f your child avoids certain foods, it might increase seasonal asthma, says a new study.

The study links hypersensitivity in children with seasonal asthma to a wide variety of food items, said S R Agarkhedkar, Allergy Reserach Institute, Pune; H B Bapat and B N Bapat, MIMER Medical College, Pune, who carried out the study.

The researchers reported, in Indian Paediatrics, that using a specific elimination diet might prevent the seasonal exacerbation of asthma.

The study was carried out on children between three and 15 years -- 14 boys and 10 girls -- who were suffering from bronchial asthma, and reported deterioration of symptoms during August and Sepetember in two previous years.

Each patient's levels of IgE (substances in the body which indicate allergic reactions) were measured against various food items:

• Rice
• Jowar
• Tur and Urad dal
• Carrot
• Cabbage
• Ridge gourd
• Brinjal
• Apple
• Tomato
• Watermelon
• Eggs
• Pomfret
• Milk
• Ghee
• Garlic
• Turmeric
• Asafoetida
• Groundnut and mustard oil

Patients were asked to avoid food items against which they produced higher allergic reaction measured by IgE levels.

When they avoided certain food items, during August and September, five patients had mild persistent asthma with no aggravation; 12 had mild persistent asthma with occasional aggravations; six did not deteriorate to severe persistent asthma; only one deteriorated to severe persistent asthma.

The majority of the children (83 percent) had raised IgE levels against rice.

Among the pulses, 96 percent children were hypersensitive to urad dal; 79 percent to chana or moong dal and only 17 percent to masoor dal.

Most children were allergic to brinjal, while only 25 percent were allergic to onion.

The scientists said food allergies need not be perennial. Patients may manifest symptoms only during seasons when these foods are available or consumed in large amounts, which then affects the allergen (these cause allergy) load.

The results indicate you can prevent deterioration in most patients if you avoid specific foods during the vulnerable period, they said.