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Egg Allergy in Children

Egg allergy is one of the most common food allergies in young children, affecting around 1 in 50 children in the UK.¹ It usually shows up in babyhood, often the first time a baby eats egg.¹ The reassuring news is that most children grow out of it — and in the meantime, there is a lot that can be done to keep your child safe and their diet as normal as possible.¹

Young girl bending down on the grass with her hands on a fluffy chicken, another child standing nearby

What does a reaction look like?

Reactions usually happen quickly, typically within minutes of eating egg.¹ The most common signs are:¹

  • redness of the skin

  • hives — raised, itchy bumps

  • swelling, for example of the lips, face or eyes³

  • vomiting

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Most reactions are mild and affect only the skin.¹ Reactions affecting breathing — such as a hoarse cry, a change in voice, coughing or wheezing — are uncommon, and occasionally a young child may become pale and floppy.¹

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How much egg was eaten, and how well it was cooked, both matter. Raw egg white is the most likely to cause a reaction, while egg baked into a sponge cake mostly causes only a mild skin reaction.¹ Most reactions happen with lightly cooked egg.¹

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The reason why is because the process of cooking changes the proteins found within the egg so that well-cooked egg is less-likely to trigger an allergic reaction.  

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Signs of a serious reaction (anaphylaxis) include a persistent cough, a hoarse voice, difficulty swallowing, a swollen tongue, difficult or noisy breathing, wheeze, or your child becoming pale, floppy or suddenly sleepy. If you see any of these, call 999 and say "anaphylaxis". If your child has an adrenaline auto-injector, use it first, without delay.³

Baby being fed puréed food from a spoon by an adult

Which children are more likely to have egg allergy?

Eczema is a significant risk factor. And the more severe the eczema, the more likely egg allergy becomes.¹ Egg allergy can also occur alongside other food allergies, such as cow's milk or peanut.¹

How is egg allergy diagnosed?

Diagnosis starts with a careful history: what your child ate, what happened, and how quickly.¹ 

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Alongside the history, a skin prick test or a specific IgE blood test can help confirm the diagnosis.¹ Two things are worth knowing:

  • The size of a test result does not predict how severe a future reaction will be.¹

  • Testing is not recommended without a doctor to help with interpretation and guidance. Many babies and children show sensitisation on tests without ever reacting, and this should not stop egg being introduced.¹

Living with egg allergy

Until your child outgrows it, the main treatment is avoiding egg.¹

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  • Read labels every time. On packaged food, egg is listed in the ingredients and highlighted in bold. Ingredients change, so check even familiar products.²

  • Egg is found in many foods, including cakes, pastries, desserts, meat products, salad dressings, glazes, pasta, battered and breadcrumbed foods, ice cream, chocolates and sweets.²

  • Avoid other birds' eggs too, such as duck and quail, unless you have been told they are safe.¹²

  • Keep an antihistamine to hand. The BSACI recommends that all families of egg-allergic children have one available, preferably a non-drowsy type, in case of accidental reactions.¹ Your allergy specialist will provide you with details of what medication to take. 

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For some children who have had a severe reaction an adrenaline auto-injector (e.g EpiPen) may be needed.  Discuss this with your allergy specialist to see whether it is required for your child's circumstances. 

A smiling young boy playing on a swing in a garden

The good news: most children outgrow it

Egg allergy usually resolves, although it can take several years.¹² Research shows that:¹

  • about one in three children outgrow their allergy to well-cooked egg by age 3, and about two in three by age 6

  • the typical age for outgrowing egg allergy is between 6 and 9

  • by age 16, around two thirds (68%) have outgrown it

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Children usually tolerate well-cooked egg, such as egg baked in a cake, long before lightly cooked or raw egg — outgrowing the well-cooked form roughly twice as quickly.¹

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Egg allergy is more likely to last when reactions have affected breathing or several parts of the body, when a child has other food allergies, or when there is severe eczema with poor growth.¹

Reintroducing egg

Avoiding egg completely for a long time may make the allergy more persistent, so the BSACI guideline advises that every young child with egg allergy is assessed for reintroducing baked egg.¹ Regularly eating baked egg may help children outgrow the allergy.¹

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For children who have had mild reactions and do not have asthma, this can usually be done at home — from around 12 months of age, or six months after the last reaction — starting with small amounts of baked egg and building up step by step using the egg ladder.¹

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Home reintroduction is not right for every child. The guideline advises against it after severe reactions affecting breathing, circulation or the gut, when there is ongoing asthma, very severe eczema or severe allergy affecting several parts of the body, or when only a trace of egg has ever been eaten. For these children, a hospital-supervised egg challenge may be suggested by your allergist.¹

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We do not carry out food challenges for children at our clinic. If your child needs one, we will explain why and advise you on the next steps.

Egg allergy, peanut allergy and asthma

Babies with egg allergy are at higher risk of developing peanut allergy, and introducing peanut early may help prevent this.¹ For this reason, the guideline advises that babies tested for egg allergy are tested for peanut too.¹

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Children with egg allergy are also more likely to develop other allergic conditions, especially asthma.¹

When to see a specialist

The BSACI guideline recommends referral to an allergy clinic if your child:¹

  • has had a moderate or severe reaction

  • does not have a clear diagnosis

  • has egg allergy alongside other food allergies

  • has severe eczema while eating egg

  • is still allergic to baked egg beyond around 6 to 7 years of age

  • would like to reintroduce egg but cannot because of anxiety

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Seeing a specialist early helps, because delaying the introduction of baked egg may slow the development of tolerance.¹

How we can help

Our consultant paediatric allergists, Dr Emily Derrick and Dr Tammy Rothenberg, assess babies and children with egg allergy — taking a careful history, carrying out skin prick or blood testing where it is useful, and advising on avoidance, emergency medication, and when and how to reintroduce egg.

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Our specialist Paediatric Allergy Dietitian, Misbah Primett, can help where a specialist dietitian is recommended: with several food allergies, concerns about nutrition, or support while working through reintroduction.¹

References

1. Leech SC, Ewan PW, Skypala IJ, et al. BSACI 2021 guideline for the management of egg allergy. Clinical & Experimental Allergy. 2021;51(10):1262–1278. https://doi.org/10.1111/cea.14009

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2. British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology. Egg Allergy — patient information leaflet. https://www.bsaci.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Egg-Allergy-PIL.pdf

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3. British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology. Allergy Action Plan, October 2024. https://www.bsaci.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/BSACI-AllergyActionPlan-EpiPen-OCTOBER-24.pdf

Related Pages

You may also find these pages helpful:

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• Cow's Milk Protein Allergy (CMPA) in Children

• Eczema in Children

• Meet Our Specialists

• Weaning and Allergens

Frequently Asked Questions

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If your child has reacted to egg, or you would like advice on reintroducing it, get in touch — six days a week, a real person always responds.

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📞 0207 637 9711
✉ enquiries@londonallergyclinic.com

Mon–Sat, 9am–7pm

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