Wheat allergy can be confusing — especially when “gluten-free” gets mixed up with coeliac disease, wheat intolerance, or everyday tummy troubles. In this episode of Hope & Histamine: The Paediatric Allergy Podcast, we break down wheat allergy in babies and children in a clear, practical way.
You’ll learn the common symptoms (from hives and vomiting to wheeze and anaphylaxis), when to suspect an IgE-mediated reaction vs a delayed reaction, and how clinicians diagnose wheat allergy using a focused history, skin prick testing, specific IgE, and (when appropriate) supervised oral food challenges. We also cover hidden sources of wheat, smart label-reading tips, cross-contamination risks, and how to build a safe plan for nursery, school, parties, and travel.
Whether you’re a parent looking for reassurance or a clinician needing a quick refresher, this episode gives you a confident framework for recognising reactions, managing risk, and supporting healthy nutrition while staying safe.
Sources:
- Cianferoni, A. (2016) ‘Wheat allergy: diagnosis and management’, Journal of Asthma and Allergy.
- Ebisawa, M., Shibata, R., Sato, S., Borres, M.P. and Ito, K. (2012) ‘Clinical Utility of IgE Antibodies to ω-5 Gliadin in the Diagnosis of Wheat Allergy: A Pediatric Multicenter Challenge Study’, International Archives of Allergy and Immunology, 158, pp. 71–76.
- Inomata, N. (2009) ‘Wheat allergy’, Current Opinion in Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 9, pp. 238–243.
- Mäkelä, M.J., Eriksson, C., Kotaniemi-Syrjänen, A., Palosuo, K., Marsh, J., Borres, M., Kuitunen, M. and Pelkonen, A.S. (2014) ‘Wheat allergy in children – new tools for diagnostics’, Clinical & Experimental Allergy, 44, pp. 1420–1430.
- Pi, X., Ren, S., Ye, H., Cao, J., Chu, J., Cao, L., Li, B. and Zhang, B. (2025) ‘A review of wheat allergy: allergens characteristic, the impact of processing on allergenicity and future perspective’, Trends in Food Science & Technology, 164, p. 105244.
- Pourpak, Z., Mesdaghi, M., Mansouri, M., Kazemnejad, A., Toosi, S.B. and Farhoudi, A. (2005) ‘Which cereal is a suitable substitute for wheat in children with wheat allergy?’, Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, 16, pp. 262–266.
- Venter, C., Maslin, K., Arshad, S.H., Patil, V., Grundy, J., Glasbey, G., Twiselton, R. and Dean, T. (2016) ‘Very low prevalence of IgE mediated wheat allergy and high levels of cross-sensitisation between grass and wheat in a UK birth cohort’, Clinical and Translational Allergy, 6(22).
- Yanagida, N., Takei, M., Saito, A., Sato, S. and Ebisawa, M. (2022) ‘Clinical cross-reactivity of wheat and barley in children with wheat allergy’, Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, 33, p. e13878.
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Disclaimer: The information shared in this podcast and on this website is not intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your doctor or a qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have about a medical condition. Please don't ignore or delay seeking medical advice based on content from this podcast or website.
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