Review of Allergy New Zealand conference

The Allergy New Zealand 2010 National Conference was held in Auckland from Friday 13 to Sunday 15 August 2010. The program included a Friday evening session for health professionals and the Saturday and Sunday sessions open for the general public. Georgina Christensen, VITAL Coordinator, attended the conference on behalf of the Allergen Bureau and has kindly provided the following review of proceedings.

Professor Paula Barrett, clinical psychologist and a world expert in childhood anxiety, spoke about early recognition and intervention of anxiety in children. This was of particular relevance to parents of children with food allergy, as a condition such as an allergy can be a risk factor for the promotion of anxiety in children. Professor Barrett gave practical solutions to both the health professional and general public audiences on how to identify early signs of anxiety and practical solutions to prevent the escalation of childhood anxiety.

Dietician Anna Richards presented on feeding issues for children with allergies and the importance of consultation with a dietician, to avoid long-term health effects, for those avoiding food groups due to allergy. Dr Jan Sinclair, paediatric allergy and immunology specialist, presented a workshop on putting food allergy in children into perspective.

Research projects were presented on parental perceptions of children's anxiety and an overview of a study on adverse reactions to food in young New Zealand children.

The final day of the conference was devoted to the management of eczema – a common and challenging symptom of food allergy. Two nurse-led eczema clinics were held to provide information to help those dealing with this condition.