Food allergy in children: diagnosis and treatment

Food allergies can develop at any age but are most common in young children 5 years and under, including young babies. 

Food allergies (FA) and other allergic diseases can result in life-threatening reactions and they significantly impact quality of life.

Learning objectives:

• overview the epidemiology of FA
• understand factors to consider in diagnosing FA
• understand the FA testing options and when to use these
• understand the treatment and management of children with FA.

Acknowledgements

The content has been developed by Dr Jan Sinclair, Paediatric Allergy and Clinical Immunology; Dr Kylie Morse, and Dr Yaw Moh with input from Allergy New Zealand, Dr Shannon Brothers and Dr Rohan Ameratunga. The course was updated in 2019 by Jan Sinclair, with new guidelines incorporated in 2020 by Dr Grace Lee, FRNZCGP, MBCHB, BSc, DipTravMed.