Abstract
The increase in food allergies among US children has led to greater awareness of the psychological impact on their families. A variety of negative effects can result from both the daily strain of food-allergy management and the constant vigilance and fear that this condition engenders. Most of these effects are normal and expected responses to having a child with a demanding condition filled with uncertainties. However, a small but substantial proportion of families living with childhood food allergy experience significant psychological distress and/or maladaptive coping responses that interfere with the child’s psychological and social development and family members’ optimal functioning. Health care providers must be aware of the psychological challenges these families face, understand their role in helping families to achieve positive adaptation, and know when to encourage families to seek psychoeducational guidance.
Similar content being viewed by others
References and Recommended Reading
Sampson H: Update on food allergy. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2004, 113:805–819.
Sicherer S, Munoz-Furlong A, Sampson H.: Prevalence of peanut and tree nut allergy in the United States determined by means of a random digit dial telephone survey: a 5-year follow-up study. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2003, 112:1203–1207.
Stein R, Riessman C: The development of an Impact-on-Family Scale: preliminary findings. Med Care 1980, 18:465–472.
Fleischer D, Conover-Walker MK, Christie L, et al.: The natural progression of peanut allergy: resolution and the possibility of recurrence. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2003, 112:183–189.
Colver A, Hourihane J: For and against: are the dangers of childhood food allergy exaggerated? BMJ 2006, 333:494–498.
MacDougall C, Cast A, Colver A: How dangerous is food allergy in childhood? The incidence of severe and fatal allergic reactions across the UK and Ireland. Arch Dis Child 2002, 86:236–239.
Pumphrey R: Life-threatening manifestations and fatal anaphylaxis to foods in children. In Food Allergy in Childhood: Causes and Consequences. Edited by Koletzko S. Heilbronn, Germany: SPS Verlagsgesellschaft mbH; 2007:106–112.
Wood R: The natural history of food allergy. Pediatrics 2003, 111:1631–1637.
Eggesbo M, Botten G, Stigum H: Restricted diets in children with reactions to milk and egg perceived by their parents. J Pediatr 2001, 139:583–587.
Robinson J, Klinnert MD, Luckow A, et al.: Childhood food allergies: diet restrictions and family functioning. Paper presented at Great Lakes Society for Pediatric Psychology Conference. Cincinnati, OH; 2004.
Fleischer DM: The natural history of peanut and tree nut allergy. Curr Allergy Asthma Rep 2007, 7:175–181.
Eigenmann P, Caubet J-C, Zamora S: Continuing food-avoidance diets after negative food challenges. Pediatr Allergy Immunol 2006, 17:601–605.
Cohen B, Noone S, Munoz-Furlong A, et al.: Development of a questionnaire to measure quality of life in families with a child with food allergy. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2004, 114:1159–1163.
Landgraf JM, Abetz L, Ware JE: Child health questionnaire (CHQ): a user’s manual. Boston, MA: The Health Institute, New England Medical Center; 1996.
Sicherer S, Noone S, Munoz-Furlong A: The impact of childhood food allergy on quality of life. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol 2001, 87:461–464.
Marklund B, Ahlstedt S, Nordstrom G: Health-related quality of life in food hypersensitive schoolchildren and their families: parents’ perceptions. Health Qual Life Outcomes 2006, 4:48.
Primeau MN, Kagan R, Joseph L, et al.: The psychological burden of peanut allergy as perceived by adults with peanut allergy and the parents of peanut-allergic children. Clin Exp Allergy 2000, 30:1135–1143.
Bollinger M, Dahlquist LM, Mudd K, et al.: The impact of food allergy on the daily activities of children and their families. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol 2006, 96:415–421.
LeBovidge J, Stone KD, Twarog FJ, et al.: Development of a preliminary questionnaire to assess parental response to children’s food allergies. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol 2005, 96:472–477.
Jones SM, Scurlock AM: The impact of food allergy: the real “fear factor.” Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol 2006, 96:385–386.
Mandell D, Curtis R, Gold M, et al.: Anaphylaxis: how do you live with it? Health Social Work 2005, 30:325–335.
Mandell D, Curtis R, Gold M, et al.: Families coping with a diagnosis of anaphylaxis in a child. Allergy Clin Immunol Int 2002, 14:96–101.
Munoz-Furlong A: Daily coping strategies for patients and their families. Pediatrics 2003, 111:1654–1661.
Kapoor S, Roberts G, Bynoe Y, et al.: Influence of a multi-disciplinary paediatric allergy clinic on parental knowledge and rate of subsequent allergic reactions. Allergy 2004, 59:185–191.
Arkwright PD, Farragher AJ: Factors determining the ability of parents to effectively administer intramuscular adrenaline to food allergic children. Pediatr Allergy Immunol 2006, 17:227–229.
Gold M, Sainsbury R: First aid anaphylaxis management in children who were prescribed an epinephrine autoinjector device (EpiPen). J Allergy Clin Immunol 2000, 106:171–176.
Pouessel G, Deschildre A, Castelain C, et al.: Parental knowledge and use of epinephrine auto-injector for children with food allergy. Pediatr Allergy Immunol 2006, 17:221–226.
Sicherer S, Forman J, Noone S: Use assessment of self-administered epinephrine among food allergic children and pediatricians. Pediatrics 2000, 105:359–362.
Kim JS, Sinacore JM, Pongracic JA: Parental use of EpiPen for children with food allergies. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2005, 116:164–168.
Avery N, King RM, Knight S, et al.: Assessment of quality of life in children with peanut allergy. Pediatr Allergy Immunol 2003, 14:378–382.
Monga S, Manassis K: Treating anxiety in children with life-threatening anaphylactic conditions. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2006, 45:1007–1010.
Bock S, Munoz-Furlong A, Sampson H: Fatalities due to anaphylactic reactions to foods. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2001, 107:191–193.
Sampson H, Mendelson L, Rosen J: Fatal and near-fatal anaphylactic reactions to food in children and adolescents. New Engl J Med 1992, 327:380–384.
Akeson N, Worth A, Sheikh A: The psychosocial impact of anaphylaxis on young people and their parents. Clin Exp Allergy 2007, 37:1213–1220.
Sampson M, Munoz-Furlong A, Sicherer S: Risk-taking and coping strategies of adolescents and young adults with food allergy. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2006, 117:1440–1445.
Zijlstra WT: Parental anxiety before and after food challenges in children with suspected peanut and hazelnut allergy. Presented at the annual meeting of the American Association of Asthma, Allergy, and Immunology. San Diego, CA; February 23–27, 2007.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Klinnert, M.D., Robinson, J.L. Addressing the psychological needs of families of food-allergic children. Curr Allergy Asthma Rep 8, 195–200 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11882-008-0033-7
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11882-008-0033-7