Abstract

GONGORA-MELENDEZ, Marco Antonio; SIENRA-MONGE, Juan José Luis; DEL RIO-NAVARRO, Blanca Estela  and  AVILA CASTANON, Lourdes. Practical approach to the diagnosis of food allergy. Bol. Med. Hosp. Infant. Mex. [online]. 2010, vol.67, n.5, pp.390-398. ISSN 1665-1146.

Food allergy has become the first clinical expression of atopy, beginning with dermal o gastric manifestations to continue with asthma an rhinitis ("the atopic march"), a very severe health problem not only for many children and parents, but also for the entire medical and paramedical community. Food allergy is defined as an abnormal immunological reaction to food proteins, which causes an adverse clinical reaction. Most of the people become tolerant to many foods; however, these tolerances sometimes fail and become an immunological reaction. The evaluation of a child with suspected food allergy includes detailed medical history, physical examination, screening tests and response to elimination diet and to oral food challenge. None of the screening tests -alone or in combination- can definitely diagnose or exclude it.

Keywords : diagnosis; food; allergy; atopy; antigen.