Food Allergy (Pediatric) Disease Summary

Overview

Food allergy is an adverse reaction that is due to a specific immune response occurring reproducibly upon exposure to certain foods, as stated in the Introduction section.

As of 2024, one-third of the world’s population has been diagnosed with varying severity of hypersensitivity, and 10% of them were due to food allergies. A detailed discussion about the prevalence of food allergy is in the Epidemiology section.

The Pathophysiology section states that the immunological mechanisms in the development of food allergy are IgE mediated or type I hypersensitivity (eg oral allergy syndrome), non-IgE mediated or type III or IV hypersensitivity (eg food protein-induced enteropathy, celiac disease) that may be caused by several chronic diseases, and mixed IgE and non-IgE mediated (eg eosinophilic gastroenteritis). The developmental process of the immune response of patients with food allergies is discussed in this section.  

The Classification section lists the classification of food allergies based on their underlying immunological mechanism. Specific food allergies are also discussed in this section.

Food Allergy (Pediatric)_Disease Summary

History and Physical Examination

The Clinical Presentation section describes the clinical manifestations of food allergies depending on the area involved.

The History section emphasizes that a detailed allergy-focused clinical history is the key part of the diagnostic work-up in food allergy. Discussions on the information to be obtained during history taking are found in this section.

The Physical Examination section explains about the signs consistent with food-induced adverse reactions.

Diagnosis

Discussions on basophil activation test (BAT), skin prick test (SPT), allergen-specific serum IgE test, oral food challenge, Arachis hypogaea 2 test, food patch test, and food elimination diets that are important in the evaluation of food allergies are in the Laboratory Tests and Ancillaries section.  

Other diseases that can present with the same symptoms as food allergies are listed in the Differential Diagnosis section.

Management

The Pharmacological Therapy section discusses in detail the symptomatic therapy for food-induced anaphylaxis and non-acute food-induced allergic reactions.

The Nonpharmacological section includes things to educate patients and caregivers about the management of food allergies. Allergen avoidance, supportive therapy for acute life-threatening allergic reactions, and indications for referral to an allergist-immunologist in the management of food allergies are also discussed in this section.

Allergy prevention in patients who are exclusively breastfed, on milk formula, or already on solid foods is in the Prevention section.

The Monitoring section explains the evaluation of patients with food allergies during follow-up.

The need for prompt identification and treatment of food-induced anaphylaxis in patients with food allergies is emphasized in the Complications section.