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Helen DeVos Children's Hospital

Helen DeVos Children's Hospital
100 Michigan Street NE
Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503

Egg Allergy


Some babies and kids have an allergic reaction to eggs. If that happens, they can't eat eggs for a while. But the good news is that most kids (but not all) outgrow this allergy and can eat eggs with no problem after they do.

What Is an Egg Allergy?


What Are the Signs & Symptoms of an Egg Allergy?

When someone with an egg allergy has something with egg in it, it can cause symptoms like:

  • wheezing
  • trouble breathing
  • coughing
  • hoarseness
  • throat tightness
  • belly pain
  • vomiting
  • diarrhea
  • itchy, watery, or swollen eyes
  • hives
  • red spots
  • swelling
  • feeling lightheaded or passing out


In rare cases, a person could have a very serious allergic reaction, which can cause anaphylaxis (say: an-uh-fih-LAK-sis). Medical care is needed right away because the person may have breathing problems and a drop in blood pressure.


What Do Doctors Do?

Doctors diagnose an egg allergy with skin tests or blood tests. A skin test (also called a scratch test) is the most common allergy test. Skin testing lets a doctor see in about 15 minutes if someone is sensitive to egg.

With this test, the doctor or nurse:

  • puts a tiny bit of egg extract on the kid's skin

If the area swells up and get red (like a mosquito bite), the kid is sensitive to eggs.

How Is an Egg Allergy Treated?



  • how to treat a reaction if they have one
  • how to read food labels to avoid eggs and egg-containing foods

Treating a Reaction

Kids who have an egg allergy should have a plan in case they accidentally eat eggs. Work with your parents, doctor, and school nurse to have a plan in place. It may involve having medicine on hand, such as an antihistamine, or in severe cases, an epinephrine auto-injector. This comes in a small easy-to-carry container. It's simple to use. Your doctor will show your parents (and you, if you're old enough) how to use it.

The doctor and your parents also might want you to wear a medical alert bracelet.

What Else Should I Know?

Always wash your hands before eating. If soap and water aren't available, you can use hand-cleaning wipes. But don't use hand sanitizer gels or sprays. Hand sanitizers only get rid of germs — they don't get rid of egg proteins.

Date reviewed: August 2018