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Food allergy and anaphylaxis in infants and preschool-age children

João Gaspar-Marques1, Pedro Carreiro-Martins2, Ana Luísa Papoila3

  • 1Hospital de Dona Estefânia, Lisbon, Portugal CEDOC, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 1169-056 Lisbon, Portugal gasparmarques@yahoo.com.br.

Clinical Pediatrics
|March 21, 2014
PubMed

Insights

This study found a high prevalence of food allergy (FA) in preschool children. Parental history of FA, atopic dermatitis, and preterm birth were identified as key risk factors for developing food allergies.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Allergy and Immunology
  • Epidemiology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Data on food allergy (FA) prevalence in young children is limited.
  • Understanding risk factors for pediatric FA is crucial for effective prevention strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of food allergy in preschool-age children attending day care centers.
  • To identify potential risk factors associated with reported food allergy in this population.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study was conducted in 19 day care centers across two Portuguese cities.
  • A validated health questionnaire, adapted from the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC), was administered to parents.
  • Logistic regression analysis was employed to assess risk factors for reported FA.

Main Results:

  • Out of 1217 children analyzed (54.6% response rate), 10.8% had a history of FA, and 5.7% reported current FA.
  • Three cases (0.2%) were identified as potentially compatible with anaphylaxis.
  • Significant risk factors for current FA included parental history of FA, personal history of atopic dermatitis, and preterm birth.

Conclusions:

  • A notable prevalence of parental-perceived food allergy exists in preschool-aged children.
  • Identifying specific risk factors like parental FA history, atopic dermatitis, and preterm birth can inform targeted prevention efforts.

Keywords:
anaphylactic reactionchildrenfood allergyprevalencerisk factors

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