FOOD ALLERGY IN DERMATOLOGICAL DISEASE IN CHILDREN

Food allergy acts via various mechanisms (type I, II, III and nonspeci fic histamine release) and presents several different clinical feature s in children: true urticaria (67 per cent of all cases of urticaria i n children), contact urticaria, rash and erythematous episodes of atop ic dermatitis, internal reactivation of contact eczema and/or dyshidro sis, urticaria due to nonspecific degranulation and other more less ty pical manifestations (contact eczema to trophallergens, aphthous react ivation, Lessof syndrome). A rigorous clinical assessment is just as i mportant as investigation of sensitization. Food allergy in children p resents several specific clinical (oedematohaemorrhagic tendency of ur ticaria in infants) and statistical features (high-risk allergen profi les of infancy and childhood), with a prospect of resolution of the al lergy in the intermediate term when diagnosis and eviction are perform ed early.