Dave
Sat, Mar-08-08, 17:15
Children who suffer from severe food allergies are seen in
increasing numbers all over the world. In Italy, some progress
is being made via a new type of desensitization program.
Dramatic results -- equating to a cure -- have been seen in
numbers of patients.
The medical team of the Pediatric Clinic of the University of
Trieste has demonstrated the possibility that "superallergic"
children can accept problem foods without suffering from
severe, and occasionally lethal reactions such as anaphylaxis.
The study - directed by professor Alessandro Ventura - lasted
three years, at the end of which 36% of the children involved,
once severely allergic to even minimal contact with the
dangerous food, achieved the ability to follow a normal diet
without presenting any adverse reactions. 54% of the remaining
patients involved in the study had some allergic symptoms
remain, but were able to tolerate minimal quantities of the
problem food in their diet.
With this work recently published by the Journal of Allergy
and Clinical Immunology, the researchers confirmed the
validity of a face- to-face direct approach to severe food
allergies that this clinic has long been practicing in direct
opposition to the approach most allergists recommend of simply
avoiding problem foods.
Sixty Italian children, classified as "superallergic" to milk
or eggs according to the severity of the symptoms, were
selected and involved in the study. The desensitization
program is done in two sections. The first one, where there is
a major risk of severe reactions, lasts 10 days and takes
place in a hospital. During that time, the problem food is
administered at rapidly increasing doses, at two hour
intervals, until at discharge the child is able to eat a
significant amount of that food. The second section takes
place at home with the cooperation of the parents. There, the
administration of the problem food occurs once a day, at a
much slower and gradual rate of increase. In doing so the
child is able to tolerate ever-increasing doses until he or
she is able to follow a completely normal diet. The positive
result (recovery) is usually obtained within a year.
The results - One third of the treated patient group now eats
freely, whatever he or she feels like. Half of them have not
reached a normal diet yet, but are able to introduce
significant quantities of the problem foods without showing
any adverse reaction. 10% of the treated patients did not
respond positively to the treatment, and despite all the
attempts, continue to present adverse reactions. There were no
lethal cases despite the fact that these allergies were of the
most extreme type.
Dave
Full text article above extracted from
http://shamvswham.blogspot.com
increasing numbers all over the world. In Italy, some progress
is being made via a new type of desensitization program.
Dramatic results -- equating to a cure -- have been seen in
numbers of patients.
The medical team of the Pediatric Clinic of the University of
Trieste has demonstrated the possibility that "superallergic"
children can accept problem foods without suffering from
severe, and occasionally lethal reactions such as anaphylaxis.
The study - directed by professor Alessandro Ventura - lasted
three years, at the end of which 36% of the children involved,
once severely allergic to even minimal contact with the
dangerous food, achieved the ability to follow a normal diet
without presenting any adverse reactions. 54% of the remaining
patients involved in the study had some allergic symptoms
remain, but were able to tolerate minimal quantities of the
problem food in their diet.
With this work recently published by the Journal of Allergy
and Clinical Immunology, the researchers confirmed the
validity of a face- to-face direct approach to severe food
allergies that this clinic has long been practicing in direct
opposition to the approach most allergists recommend of simply
avoiding problem foods.
Sixty Italian children, classified as "superallergic" to milk
or eggs according to the severity of the symptoms, were
selected and involved in the study. The desensitization
program is done in two sections. The first one, where there is
a major risk of severe reactions, lasts 10 days and takes
place in a hospital. During that time, the problem food is
administered at rapidly increasing doses, at two hour
intervals, until at discharge the child is able to eat a
significant amount of that food. The second section takes
place at home with the cooperation of the parents. There, the
administration of the problem food occurs once a day, at a
much slower and gradual rate of increase. In doing so the
child is able to tolerate ever-increasing doses until he or
she is able to follow a completely normal diet. The positive
result (recovery) is usually obtained within a year.
The results - One third of the treated patient group now eats
freely, whatever he or she feels like. Half of them have not
reached a normal diet yet, but are able to introduce
significant quantities of the problem foods without showing
any adverse reaction. 10% of the treated patients did not
respond positively to the treatment, and despite all the
attempts, continue to present adverse reactions. There were no
lethal cases despite the fact that these allergies were of the
most extreme type.
Dave
Full text article above extracted from
http://shamvswham.blogspot.com