WEDNESDAY, February 23 2011 (NICE) -- New
NICE (The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence) guidelines published today will give GPs, nurses, community
and primary care health professionals and patients clear recommendations on the diagnosis and assessment of children and young
people with suspected food allergy. The incidence of common allergies has tripled in the last 20 years and allergic conditions
are becoming more complex and more severe. Over one in 20 children now has a food allergy with one in 50 allergic to nuts.
Many of these children can be very ill and also have to cope with other allergy problems such as asthma, eczema and allergic
rhinitis.
For most children the first port of call when presenting with suspected allergy will be the family doctor
or a primary care health professional. These guidelines aim to offer support to ensure the correct diagnosis is made in a
timely manner.
By Jenifer Goodwin, HealthDay Reporter SUNDAY, May 2 2010 (HealthDay News) -- About one in five children with autism uses alternative
treatments to help with the neurodevelopmental disorder, most often a special diet, a new study finds.
Of 1,212 children with an autism spectrum disorder included in the study, about 17% were on special diets. More than
half of those were on a gluten-free, casein-free diet, which eliminates wheat and dairy products. Other common dietary changes
included avoiding processed sugars and taking probiotics, microorganisms found in foods such as yogurt and supplements that
may help maintain gut bacterial flora.
