Increasing food allergy incidence in children met with increasing psychology referrals | Image Credit: © tashatuvango - © tashatuvango - stock.adobe.com.

Introduction

The mental health impacts of food allergies on children and their parents are increasingly recognized, yet many regions face limited access to specialized psychological services, according to an abstract presented at the 2024 American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) Annual Scientific Meeting in Boston.^1,2

“Our center has devoted significant resources to address the psychosocial support needed by many families who have children with food allergies,” said Andriana La Mantia, MD, lead author of the study, in a press release. “Our goal in this study was to characterize use of these services for food allergy related anxiety.”

Study details and results

A retrospective chart review was conducted on pediatric psychology referrals from 2013 to 2023 at a tertiary care center for cases involving food allergies or related conditions. Data collected included demographic information, food allergy history, and the number of psychology appointments attended. The Institutional Review Board (IRB) determined this activity did not constitute human subjects research.

A total of 250 patients were included, with a median age of 9.5 years (141 males and 109 females). Most patients (88%) were referred because of food allergy concerns, with an average of 2.1 allergens reported per patient, and a documented history of anaphylaxis in 53% of cases. Anxiety surrounding food allergies was identified in 69% of the patients, and 12% were referred because of quality of life concerns. Sixty percent of referred patients attended at least one psychology appointment, averaging 5.5 follow-up visits within a year.

Referrals for food allergy-related anxiety rose dramatically over the study period, showing an 11-fold increase from 2013 to 2023, including a single-year surge of over 50% in 2023 compared to annual referral rates from 2018 to 2022.

Conclusion

The findings underscore a significant and growing demand for psychological services tailored to food allergy-related anxiety, which has increased considerably over the past decade. As the authors emphasized, “Expansion of these services will be essential to meet the needs of patients experiencing food allergy-related anxiety.”

“Food allergy patients, particularly children, often suffer from anxiety related to potential accidental ingestion and anaphylaxis,” added allergist David Stukus, MD, co-author of the paper and ACAAI member. “Expanding psychological services for these patients is an important part of how we try to support families to live normal lives while balancing food allergy management.”

References:

1. Need for Psychology Referrals Increasing for Children with Food Allergies. Press release. October 24, 2024. Accessed October 25, 2024. https://annualmeeting.acaai.org/2024/psychology.cfm?utm_source=Registrants&utm_campaign=1f68b135a2-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_11_03_09_12_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_bfcb93257f-1f68b135a2-142739634

2. La Mantia A, Stukus D, Hahn A, Benson K. Increasing Number of Psychology Referrals for Food Allergy. Abstract. Presented at: 2024 American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) Annual Scientific Meeting. October 24 - 28, 2024. Boston, Massachusetts.