PURPOSE OF REVIEW:

Advances in the prevention and treatment of food allergy have been published in the last few years and are placed in context using a review format.

RECENT FINDINGS:

Preventing food allergy has been studied for years with questions of whether avoidance or exposure was a better strategy. Recent research has suggested that peanut allergy can be substantially reduced in high-risk infants through intentional oral exposure. For children with food allergy, the primary treatment remains avoidance, but controlled trials have shown some success with oral immunotherapy and sublingual immunotherapy.

SUMMARY:

Providers who see children with food allergies should be aware of the newer recommendations of preventing peanut allergy and the emerging therapies for children with immunoglobulin E-mediated food allergy.