StemCell Therapy

The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (AAAAI) has unveiled new guidelines on preventing allergies and asthma in children.1 The guidance, updated in September, reviews a number of strategies to prevent, or even delay, the development of several types of allergies.

Food Allergies

Food allergies are a big deal in children, who arent always able to be choosy when it comes to what they eat. Children can have a difficult time discerning the content of some foods, and parents cant always be with them. This makes prevention key when it comes to food allergies, which can be triggered by a number of foods like peanuts, cows milk, eggs, and more.

Infants who have a sibling or at least 1 parent with an allergic condition are particularly at risk of developing food allergies, especially if they already show symptoms of foods allergies like atopic dermatitis, allergic rhinitis, or asthma.

There are a number of methods that helpand others that dontthat were reviewed in the guidance.

Environmental Allergies

There are a number of environmental factors that can trigger allergies, too. However, unlike foods, early contact with environmental allergens can make allergies worse. Research is the most robust when it comes to dust mites, according to AAAAI, which suggests working to control dust mites early to prevent allergy problems. Some solutions to control environmental allergens recommended in the guidance include:

Pet are different, though, according to AAAAI, with recent research suggesting that early exposure to pets can actually help protect children from developing allergies.

When You Need Help

The AAAAI also offered guidance on when to get help and where. If possible, the organization recommends finding an allergist specifically, as they have received specialized training in allergy and immunology. Allergy testing by a specialist can give detailed information about an allergy, and the best methods for treatment, according to AAAAI. On the other hand, AAAAI recommends against massive allergy screening tests done in retail sites, applied kinesiology, or testing through muscle relaxation, cytotoxicity testing, skit titration, provocative and neutralization testing, or sublingual provocation.

Kari Christine Nadeau, MD, PhD, Naddisy Foundation Endowed Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics and director of the Sean N. Parker Center for Allergy and Asthma Research at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California says its important that advice be given on science and epidemiological studies. In terms of allergy prevention, research studies show that a diversification of diets with a variety of proteins from different food sources introduced all at oncerather than staged as suggested by AAAAIcan decrease the risk of allergy and asthma development.

There are a number of other tips she offers for allergy prevention, including:

Nadeau also makes it clear that vaccination avoidance is not a prevention strategy for allergens, and that allergy prevention can begin at any age.

Reference

1. American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Prevention of allergies and asthma in children. Reviewed September 28, 2020. Accessed December 2, 2020. https://www.aaaai.org/conditions-and-treatments/library/allergy-library/prevention-of-allergies-and-asthma-in-children.

Read this article:
Allergy experts weigh in on prevention strategies - Contemporary Pediatrics

This entry was posted on December 4, 2020 at 12:05 am and is filed under Preventative Medicine. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed. |