Wheat allergy involves the immune system’s adverse reaction to one or more elements of protein contained in wheat. There are many elements contained in a wheat’s total make up that most of us are familiar with.

Wheat is most commonly used in breads and other baked products. The many elements of wheat is what make up the most of what we know as the characteristics of the bread dough or of the bread itself. A dough’s stickiness or elasticity as well as a cake’s sponginess are among the characteristics derived from wheat. A French bread’s crispy crust is also another one of wheat’s contributions. These wheat elements are named albumin, gluten, and gliadin. Because of them, a dough lacks a modeling clay’s consistency while a muffin when already baked is far from looking like a puck for hockey.

There is really no need to be worried though as wheat allergy is very rare when allergies are being talked about. Based on statistics, only those people who works using wheat or are in contact with it constantly are at high risk of acquiring occupational asthma due to wheat. This usually caused by the inhalation of wheat flour. The baking industry people have been noted to have shown a number of occupational asthma cases because of their use of wheat flour.

The general public has no need to fret however as there appears to be little or no risk at all in acquiring allergic asthma through eating food products containing wheat. There are people though who are allergic to the globulin and albumin elements of wheat. Albumin and gluten, both wheat derivatives are now seen as common ingredients of snacks and other processed foods. After ingestion of food products containing these wheat elements, allergic persons experience common reactions like vomiting and stomach cramps. These symptoms usually develop a few minutes after ingestion but will take a few hours to fully show themselves. Eczema and skin rashes are other common allergic reactions.

It has to be noted though that the adverse reactions suffered because of inhalation of wheat flour or flour that contains wheat derivatives is fatal. When experienced during exercising, these reactions can result in breathing problems that are extreme in nature as well as heart complications. These complications have been known to be fatal in rare occasions. Diagnosis of wheat allergy is difficult though with wheat and other grain products very common in our daily diet. It takes a person to eat products with wheat occasionally if he is suspected of having wheat allergy. This makes for an easier diagnosis. Their getting sick after eating the products will be considered a very strong indicator that they have wheat allergy. The cause of wheat allergy is difficult to sort out among those who constantly have wheat in their daily diet, especially if they are always sick. This can be answered though by one of the most reliable methods used in diagnosing allergies, which is the elimination-challenge testing.

The elimination of wheat from the diet or from the work environment, especially if wheat flour inhalation is the cause of allergy, is the first step in wheat allergy treatment. It is not easy to adhere to this regimen because wheat is very inherent in the daily diet. This is particularly hard for children because wheat derivatives like albumin and gluten are very common in snack foods, even in candies and most of them can’t read what is contained in food labels. There are soy-based products sold in health stores though that can take the place of wheat products.

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