Home→Living with Serious Allergies→Factsheets→Outgrowing Allergy

Will my child outgrow their food allergy?

As a parent or carer, you may wonder whether the child in your care will outgrow their food allergy or if it will be a lifelong condition. This page gives a general overview, focusing on immediate (IgE-mediated) food allergy, where symptoms usually appear within seconds or minutes of eating the food that triggers the reaction (the allergen).

Food allergies that start in early childhood—especially to cow’s milk, hen’s egg, wheat, and soya—are often outgrown. However, some children will continue to have these allergies as they get older. Allergies to peanuts, tree nuts (such as walnuts, cashews, and Brazil nuts), fish, shellfish, and sesame are more likely to persist into adulthood.

With day-to-day management, risks can be greatly reduced. It’s important to have regular check-ups with a healthcare professional to monitor progress and assess the potential for outgrowing the allergy.

Download our outgrowing allergy factsheet

Download Now

Peanut allergy

Studies show that between 10% and 25% of children with peanut allergy outgrow it by adulthood. The age at which this happens can vary significantly, so regular review with an allergy specialist is important to monitor your child’s progress.

Read more about peanut allergy.

Tree nut allergy

Research indicates that about 9% to 14% of children with tree nut allergies outgrow them, including some who have experienced serious reactions. The age at which this occurs varies widely, so ongoing monitoring is recommended.

Read more about tree nut allergy.

Hen's egg allergy

Many children outgrow egg allergy, but the timeline for outgrowing the allergy differs from child to child. Some studies suggest that about half outgrow the allergy within a year of diagnosis, while for others, this process takes longer and can happen at different ages.

Tolerance often develops first to well-cooked egg (such as in baked goods like cakes) before less cooked or raw egg. This stepwise introduction is called the “egg ladder.” This can help speed up tolerance. It starts with foods containing thoroughly baked egg and moves gradually toward less cooked forms.

Never use the egg ladder at home for a child with immediate (IgE-mediated) egg allergy on your own, without the advice and recommendation of a healthcare professional.

Read more about egg allergy.

Cow's milk allergy

Cow’s milk is one of the most common food allergies in children and the majority of children will outgrow their allergy by 4 years of age. Like egg, many children can tolerate cow’s milk when it is baked (such as in cakes or biscuits) before they can tolerate fresh
milk.

The “milk ladder” is a stepwise way to reintroduce milk. It begins with highly baked milk products and slowly reintroduces less processed milk. This can help speed up tolerance. Never use the milk ladder at home for a child with immediate (IgE-mediated) cow’s milk allergy on your own, without the advice and recommendation of a healthcare professional.

Read more about milk allergy.

Fish and shellfish allergy

Unlike many other food allergies, fish and shellfish allergies are more likely to persist for life. Studies have shown that between 3.4% to 26% of children with fish allergy outgrow it as teenagers, and around 4% of children with shellfish allergy outgrow it within 5-10 years.

Read more about fish and shellfish allergy.

Wheat allergy

True wheat allergy occurs when the immune system reacts to one or more wheat proteins. This is different to gluten intolerance or coeliac disease. Research shows that approximately 30% of children outgrow their wheat allergy by age four, and 65% by age twelve.

Read more about wheat allergy.

Sesame allergy

Sesame allergy typically begins early in life. Studies suggest that 20% to 30% of children outgrow sesame allergy, often by age six.

Read more about sesame allergy.

Soya allergy

Allergy to soya usually starts in early infancy and it’s thought that around half of children will outgrow it by the age of 7.

Read more about soya allergy.

Reviewing children's food allergies

As children can outgrow their allergy, it is important to have regular follow-up appointments with your allergy specialist. If you believe your child may have outgrown their food allergy and have no appointment planned, seek medical advice. Your GP can refer you to an allergy clinic where your child may be given an oral challenge to check whether they have outgrown their allergy. Such challenge testing involves the child eating small amounts of the food, gradually building up the quantity until it can be shown that they are not allergic. This must be strictly controlled at an allergy clinic and should not be tried at home.

If the test is negative, this means your child is no longer allergic. There is a very strong chance that the allergy will not come back, although this does happen in a very small number of cases. If your child has been carrying adrenaline, the question of whether they should play safe and still carry adrenaline must be discussed with the doctor overseeing the challenge. Some doctors advise that injectors should continue to be carried for a further limited period.

Finally, if your child has outgrown their food allergy, you may wonder if they should eat the food or avoid it. There is strong evidence that you should include the food regularly in your child’s diet to ensure the tolerance to the food is maintained, and this view is widely supported by the medical community. If your child does not like the food, it is advisable to discuss this with your child’s dietitian to find foods your child likes that contain the allergen.

You can find out more about monitoring and reviewing food allergies on our outgrowing allergy factsheet which you can download below.

Download our outgrowing allergy factsheet

Download Now