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

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