How prevelant are food allergies on the spectrum?

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After doing a search I found a couple threads relating to Food Allergy/intolerances and Asperger's/Autism. I was wondering how prevalent it actually is.

A Food Allergy is a reaction to a food by the IMMUNE system where the body tries to "fight off" the food, like it were the flu. A food intolerance is where someone is missing an enzyme to digest that particular food (ie. lactose intolerance.)

I, personally, have multiple food allergies and so does my 8 year old. He is diagnosed Asperger's and I am about 90 percent sure I am as well.

I didn't really notice food allergies as a kid,just food aversions involving certain textures and things that tasted "chemical" to me or bitter(like cranberries).I did develop IBS by 12 and I think milk was the culprit but I have never been tested.I just stay away from it unless I want to spend a few hours in the bathroom(sometimes a milk shake can be worth it).


Myself and my whole family are "recovering alcoholics" and suger junkies,so I do wonder if there is some connection there.I also have a sister with Fybro and most of us have pretty bad arthritis in one or more areas which I believe has an immunity or allergy connection.

I am always breaking out in rashs that I can't identify the cause of,so perhaps it is food,animal hair or just environmental toxins...I stay away from as many chemicals as I can but can't avoid them all.There are just to many things that could be triggering it to rule food in or out and I have heard much of the testing of this is little better then guessing.

Yes I am an Aspie with food allergies confirmed by the hospital.

Also have some grass, tree, animal and housedust allergies.

i can't really vote on the poll because food intolerance and food allergies are two different things entirely. Most of the adult world is lactose intolerant and it's only "diagnosed" in places where fresh dairy is commonly consummed. Lactose is a sugar that requires Lactase (an enzyme) to digest it. Indigestible food causes bowel problems. I'm lactose intolerant but have no food allergies.

Most children manufacture lactase and then gradually stop producing it as they get older-after 5.

No allergies here.

Egg allergy. Not diagnosed but if every time you eat one or something containing too many of them, say, a quiche, you break out in the most horrendous rash all over your neck, shoulders and jawline, feel dizzy and faint, and are eventually sick... doesn't really need a doctor to tell you you've an allergy, does it?

Ditto horses... if I go within 10m I virtually stop breathing.

Also intolerent to dairy, so I avoid it except a splash of milk in my tea. Yoghurt is ok though thank goodness, but apparently this is because the lactose turns to lactic acid in fermentation and/or is consumed by the bacteria?

Also instinctively avoid foods high in gluten as they make me feel pretty crap and my stomach hurt a lot, so a mild intolerence there - gluten is one of the hardest things to digest though, so most people have a degree of intolerence without being full-on coeliac.

that sounds like lactose intolerance. Yoghurt has lactase in it (it digests). Hardened and aged cheeses have low amounts of lactose and so are less likely to cause trouble. Some people can have up to 4 oz of fresh milk a day without trouble. With me, it varies, sometimes " a splash" will sicken me and sometimes a couple of ounces is alright.

I am lactose intolerant and allergic to tea.

Why only food--why not pharmaceuticals, pollen, animals and other things???

Anyway, I did this topic a while ago, if you want to see the results:

http://www.wrongplanet.net/postt39891.html

Yeah, that's what I've heard. I'll be studying it next year anyway so won't be a problem!! Blue cheese I love... actually, all cheese I love. But I can't have too much of it. I hate dairy in general.

I don't have any food allergies - I'm sensitive to red dye and mosquito bites, but otherwise I'm allergy free.

I've never gotten upset if I eat a lot of ice cream though...how big's a carton?

Most likely because I am also in a support group for food allergies. I am one of those people who are allergic to the world, so I do understand where you are coming from. The test skin test for grass, pollen and a couple trees sent me spiraling into shock. (good thing my doctor is attached to a hospital.) I was also thinking about posting a reverse topic on the food allergy site about asperger's/autism to see how similar it was. (just a note, make sure to look at the "inactive" ingredients in your drugs if you have food allergies! Corn and diary show up a lot in drugs. There are a couple that even contain peanuts.)

A carton is most likely half a gallon. I was just trying to make a section for those of us who sometimes just overeat occasionally so those didn't end up in the other section. Like when you go to a Thanksgiving dinner and all that food looks sooooo good!