Childhood Food Allergies on the Rise in Rhode Island
GoLocalProv Health Team
Childhood Food Allergies on the Rise in Rhode Island
Susan Rudders, MD, a pediatric allergist in the Food Allergy Clinic at Hasbro Children’s Hospital, led research on the incidence of visits to pediatric emergency departments for food-induced anaphylaxis. She found that the number of visits to a pediatric emergency department for food-induced anaphylaxis has not only increased, but has more than doubled in recent years. The same hold true for pediatric hospital admissions. Thousands of children are coming into hospitals across the nation each year with anaphylaxis due to a food allergy – much higher than many previous estimates.
18 percent increase in food allergies in 10 years
The most recent reports by the Centers for Disease Control found that approximately 3 million children under the age of 18 were reported to have a food or digestive allergy – an 18 percent increase in prevalence over the previous decade.
With National Food Allergy Awareness Week underway this week, physicians from the Food Allergy Clinic at Hasbro Children’s Hospital are using the event as a reminder to parents to watch for the warning signs of a food allergy before a child become seriously ill.
Anaphylaxis is a severe allergic reaction that is rapid in onset and can be potentially life-threatening. It is the most serious symptom of food allergies. Conversely, food allergy is the most common cause of anaphylaxis in children. Other manifestations of food allergy can also cause long-term damage to a child’s body, as they may not result in an emergency room visit or otherwise be recognized early.
Hasbro MD an expert in allergy-related disease
Vincent Mukkada, MD, pediatric gastroenterologist in the Food Allergy Clinic at Hasbro Children’s Hospital, is an expert in Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE), a chronic inflammatory disease of the esophagus caused by food allergy. EoE is an excellent example of the important connection between allergists and gastroenterologists, as complex food allergy cases often require the expertise of both of these specialties.
While the cause of EoE remains unclear, in the majority of patients it involves allergic sensitivities to foods or environmental allergens. Its prevalence has been steadily increasing, similar to the increase seen in food allergies and anaphylaxis. EoE can present with a variety of symptoms, including abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, failure to thrive, difficulty in swallowing, or food impaction.
How to spot food allergies in kids
Drs. Rudders and Mukkada offer the following tips for parents for recognizing potential food allergy issues in their children:
Immediate reactions to foods (usually occur within 15 minutes of eating) -
· hives
· swelling
· difficulty swallowing
· difficulty breathing
· immediate diarrhea or vomiting
Other forms of food allergy, such as EoE –
· abdominal pain or nausea
· failure to thrive, or difficulty with growth
· difficulty in swallowing, or food impaction
· consistency - look for the same reaction each time a child is exposed to the same food
For more information on food allergies, call the Food Allergy Clinic at Hasbro Children's Hospital at 444-8306.