Ways to Prevent Egg Allergies

There is no way to completely prevent a food allergy, but you can take precautions to minimize the consumption of eggs, according to MayoClinic.com. Egg allergies are common among children and adults, and can cause mild to severe allergic reactions. If you're allergic to eggs, your immune system

doesn't recognize the proteins in the egg whites or yolk as safe and begins to attack them with antibodies and other chemicals, according to Kids Health. Talk with your doctor to properly diagnose your condition and discuss the most effective ways to deal with an egg allergy.

Get Tested

One of the most effective ways of dealing with an egg allergy is to identify and confirm which proteins in the egg you're allergic to. The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology states that allergy testing can help your doctor determine the type of egg proteins you're allergic to and the severity of the allergy. Allergy testing is administered in two forms: skin tests and blood tests. A skin test is performed by taking the various proteins found in eggs and injecting a small amount under the skin. The allergist will observe the skin for 20 to 30 minutes to see if the skin becomes inflamed or irritated. If your doctor wants to use a blood test, she will draw your blood, then inject egg proteins into it to determine if your blood produces IgE antibodies to fight off the proteins.

Modify Your Diet

Your doctor may recommend modifying your diet. The Cleveland Clinic states that eggs may be obvious or hidden in some foods. The Federal Government requires that all pre-packaged foods include disclosures regarding the use of eggs in the product. Read all ingredients before eating any food product. Obvious ingredients include egg solids, dried eggs, egg whites, egg powder and egg yolks. Ingredients that are not-so-obvious include: albumin, livetin, globulin, ovablumin, apovitellenin, phosvitin and ovomucin. Some foods that may contain eggs are: cookies, cakes, custard, ice cream, frosting, mayonnaise, marshmallows, meat in batter, doughnuts and egg rolls.

Identify Uncommon Sources

Certain non-food items may cause an allergic reaction if you're allergic to eggs, according to MayoClinic.com. These items may include shampoo, cosmetics, medications and finger paints. Because most of these non-food items come into direct contact with the skin, the symptoms that will most likely develop include skin rashes, hives, eczema and skin itchiness.