Pediatria pre prax 4/2009

Prevention of food allergy

Food allergy occurs in about 6–8% children, is increasing in prevalence over the past decade and represents a major burden to our young. The natural history of food allergy documents that allergies to cow´s milk, egg and soy frequently remit, whereas to peanut, nuts and fish typically persist into adulthood. An understanding of the immunologic basis of atopy helps one to devise strategies for allergy prevention. Systematically allergy prevention may be directed at two stages: 1. primary prevention that inhibits IgE and other immunologic senzitization, 2. secondary prevention that abrogates disease expression subsequent to immunologic senzitization.

Keywords: food allergy, prevention of food allergy, cow´s milk allergy, hypoallergenic formulas.