VICTORIA, Australia — Babies who suffer from food allergies can endure respiratory issues as they grow up. Researchers from Murdoch Children’s Research Institute in Australia found that babies who deal with these issues have a higher risk of developing asthma and experiencing reduced lung function as they get older.
The research team was the first to explore the connection between “challenge-confirmed food allergy in infancy and asthma and poorer lung health later in childhood.” To put it simply, the study aimed to determine if food allergies in babies could lead to respiratory problems in their later years.
Researchers observed 5,276 infants from the HealthNuts study, using skin prick tests to detect common food allergens like peanut and egg. The children then took part in oral food challenges to confirm food allergies. At the age of six, these tests were repeated, along with lung function tests.
By the age of six, 13.7 percent of the children in the study had been diagnosed with asthma. Those who had food allergies as babies were nearly four times more likely to have asthma compared to those without food allergies. This likelihood was even higher for children whose food allergies continued until they were six. Additionally, children with food allergies were more likely to have reduced lung growth.
“This association is concerning given reduced lung growth in childhood is associated with health problems in adulthood including respiratory and heart conditions,” says Rachel Peters, associate professor at Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, in a media release. “Lung development is related to a child’s height and weight and children with a food allergy can be shorter and lighter compared to their peers without an allergy. This could explain the link between food allergy and lung function. There are also similar immune responses involved in the development of both food allergy and asthma.”
Food allergies affect around 10 percent of babies and five percent of older children and adolescents.
Suba Slater, a mother whose 15-year-old son, Zane, suffers from food allergies and asthma, emphasized the significance of the study. She recalled not being informed of the connection between food allergies and asthma when Zane was diagnosed, leading them to overlook potential asthma symptoms in his early years.
“As a newborn he developed eczema on his back and I thought because I was breastfeeding, there was something in my diet causing the rash,” says Slater. “We took him into hospital for tests, which confirmed the multiple food allergies.”
Slater praised the food challenges conducted by Murdoch Children’s, stating that they helped determine Zane’s tolerance levels to certain foods. She mentioned the need for Zane to undergo spirometry tests before food challenges to ensure his lungs are in good condition, as there have been times when his weak lungs prevented him from participating.
Professor Shyamali Dharmage, affiliated with both Murdoch Children’s and the University of Melbourne, noted that these findings should motivate medical professionals to be more vigilant in monitoring respiratory health in children with food allergies. She also advised that children with food allergies should be regularly assessed by allergy specialists for proper management and education.
The study is published in the journal The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health.