Children’s Food Intolerances: 5 Questions Parents Often Ask
This week we are doing a top five Q&A for children’s food intolerances.
The aim is to demystify food: To explain in straightforward terms why certain foods can cause problems, and how understanding this can help with symptoms like tummy aches, asthma, skin flare-ups, low energy, anxiety, behaviour issues or difficulty concentrating.
Q1:
Why are food intolerances so common?
A great question! If you take these amazing bodies we live in and transport them back a thousand years to our ancestors, you will find that in principle they behave in exactly the same way. This hasn’t changed, it’s just that we keep changing everything around us.
This means, we now have a ‘primitive’ immune system living in a very modern and toxic world, and this raises some problems. Our immune system is predominantly designed to protect us from things like infection, virus, parasites, fungus and mould – that’s pretty much it.
However, fast forward to today, our immune system is now faced with protecting us from a constant stream of toxins, whether inhaled, absorbed through the skin, or consumed in food and drink. Over time, these molecules can build up in the body, keeping the immune system switched on. This chronic activation can contribute to a range of issues, including food intolerances and allergies.
Q2:
What are the most common allergens?
- Wheat and gluten
- Dairy and products which contain dairy
- Eggs and Soy
Q3:
Can my child develop a food intolerance ‘out of the blue’?
Absolutely. For example, when we eat the same food for months (and years) on end, we run the risk of triggering an IgG or IgE response from our immune system, which can identify the repeated food molecule as a potential invader.
Children today will typically eat the same foods all the time, and this can be problematic, along with things like environmental toxins, medications and antibiotics.
Therefore, it’s important to be mindful of what we eat and when we eat it. So, next time you’re in the supermarket, consider choosing foods which are in season and grown locally wherever possible. Doing so will help to promote both your child’s health (and the planet)!
Q4:
Can I re-introduce foods my child has been intolerant to?
There isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer. A useful guideline is to avoid any foods flagged in a food intolerance test for at least 12 weeks (roughly one season).
Food intolerances work through an IgG antibody response. These antibodies ‘remember’ the food and continue to react each time your child consumes it. Without giving their system a break, the reaction can persist. Traditionally, when foods were more seasonal, these antibodies would often switch off naturally when the food was out of our diets for many months at a time.
By completely avoiding trigger foods, there is a chance the antibody responding may ‘stand down’ allowing re-introduction.
Q5: Why do some foods cause a reaction straight away, while others don’t seem to cause any reaction at all?
This is a really common question. The key thing to understand is that food allergies and food intolerances are not the same thing.
A food allergy usually causes a rapid and often severe reaction, sometimes within minutes of eating a food. Symptoms can include swelling, hives, breathing difficulties or other immediate reactions. Because of this, allergies are usually easier to identify.
A food intolerance is different. The reaction is typically slower and less obvious, and symptoms may appear up to 72 hours later. This delay makes it much harder to link a specific food to how someone is feeling.
Symptoms of food intolerances can include things like bloating, stomach discomfort, headaches, fatigue, skin issues or changes in mood or concentration.
Another reason reactions can seem inconsistent is that tolerance levels can vary. A child might cope with a small amount of a food one day, but react if they eat larger amounts or if their body is already under stress from illness, tiredness or other dietary triggers.
This is why identifying food intolerances can sometimes take time and careful investigation, often involving structured elimination and reintroduction of foods to understand how the body responds.
Conclusion
Food intolerances in children can sometimes be difficult to spot, especially because symptoms are often delayed and may come and go. What looks like tummy trouble, tiredness, headaches or changes in mood can sometimes be linked to foods the body is struggling to process.
Taking a step back and looking at patterns in diet and symptoms can often provide useful clues. With the right guidance and a calm, structured approach, many families are able to identify potential triggers and make simple changes that help children feel more comfortable, energetic and balanced day to day.
This article was written by Iona Urquhart, founder of TESTme Health.
Iona has spent over 15 years working in personalised nutrition and preventative health, helping individuals better understand how food, gut health and lifestyle factors may influence ongoing symptoms such as digestive discomfort, fatigue and brain fog.
Through TESTme, she focuses on helping people move beyond guesswork by combining food intolerance testing, gut health testing and practical dietary guidance to support clearer, more informed health decisions.
Important Note
The information in this article is intended for educational purposes and should not replace medical advice from your GP or healthcare professional. If you have ongoing symptoms or concerns about your health, always seek appropriate medical guidance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most common signs of a food intolerance/Why am I always bloated?
Common symptoms can include bloating, digestive discomfort, headaches, fatigue, skin irritation and brain fog. Unlike food allergies, symptoms may appear several hours or even a day after eating certain foods.
How can I tell if my gut health is affecting how I feel?
Digestive symptoms such as bloating, irregular bowel habits, low energy or changes in mood can sometimes be linked to gut health. Looking at diet, lifestyle and possible food triggers can often provide useful clues.
Can testing help identify food triggers/Why am i always tired?
Food intolerance and gut health testing can sometimes help identify patterns and potential triggers, allowing individuals to make more informed dietary and lifestyle choices.