What is FPIES?
Food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome, also known by the acronym FPIES, is an allergic reaction to food that occurs in the GI tract. This is typically seen in children and on a rarer occasion can occur in adults. FPIES could be confused for a stomach bug based on the present symptoms. Read on to learn more on what causes FPIES as well as symptoms to look out for and treatment options.
What causes FPIES?
As the full name states, FPIES is caused by a reaction to a food that has been consumed. Because this condition is seen frequently in infants and toddlers, milk tends to be a common culprit. If you are bottle feeding your infant, they have a higher risk of FPIES due to soy and dairy products found in formula. If you exclusively breastfeed, pay attention to your baby as you start to introduce new foods. This can be a telling time for food related allergic reactions. Additionally, you will want to be cautious when introducing grains (rice and oats) to your child’s diet as this can also be a common cause of FPIES.
FPIES Symptoms
As previously mentioned, FPIES symptoms have a tendency to get confused with stomach bug symptoms. Symptoms typically take hours to set in, similar to how long it can take for a stomach bug to set in. Symptoms will vary between each patient, but things to look out for include:
- Vomiting
- Dehydration
- Diarrhea
- Weight loss
- Decreased energy
How is FPIES diagnosed?
Since this is a condition that takes time to process through the body, it makes it difficult to diagnose, compared to other allergic reactions. A typical allergy test starts with a skin prick test to measure antibodies, however, FPIES triggers will not show up on this type of test. Because of this, the typical diagnosis process involves a supervised oral food challenge. This test involves eating the suspected food that’s causing the reaction in a controlled environment. You then wait for the reaction to set in to help provide a full diagnosis.
What are FPIES treatment options?
One of the most common treatment options is fully eliminating the food that causes the reaction. Once it is removed, the odds of a reaction decrease immensely. However, before choosing this route, be sure to speak with an allergist on whether or not this is the right solution. Since infants and toddlers can have very sensitive GI tracts, you will want to get a treatment plan from a trained professional to provide the best outcomes.
If you think you or your child may have FPIES, call The Iowa Clinic Allergy department at 515.875.9450.