In Spain each year the percentage of allergic children increases by 2%, according to data provided by the Spanish Society of Clinical Immunology, Allergology and Pediatric Asthma (SEICAP). A trend that is common to other developed countries. Today, 35% of the child population has some type of allergy and, if everything continues as before, in just a few decades half of the children in these countries will be allergic due, among other causes, to changes in food and pollution.
There are more and more allergies
When the grandparents comment: "If all children are now allergic. Those things were not given before," they may be exaggerated, but they have no reason. The number of allergy sufferers in Spain has doubled in the last 15 years and ** this situation affects children more: ** two million children in our country are already allergic (25-30% prevalence in children compared to 20-25 % of the general population).
The number of children with allergies of any kind grows by 2% every year. Among those that most affect the child population are atopic dermatitis, asthma and, above all, food allergies. A study conducted in the United States and published in the latest issue of the journal of the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology confirms the increase in food-induced anaphylaxis (severe allergic reaction) in recent years.
According to this work, emergency visits for this reason increased by 214% between 2005 and 2014, especially in infants and younger children (between 0 and 2 years old) and the food in most cases was the result. dry
What are the causes?
It is not a single factor, but according to Dr. Mercedes Escarrer, president of SEICAP: "it may be due to various factors, such as changes in the type of food or air pollution, among others." Excessive additives in meals , the almost aseptic environment in which many babies are raised today, the pollution of cities, exposure to tobacco smoke ... multiple factors that are affecting the health of children.
Importance of the school
According to one study, 25% of severe allergic reactions or anaphylaxis occur for the first time in school, so from SEICAP they warn of the importance of nursing areas in schools with adrenaline autoinjectors to address cases of urgency.
“The most frequent food allergies in children, which are the ones that can cause anaphylaxis the most, are usually those of milk, eggs, nuts and fish. In severe cases, the accidental intake of these foods can lead to anaphylaxis that, if not treated quickly and properly, can be fatal. When the child arrives at school there may be accidents or carelessness that lead to a crisis. That is why it is essential to create an environment that guarantees the safety and integrity of these students ”,
says Dr. Carlos Sánchez Salguero, coordinator of the Anaphylaxis Working Group of SEICAP, who also demands action protocols so that the center's staff is trained to know how to act and coordinate with the health personnel in case of a possible emergency. Necessary measures especially if we consider that In the next few years half of the population will be allergic.
In Babies and more Allergies in children: seven keys to help them live with them, The hard battle of parents of children with allergies against those who insist on giving them what they cannot eat
