How common is wheat allergy?
Clinical experience suggests that it is a relatively common allergy, but there are no accurate figures for prevalence. It is, however, more prevalent in certain groups: for example, wheat allergy is responsible for occupational asthma in up to 30% of individuals in the baking industry.4 Wheat allergy is most common in young children, of which the majority will outgrow it within five years. This occurs more quickly if the wheat-containing food is completely avoided. Those who develop the allergy later in life will probably retain it.4,16 b. What are the symptoms? Allergic reactions to wheat can be acute or delayed, occurring within minutes or a few hours after eating or inhaling wheat. The symptoms can involve the skin (urticaria, eczema, angioedema, atopic dermatitis), the gastrointestinal tract (abdominal cramps, nausea and vomiting, oral allergy syndrome) and the respiratory tract (asthma or allergic rhinitis).4,9,16 Wheat is one of the allergens causing Baker’s asthma and has also b
