Food, Skin Allergy Cases among American Kids Soar : CDC

Food and skin allergies are becoming more common among American kids, according to a new federal study.

Researchers from the CDC's National Center of Health Statistics (NCHS) found that more and more children aged below 18 years have fallen vulnerable to different types of allergies recently compared to the past.

The findings are based on interviews conducted by the agency with parents between the years 1997 -1999 and 2009-2011. The survey showed a sharp increase in the number of children affected with allergies from the 1990s to 2011- more than a 50 percent increase.

According to the report, currently, 5.1 percent of children has food allergies compared to 3.4 percent in the 1990s; and 12.5 percent has skin allergies compared to 7.4 percent in the past. Respiratory allergy remained the most common type of allergy throughout the period (17 percent). While children had outgrown skin allergies as they aged, respiratory allergies were more common among older children.

Compared to other ethnic groups and races, Hispanic children were less affected with allergies. Another interesting finding was the link between family income and allergy prevalence. Children of families with higher economic status were found at a greater risk of developing allergies compared to other children. Too much cleanliness or too little exposure to germs during early childhood may be a contributing factor to this occurrence, experts said.

Of all the types of allergies, food allergies are one of the major health problems affecting American children. Cow's milk, eggs, fish, peanuts, shellfish, soy, tree nuts and wheat are some common foods that bring about allergic reactions among children and adults. In some children with allergy, the immune system overreacts to some substances in the atmosphere, like pollen or dust mites, and results in the production of an antibody immunoglobulin E (IgE), releasing chemicals like histamine. The chemical leads to a series of health issues like wheezing, trouble breathing, coughing, hives, stomach ache, diarrhea and a drop in blood pressure.