MCQ Pediatrics Answer 7

The Correct Answer: B

Diagnosing food allergies in children (and adults) can be a difficult problem. The symptoms are often vague and misinterpreted by parents. The true incidence of food allergies is reported as being very low, somewhere between 1% and 2%. Nuts, especially peanuts, are common causes of food allergy. Infants who develop allergies are often able to tolerate that food again in later life. Skin testing is not accurate; food challenges, under controlled conditions, remain the method of choice for diagnosis. Parents should be taught how to administer epinephrine (Epi Pen Jr.) when their children have severe food allergies and it should be available at home, in the car, and at school.

Ref: Anderson JA: Milk, eggs, and peanuts: Food allergies in children. Am Fam Physician 1997;56(5):1365-1374

Category: Pediatrics MCQs