Soy Allergy Symptoms

Soy protein present in soy bean is mainly responsible for causing soy allergies. Soybeans belong to the family of the legumes. Soy allergy symptoms more common in infants and small children. It can be first observed when the baby is 3 months old, and usually they outgrow the allergy by the time they reach the age of two. Some adults may also get soy allergy, but it is quite rare. Soy protein is added to baby foods which causes allergy to babies. In other cases, those infants who are allergic towards milk are given soy milk.

Symptoms of Soy Allergy

Soy allergy symptoms in infants and children have a lot of similarity with any other food allergy symptoms. They start showing up within an hour of intake. The main soy allergy symptoms are as follows:

Abdominal Pain: This symptom is quite difficult to identify. Due to the pain, such babies tend to become irritable and cry non stop for hours what seems to be without any reason. They raise their legs up to the belly several times while crying to show their discomfort.

Digestive Problems: The symptoms of digestive problem include diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. Soon after the intake of the food, the baby will throw up the meal. Parents have to be careful enough to identify the difference between normal bowel movements and diarrhea in babies.

Skin Rash: Initially, swelling can be observed on various parts of the body like lips, face, throat and even in tongue. It is followed by itching of the skin. A slightly older baby often start scratching the itchy areas. Eventually, hives or eczema rashes start appearing all over the body and cause a lot of discomfort to the child.

Breathing Difficulty: Nasal congestion developed due to the allergy often affect the breathing of the baby. If the condition gets serious, then it can lead to wheezing and asthma. If there is a swelling or lump inside the throat, then also it can cause shortness of breath. It is a more severe condition and emergency medical attention is needed in such cases.

Ear Infection: This symptom is related to the breathing problem. When the breathing passage get blocked, the ears are unable to drain out. As a result, ear infection is developed.

Anaphylaxis: This is quite rare form of soy allergy symptoms and mostly found in those children who have asthma. The signs of anaphylaxis are rapid pulse rate, drop in blood pressure, fever, loss of consciousness, etc.

Treatment to Reduce Soy Allergy Symptoms

When the symptoms of soy allergy are mild, then it does not require any treatment and only avoiding soy products will be enough to keep them in check. Serious soy allergy symptoms are treated with antihistamines medicines. They are prescribed in order to block the release of the histamines and thus provide relief from the symptoms. When the symptoms turn really severe, epinephrine injection is administered. Doctors also suggest intake of vitamin C in the form of supplements in order to strengthen the immune system at the same time detoxify the entire system. To reduce the intense itching sensation, application of ice has been proved to be extremely helpful. However, do not rub the ice cubes directly on the skin. Rather, wrap it up with a soft towel and rub it all over the skin till the ice melts out. To heal up the skin rashes, creams and ointments with aloe vera as an ingredient should be used.

The only way to prevent soy allergy symptoms is to avoid soy products altogether. As parents, you need to be extra careful while buying the infant formula and baby food in order to ensure buying of soy free food products only. Sometimes, people are allergic to more than one of the legumes. For that reason, it is better to avoid all such foods that contain navy beans, kidney beans, peanuts, lentils, etc.