Let them eat cake

摘要

The growing appreciation of food allergy as an important public health problem stimulates exploration of novel food allergy therapies. Cow's milk allergy is the prime target of such therapies because cow's milk is one of the most common food allergens in infants and young children; severe cow's milk allergy has been reported as a cause of fatal anaphylaxis. Cow's milk and dairy based foods are an important source of nutrition in the pediatric diet. Cow's milk protein is also ubiquitous in commercial food products. Therefore, avoidance of cow's milk protein significantly affects quality of life by limiting selection of allowed foods as well as social aspects such as, eating out, attending parties, family gatherings, and other social events. While most children outgrow cow's milk allergy, a recent study reported that in a subset of children with peak lifetime cow's milk-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibody concentration exceeding 50 klU/L, cow's milk allergy was likely to persist well into the teenage years. In the absence of curative therapy, management focuses on dietary avoidance, nutritional counseling, and prompt treatment of acute allergic reactions.