Allergic Reactions Caused by Food Allergies
6/25/2012For Release: June 25, 2012
Children
suffering from food allergies can experience dangerous and potentially
life-threatening allergic reactions due to accidental ingestion of avoided
foods. In the study, “Allergic Reactions to Foods in Preschool-Aged Children in a
Prospective Observational Food Allergy Study,” in the July 2012 Pediatrics
(published online June 25), researchers studied 512 infants diagnosed with or at
risk for having an allergy to milk or egg. There was a high rate of allergic
reactions attributable to problems such as a lack of vigilance in checking
ingredients and supervising children, and errors in reading ingredient labels
and in preparing foods safely, suggesting a need for more education to avoid
reactions. Non-accidental exposures of milk, egg, and peanuts accounted for
11%
of all reactions; therefore allergen re-introduction needs to be discussed with
families before attempting on their own. Almost half of allergic reactions were
due to food not given by parents, emphasizing the need to provide education to
all caretakers, including other relatives and teachers. In addition, only 30
percent of reactions with severe symptoms were treated with epinephrine, so
study authors conclude that improved education on what symptoms warrant
treatment with epinephrine, reassurance for caretakers about the safety of
administering epinephrine, and teaching its proper use are
necessary.
The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 60,000 primary
care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical
specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children,
adolescents and young adults. For more information, visit www.aap.org.
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