Food Allergy Prevention and Management in Children

Food allergy is a reaction mediated by immunological mechanisms that cause various symptoms in susceptible individuals while harmless in individuals who are not sensitive to the specific allergen. The reactions that take place are divided into three: IgE-mediated reactions, non-IgE-mediated reactions, and mixed-type reactions. While many types of food have the potential to cause allergen reactions, fewer foods are responsible for the most clinically severe reactions and for the majority of reported cases. Food allergy, which is increasingly common worldwide, is becoming an important public health problem. Although there are no clear epidemiological data, the prevalence of food allergy varies between 6-10% in preschool children and decreases to 2-5% in adulthood. Food allergy has long been recognized as a pediatric disease, as most cases tend to begin in childhood and disappear with growth. There is increasing evidence to support the role of early administration of potential food allergens to prevent food allergy. The management process of food allergy cases includes plans and innovative treatment strategies aimed at a personalized approach.