The most common practice for dealing with food allergies is to eliminate the food that causes the reaction from the diet. This isn't so bad when it is just one food that the child has an adverse reaction to, but what happens when it is whole groups of food. There are eight foods that cause around 90% of all food allergies; The main culprits are eggs, milk, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, soy, and wheat (1 Groetch).
All of these foods are seen as nutritionally high value foods. That being said it is hard to find equivalents to replace the needed nutrients. Making this and even larger problem is the perceived prevalence of food allergies. That number is said to be as high as 20% of the population. Adolescence is no time be eliminating foods from the diet without consequence. Any nutritional deficiencies as a child will have lifelong effects.
What is your experience with food allergies? This may be with yourself, your family or even your friends and classmates. Was there trouble figuring out what you/they can eat to support a developing body? Do you think child food allergies are actually a problem or is there enough knowledge about nutrition to find ways around it?
Noimark, Lee, and Helen E. Cox. "Nutritional Problems Related To Food Allergy In Childhood." Pediatric Allergy & Immunology 19.2 (2008): 188-195. Academic Search Complete. Web. 25 Mar. 2014.
Groetch, Marion. "Food Allergies: Dietary Management." Practical GastroenteroloGy (2013): 47.