Nursery World - Taking control

Severe allergy is manageable when practitioners and parents work together, says Anaphylaxis Campaign co-founder David Reading A quarter of a million pre-school children across the UK have nut allergy, according to a House of Commons report published in November 2004. In addition to this, research published in March 2005 showed that families caring for a child with a life-threatening allergy find life even more stressful than those who have been told their child has cancer.

A quarter of a million pre-school children across the UK have nut allergy, according to a House of Commons report published in November 2004. In addition to this, research published in March 2005 showed that families caring for a child with a life-threatening allergy find life even more stressful than those who have been told their child has cancer.

Viewed together, these two reports paint a bleak picture. They show that large numbers of ordinary families across the country are carrying a daily burden of uncertainty, living with the possibility that their allergic child might die before reaching adulthood.

However, the high levels of fear and depression that families experience are not justified and do not have to be permanent. They can be helped to cope.

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