Infants and young children are often susceptible to a range of different food allergies. These allergens frequently include (but are not limited to):

• Cow’s milk. Includes cheese, butter, cream, casein (a milk protein) and whey. A milk allergy should not be confused with a milk intolerance, which is an inability to digest the sugar lactose and not a true allergy.
  
  
• Egg Allergies. Includes commercially processed cooked pastas and some brands of egg substitutes.
  
  
• Wheat. Includes crackers, pastas, bread and malt. A wheat allergy should not be confused with gluten intolerance, which is a sensitivity to the protein gluten and not a true allergy.
  
  
• Peanuts. Includes peanut butter, peanut oil, many types of ethnic foods (especially Chinese) and some flavorings.
  
  
• Soy. Includes lecithin (a food ingredient often made from soy), some types of baked foods, canned tuna, sauces and baby formulas.

Older children often outgrow the food allergies they suffered from as young children. However, some kinds of food allergies, such as peanut allergies, are usually not outgrown. Others include:

• Tree nuts. Includes hazel, cashew, almond, sesame seed and Brazil nuts.
  
  
• Fish. Includes yellowtail, salmon, mackerel, tuna and hake.
  
  
• Shellfish. Includes crab, crayfish, shrimp, scallops, oysters and lobster.

Some children are sensitive to the additives put in many types of food. These additives are put in for better preservation, taste and color. These kinds of sensitivities are rarer than food allergies.

Food allergens may be found in nonfood sources. Pediatric skin care products have been found to contain common food allergens such as cow’s milk and tree nuts, according to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI).