Clinical Features of Food Allergy

Atopic (IgE-associated) diseases have become increasingly prevalent over the past 30 years (1) and it should not be surprising that susceptible (atopic) individuals have developed allergies to food proteins. Food allergy may be a species ‘‘cost’’ paid by unfortunate individuals for the possession of a robust adaptive immune system and the broad diversity of the diet tolerated by the majority (more than 95%) of the human population. Allergic reactions to food can be disabling, even fatal. Even the prospect of exposure to food allergens causes considerable psychological morbidity and social isolation in affected individuals and their families (2). This anxiety is heightened further by the facts that the point prevalence of food allergies is highest in the age group about which families worry most—preschool children—and that no effective treatments are currently available (3). Parental anxiety and the necessary dietary exclusions can inhibit significantly the normal socialization of the child. Inaccurate information and the inadequate availability of expert advice often compound the anxiety. Management strategies are useful and