If your child has an allergy, you are not alone. According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology, allergies in infants and children are among the leading diagnoses of chronic diseases in childhood. Results from a 2018 study estimated that 5.6 million children in the U.S., or nearly 8%, have food allergies. That equates to 1 in 13 children or approximately 2 in every classroom.

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While any food can cause an allergic reaction, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, 90% of food allergies in children are caused by just six common foods or food groups. These food or food groups include milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, and wheat. In fact, we cover all the soy allergy foods to avoid, in detail.

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What Is Soy?

Soy foods are made from soybeans, a member of the legume family that can be found in various forms in a variety of foods. Soy is a common ingredient in infant formulas and numerous other processed foods. In infants and children, soy is among the top six common food allergens.

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The legume family includes many different types of beans, and also includes peanuts and lentils. You may be wondering if your child can eat other legumes if they are allergic to one legume. The good news is that 95% of people who are allergic to one legume can eat and tolerate other legumes, which decreases the need for further food restrictions.

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What Is a Soy Allergy?

Soy allergy is an allergy to the soybean plant, as well as foods like soybean oil and soy milk. It is common, particularly among infants and young children. If your child has a soy allergy, their immune system mistakenly treats soy proteins as harmful invaders. This prompts your child’s immune defenses, leading to various symptoms ranging from mild to severe. There are two main types of soy allergies.

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IgE-Mediated Soy Allergy 

When your child has an IgE-mediated soy allergy, their immune system makes unique antibodies called IgE antibodies to soy proteins to help fight them. These IgE antibodies generate symptoms of an allergic reaction whenever your child eats a food containing soy. Symptoms of an allergic reaction can occur within seconds to hours after they eat soy. 

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Non-IgE-Mediated Soy Allergy

Non-IgE-mediated soy allergies also involve the immune system but don’t include IgE antibodies. Non-IgE-mediated soy allergies typically cause gastrointestinal symptoms hours to days after your child eats soy. There are different types of non-IgE-mediated soy allergies:

• Food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES) is a rare type of food allergy that typically affects babies. FPIES is commonly triggered by a reaction to milk, soy, oats, and rice. FPIES can cause vomiting around 2-4 hours after a child eats soy and can also cause diarrhea. Severe vomiting and diarrhea can lead to severe dehydration, which may require urgent medical attention.
• Food protein-induced allergic proctocolitis (FPIAP or allergic proctocolitis) causes inflammation in the lower part of the intestine when a child consumes soy. This allergy is typically caused by cow’s milk or soy and is generally seen in babies under one year of age. FPIAP usually causes abnormal stools that may be bloody, watery, or filled with mucus.
• Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) causes eosinophils, white blood cells linked with allergies, to build up in the esophagus. This causes a child’s esophagus to become inflamed, which creates pain when swallowing. Common food triggers of EoE may include milk, soy, egg, and wheat.  Symptoms of EoE in babies and children can include vomiting, irritability, decreased appetite, chest pain, abdominal pain, reflux-like symptoms, and poor weight gain.

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Risk Factors for Developing a Soy Allergy

Children may be at increased risk of developing a soy allergy if there is a family history of other allergies, such as hay fever, asthma, hives, or eczema. Additionally, having existing food allergies to items such as wheat, beans or milk can also predispose a child to developing an allergic reaction to soy.

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What Is the Difference Between a Soy Allergy and a Soy Intolerance?

The symptoms of soy allergy and intolerance can appear similar. However, the key distinction lies in the body's reaction.

A soy allergy triggers an immune system response, where the body produces antibodies called Immunoglobulin E (IgE) that release chemicals, causing an allergic reaction. This can lead to skin issues like hives and gastrointestinal and respiratory symptoms. In rare cases, it may even result in the life-threatening condition of anaphylaxis. In contrast, soy intolerance does not involve the immune system. It's the body's inability to properly digest the soy protein. Symptoms of soybean intolerance may include diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain, and abnormal stools.

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Do Children Usually Outgrow Soy Allergies?

Most children will eventually outgrow their soy allergy. One study found that about 25% of children outgrow their soy allergy by age 4, roughly 45% outgrow their soy allergy by age 6, and nearly 70% outgrow it by age 10.

A 2020 study reported that the highest prevalence of soy allergy (1.5%) was found at age 1 year. However, after age 1, prevalence rates steadily decreased to a low of 0.2% at ages 14 to 17. This recent research is encouraging news for families concerned about whether their children will outgrow their soy allergy or not.  

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What Foods Should a Child with a Soy Allergy Avoid?

Children with soy allergies must strictly avoid all soy and products containing soy. Even the slightest intake of soy could potentially cause an allergic reaction. To keep your child safe, it’s imperative that you always carefully read food labels. Soy is one of the eight major allergens that must be listed on packaged foods sold inthe U.S., as required by federal law. Despite this requirement, avoiding soy can still be tricky—here's what you should be aware of.

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Risk of Cross-Contamination

When shopping or ordering food in restaurants, be aware of cross-contamination. In stores, look out for products that say "may contain soy" or "manufactured on equipment that also processes soy." This is a sign that there was likely cross-contamination in the plant where the product was made. Consequently, there could accidentally be traces of soy in these products.

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Testing for Soy Allergies

An allergist will likely ask questions about what and how much your child ate, how long it took for symptoms to develop, which symptoms they experienced, and how long they lasted. Oftentimes, an allergist will pair the answers to these questions with different tests to confirm whether your child has a soy allergy.

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How to Test for Soy Allergies at Home

An allergist may recommend using an elimination diet with your child at home. The elimination diet seeks to eliminate or isolate suspected foods that can cause a reaction. The following are the steps involved in following an elimination diet:

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Prevention of Soy Allergies

While it’s not possible to prevent a food allergy, the American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology recommends the following measures to help reduce the risk of soy allergy.

1. When possible, exclusively breastfeed your baby for the first four to six months or use a hypoallergenic formula. Breast milk will help strengthen your baby’s immune system and may reduce the risk of allergies.

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2. Introduce solid foods at around the age of 6 months. Begin by introducing your child to mild foods like apples, pears, bananas, sweet potatoes, squash, carrots, rice, or oats. Try to introduce one food item at a time and continue it for three to five days. This will help you to identify any intolerances or allergies.

» Check out our comprehensive guide on introducing solid foods

3. After you know your baby can tolerate mild foods, introduce common allergic foods like soy, eggs, milk, peanuts, and fish. New research has shown that delaying the introduction of allergenic foods for a baby’s first 1-3 years of life can actually increase their food allergy risk. Instead, try introducing your baby to common allergenic foods early and often, between 4-11 months of age. 

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Healthy Alternatives to Soy: Try Something Else!

If your child has a soy allergy or intolerance, removing soy from their diet can be complicated. They may also have an intolerance to both soy and milk protein, called Milk Soy Protein Intolerance (MSPI). MSPI is an intolerance that babies eventually outgrow, affecting 2-7% of babies under 1 in the U.S. Over half of those babies with a milk intolerance may also develop a soy protein intolerance.

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Allergy-friendly Else Plant-Based Complete Nutrition is the ideal soy and dairy-free, plant-based alternative for 1-year-old toddlers and older. It provides the ideal amounts of protein, fat, fiber, vitamins, and minerals to ensure your child’s optimal growth and development.

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