New research from UCLA Health indicates that emergency room visits for food-related allergic reactions are on the rise. Since national guidelines encouraged introducing allergenic foods early, the increase in ER visits raises questions about the real-world impact of these recommendations.
Food allergies can lead to serious issues, including anaphylaxis, a life-threatening reaction. The guidelines aim to prevent allergies, but it’s unclear how effective they have been in reducing emergency incidents.
The study analyzed 67,059 pediatric ER visits at UCLA from 2013 to 2024. Researchers focused on children aged 0 to 5 years, looking particularly at patterns before and after the updated allergy guidelines were issued in 2022. They adjusted for various clinical and demographic factors known to affect food allergies.
Findings revealed that ER visits for food-induced reactions quadrupled among infants from 2013 to 2024. Infants in the two years after the guidelines were released had more than double the risk of ER visits for food reactions compared to those in the years prior. Interestingly, children aged 2 to 5 did not show a similar increase.
Moreover, infants with preexisting conditions like eczema faced a higher risk for emergency visits due to food reactions.
Experts weigh in, explaining that while early introduction of allergens may help reduce allergies long-term, it could also result in more emergency visits during infancy. They emphasize the importance of providing clearer guidance for parents, especially those with high-risk infants, to safely incorporate these foods.
As the situation evolves, more research is necessary to understand why ER visits are increasing and to develop effective strategies for families learning to manage potential food reactions.
For further insights, you can check out more details in studies published in sources like The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: Global.
