Ask the allergist

Canadian allergists have answered your questions on many food allergy-related topics, see below to learn more. 

Dr. Julia Upton is on staff at the Hospital for Sick Children in the Immunology and Allergy Department, and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Paediatrics at the University of Toronto. She is the past Section Chair of the Anaphylaxis and Food Allergy Section of the Canadian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. Dr. Upton is also a member of our Healthcare Advisory Board.

Dr. Wade Watson is a Professor of Pediatrics, Dalhousie University, Head of the Division of Allergy, IWK Health Centre, and Chair of the Specialty Committee, Clinical Immunology and Allergy, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. Dr. Watson is also a member of our Healthcare Advisory Board.

Please note: Dr. Upton and Dr. Watson are answering as individual allergists and their answers do not constitute an official position of their affiliated organizations. Their responses are for informational purposes only and do not constitute specific medical advice, recommendations, diagnosis, or treatment. Please talk to your doctor about any concerns or questions you may have regarding your own health or the health of your child.

Daily management

If someone has only had mild reactions to a food, do they have a “mild” food allergy? 
Is it safe to eat imitation crab if you’re allergic to crustaceans?
Cooking oil and food allergy
Milk allergy and probiotics 
Oral food challenges
Coconut allergy
Asthma and food allergy
Adult-onset food allergy
Tree nut allergy
Priority food allergens and allergens in non-food products
Anaphylaxis and asthma
Smell of a food and inhalation of airborne proteins
What do “may contain” statements mean
Cross-contamination

Emerging food allergies/non-food allergy

Link between dust mite and crustacean allergies
Pea protein allergy
Red meat and pea protein allergies
Sulphite allergy

Diagnosis

Re-evaluation of a previously diagnosed food allergy
Food allergy testing
Oral food challenges

Treating reactions

Epinephrine, antihistamines, and treating anaphylaxis
If someone is having an allergic reaction, how do you determine if it’s serious enough to use epinephrine?  
Addressing a child’s concern about using an epinephrine auto-injector
Treating an allergic reaction during pregnancy
Camping and managing an anaphylactic reaction
Heart conditions and epinephrine
Epinephrine and treating anaphylactic reactions
Giving a second dose of epinephrine
When to use epinephrine
Using antihistamines
Using antihistamines to treat a food-related allergic reaction
Using an epinephrine auto-injector

Treatments and therapies

Oral immunotherapy (OIT)

Other topics

Can someone have an allergy to alcohol? 
Adults with food allergy: Why it’s important to see your allergist
Tree nut allergy and using kitchen items made of walnut wood
Preventing food allergy from developing in your baby when you’re pregnant and you already have a child with multiple food allergies
Food allergy, relationships and intimacy
Safety of certain products for those with soy allergy
Tree nut allergy and burning wood in fireplaces
Breastfeeding and early introduction of peanut when the mom has a peanut allergy
Food allergy prevention and breastfeeding
Food allergy and breastfeeding

Other conditions

OAS/PFAS and Asthma
Oral allergy syndrome (OAS) and pollen food allergy syndrome (PFAS)
Food allergy and the tendency for other allergic conditions
Oral Allergy Syndrome/Pollen Food Allergy Syndrome

Food allergy and COVID-19

Navigating food allergy, COVID-19 and back-to-school
Face masks and the inhalation of airborne proteins, and wearing face shields
Using an epinephrine auto-injector and visiting the emergency department during COVID-19
Mask wearing at school during COVID-19
Food allergy and susceptibility to COVID-19
Virtual appointments and anaphylactic reactions during COVID-19

Do you have a question for Ask the allergist? If so, please send it along to us at info@foodallergycanada.ca. Please note: In Ask the allergist, questions are answered on general topics, please talk to your doctor if you have questions about your own health or the health of your child.