The Allergy Focused History

The European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) Guidelines on food allergy1 suggest that the allergy-focussed history is a fundamental first step in the diagnosis of any food allergy, including CMPA.

This involves the gathering of information through questioning about the symptoms and atopic history of the child, the foods habitually consumed and those that trigger a reaction, when/if complementary feeding has started, and other relevant information.²

It is also important to look at the child’s nutritional status (and growth pattern) and to determine if there is a family history of atopic disease - as the risk for allergy may be higher when atopic disease runs in a family.

All children with a suspected food allergy should be referred for an assessment of their nutritional adequacy.²