Many international allergy experts know that having an egg allergy as a baby or young child puts the child at a high risk of developing asthma. But this information hasn’t trickled down to practicing allergists in the United States.
Studies show that a child with eczema and antibodies to egg measured on a blood test, has about a 50 percent risk of developing asthma. The risk is greatest in those with the highest levels of IgE antibodies in the blood.
“Whenever I find out a child is egg allergic or egg sensitized, I tell the parents, your child is at a higher risk of getting asthma, so please be aware,” says Magnus Borres, M.D, Ph.D., Associate Professor in the Department of Pediatrics, Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gotheburg in Sweden.
He also describes the symptoms of asthma because many parents aren’t aware of the subtler signs of asthma. These include having frequent colds, colds that take longer to resolve, and coughing.
“If parents have heard that their child is at higher risk of asthma, they are more keen to contact the doctor early,” says Dr. Borres.
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