, occasionally, asthma, affected, cases, immediately, diarrhea, anaphylaxis, epinephrine
	content words:		United States

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Egg Allergy Nutrition
By Jennifer Kenny

¹     Do you like eggs? Perhaps you enjoy scrambled eggs or eggs sunny side up every once in a while. Perhaps you would never even think of requesting one for breakfast. Whether you enjoy them or not, eggs are in many foods, from those homemade cookies to the meatloaf at your dinner table. For most people then, enjoying eggs is a matter of taste and enjoyment. For someone with an egg allergy, though, outright eggs or hidden eggs can pose a problem.

²     What is an allergy to eggs? It is a food allergy. As with any other allergy, the body responds to something as a danger. Normally, the immune system is responding to germs. However, with an egg allergy, the immune system decides an egg is a danger. It fights the egg, or harmful invader, by using antibodies. Chemicals are released, including histamine, which acts on different parts of the body including the eyes, nose, throat, lungs, skin, or gastrointestinal tract.

³     Within a few minutes up to a few hours later of the chemicals being released, the allergic reaction is evident. There may be hives, eczema, flushing, or swelling. There may be belly pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or even itching around the mouth. If the respiratory system is affected, there may be a runny nose, sneezing, or asthma. There may be a rapid heartbeat. Occasionally, there is a very severe reaction known as anaphylaxis. This must be handled immediately because it may cause breathing problems and a blood pressure drop.

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