Hi --

I've also read the work that suggests it's the tendency to allergy that runs
in families.  However, my FIL is milk-allergic (acuqired late in life), my husband developed
milk allergy at age 23, and my son developed it at age 6.  My mother
developed soy allergy at age 50-ish, and my son had it as an infant but
has since outgrown it.  My grandmother and mother developed shellfish allergy
in their late 50's, and my son had it as an infant and still has it.  No
other food allergies in the family.

On the other hand, not all of the respective families have these particular
food allergies in the same way.  Symptoms range from gastric (not to be
confused with lactose intolerance) to rash and "tickly" throat, depending
upon the individual.  So some of there are probably intolerances, not allergy.

So, whereas allergy may be an inherited tendency in the statistical family,
in OUR family we appear to need to be cautious around very specific foods.


Treat this as an anecdote, worth no more than the paper(?) it's written on.

--Beth Kevles
  [log in to unmask]
  http://web.mit.edu/kevles/www/nomilk.html -- a page for the milk-allergic
  Disclaimer:  Nothing in this message should be construed as medical
  advice.  Please consult with your own medical practicioner.

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