Parents, More Cautious On Food Allergies

Researchers reported in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology as only 2 - 6% infants were confirmed to have hypersensitivity.

About 969 parents were surveyed, the results revealed that only few undergone skin prick test to identify sensitivity to allergens in food.

'Gold standard' in diagnosing food hypersensitivity like open food challenges, double-blind, and placebo-controlled food challenges were done to infants with hypersensitivity.

Open food challenges claimed food hypersensitivity in just 14 percent, and double-blind, placebo controlled testing confirmed it in 6 percent.

About 2.2 percent of the children had sensitivity to milk, egg, fish, peanut, sesame or wheat revealed from skin prick test.

Researchers concluded that emphasizing the need for accurate diagnosis to prevent infants being on unnecessarily restricted diets were important for their growth and development.