Seafood allergy very stressful for families

Monday, 15 August 2011 10:26

Until now, there has been limited data on the impact of seafood allergy on affected children and their families. Questionnaires completed by the parents of 94 children with proven seafood allergy presenting to a specialist allergy clinic in Sydney, Australia, have indicated that seafood allergy has a significant adverse effect on anxiety and stress in the families of affected children.

One-quarter of parents were unable to correctly recall the dietary advice provided by specialists. Nonetheless, 89% of parents implemented a safe diet but over half followed a more stringent elimination than that recommended. Despite this, subsequent accidental reactions were common. The authors conclude the avoidance of seafood in children may be more difficult than is often presumed.

Reference: Ng et al. 2011. Pediatric Allergy and Immunology. DOI: 10.1111/j.1399-3038.2011.01189.x