GPs failing to diagnose cow's milk allergy in children
Katy Morton
Friday, June 8, 2012
Four out of ten children wait more than three months to be diagnosed with a cow's milk allergy, according to a new report.
The research by paediatric allergy specialist and chair of the Allergy UK Health Advisory Board, Dr Adam Fox, and general practitioner Dr David Mass, found that it takes on average nearly five months for GPs to diagnose an allergy to cow’s milk after symptoms first occur in children.
Of the health care professionals they surveyed, more than half said they find cow’s milk allergy difficult to diagnose and 40 per cent claimed they did not fully understand the condition.
The report, ‘The Challenge of Delayed Reactions’, reveals that 80 per cent of health care professionals recognise that better awareness of the allergy is key to speeding up diagnosis.
To raise awareness of cow’s milk allergy, Allergy UK, Aptamil Professional and Nutricia Advanced Medical Nutrition, has launched a campaign to increase knowledge, understanding and management of the condition amongs health care professionals and parents.
Using the acronym, ACT, (Awareness of symptoms, Connect symptoms together and Take action), they hope to encourage effective cow’s milk allergy diagnosis.
Dr Fox, said, ‘While healthcare professionals do a great job, there is recognition that cow’s milk allergy is difficult to diagnose. Once GPs become more aware of the allergy they realise they have been seeing this in their practice, but haven’t always been picking up on the subtle signs.’
Immediate symptoms of cow’s milk allergy include urticaria - reddening of the skin or an itchy rash - rhinitis, wheezing and vomiting. Delayed reactions include abdominal pain and eczema.
Of the health care professionals they surveyed, more than half said they find cow’s milk allergy difficult to diagnose and 40 per cent claimed they did not fully understand the condition.
The report, ‘The Challenge of Delayed Reactions’, reveals that 80 per cent of health care professionals recognise that better awareness of the allergy is key to speeding up diagnosis.
To raise awareness of cow’s milk allergy, Allergy UK, Aptamil Professional and Nutricia Advanced Medical Nutrition, has launched a campaign to increase knowledge, understanding and management of the condition amongs health care professionals and parents.
Using the acronym, ACT, (Awareness of symptoms, Connect symptoms together and Take action), they hope to encourage effective cow’s milk allergy diagnosis.
Dr Fox, said, ‘While healthcare professionals do a great job, there is recognition that cow’s milk allergy is difficult to diagnose. Once GPs become more aware of the allergy they realise they have been seeing this in their practice, but haven’t always been picking up on the subtle signs.’
Immediate symptoms of cow’s milk allergy include urticaria - reddening of the skin or an itchy rash - rhinitis, wheezing and vomiting. Delayed reactions include abdominal pain and eczema.
