Egg Allergy

Overview

Egg allergy often shows up early in life, sometimes before a child’s first birthday. Many children grow out of it as they get older, though for some it can persist into the teenage years and beyond. It’s less common to develop egg allergy as an adult, but it can happen.

Reactions can range from mild to severe. While many people only experience skin or tummy symptoms, a small number may be at risk of serious reactions.

Symptoms

Quick reactions usually appear within minutes of eating egg. These can include:

Raised, itchy rash (hives)
Tingling or itching in the mouth
Swelling of the lips, face, or eyes
Tummy pain, nausea, or vomiting
In some cases, coughing or breathing difficulty

Delayed reactions may take hours or even a day to appear. These can include:

Flare-ups of eczema
Gut inflammation leading to reflux, tummy pain, bloating, diarrhoea or constipation
Problems with swallowing

Risk factors

Some people are more likely to have stronger reactions, for example:

Having asthma, especially if it’s not well controlled
Reacting to even tiny amounts of egg
A history of severe symptoms (affecting breathing or circulation)

Egg can also behave differently depending on how it’s cooked. Many children tolerate baked egg (in cakes or biscuits) but react to lightly cooked or raw egg (like scrambled, pancake, or mayonnaise). This can make diagnosis confusing, so keeping a food diary can help.

Living with Egg Allergy

Shopping: Check ingredient labels carefully. Look out for words like albumin, ovalbumin, ovomucoid, and “egg protein.”
Eating out: Always ask staff if food contains egg or may have been prepared with it. Don’t be afraid to double-check.
School & social life: Share your child’s allergy plan with teachers, clubs, and friends’ parents so they know what to avoid.
Vaccines: Most people with egg allergy can safely have common vaccines such as MMR. The flu vaccine is generally safe too, though some types are grown in egg — your GP or nurse will advise.

Emergency Action

Mild symptoms can often be treated with an antihistamine.

If there’s any sign of a severe reaction — difficulty breathing, swelling in the throat, sudden dizziness or collapse — this is an emergency. Call 999 immediately and use an adrenaline auto-injector if one has been prescribed.

Auto-injectors in the UK include:

EpiPen® (adult and junior doses)
Jext® (adult and junior doses)

Always carry two devices, and make sure friends, family, and carers know how to use them. Free trainer devices and videos are available from the manufacturers’ websites.

Outgrowing Egg Allergy

Many children gradually outgrow their egg allergy, often in stages:

Tolerating baked egg in cakes or biscuits
Later managing lightly cooked egg (pancakes, scrambled)
Eventually tolerating raw egg (mayonnaise)

Your allergy specialist can advise when it’s safe to try introducing different forms. Sometimes regular baked egg in the diet can even speed up tolerance — but always check with a healthcare professional first.

Future treatments

Researchers are exploring oral immunotherapy — a process of carefully increasing small amounts of egg under specialist supervision to build tolerance. It shows promise, but it’s not yet a standard treatment and should only be done in a specialist clinic.