Biography
Biography: Ravi Gutta
Abstract
Food Allergy is a broad category entailing all adverse reactions to food which included IgE mediated true food allergy, oral food pollen syndrome, systemic manifestations of food allergy i.e. cow’s milk protein enterocoloits or proctocolitis, Heiner’s syndrome, food protein induced enterocolitis(FPIES), Atopic dermatitis due to food allergy, Celiac disease and finally food intolerance. It is very important for nutritionists and pediatricians to have thorough understanding of each of these elaboratively about etiopathogenesis, clinical manifestations, natural history, diagnosis, treatment plan. It is important to understand the latest LEAP Study recommendations on demining of introduction of foods to infants. Peanut Allergy is the only allergic condition with 400% increase in incidence and population prevalence is last decade along with increase in other food allergies among general population. A food allergy is when body’s immune system reacts to a food protein, is considered as “food allergen.” The response body has to the food is called an “allergic reaction.” A food allergy diagnosis is life-altering. People can be allergic to any food, but nine foods cause most food allergy reactions in the U.S. They are: milk, egg, peanuts, tree nuts (such as walnuts or pecans), wheat, soy, fish, and shellfish (such as lobster, shrimp or crab), Sesame seed. Unlike a food intolerance, food allergies involve the immune system and can be life-threatening. It is very important for pediatricians and nutritionists to evaluate and identify culprit foods which cause IgE mediated food allergy and completely avoid them in the patient’s diet, educate patient about how to read labels, how to avoid cross contact with allergenic foods, demonstrate to use EpiPen, explain indications for its use storage and shelf life. Finally, it’s very important to explain patient or patient’s parents about anaphylaxis action plan, which entails how to identify various allergic reactions to foods i.e. minor reaction, severe reaction or anaphylactic reaction and treat accordingly based on action plan recommendations.