Food allergy and anaphylaxis — dealing with uncertainty

Reducing the growing burden of food allergy requires a chronic disease management model, clarification of responsibilities, and better communication of both risks and uncertainties

Food allergy and anaphylaxis are increasing in the Australian community, particularly in preschool-aged children,1,2 although, paradoxically, mortality occurs almost exclusively in school-aged children and adults.3 Food allergy and anaphylaxis are high-stakes and highly uncertain issues, where the outcome may be the sudden and unpredictable death of a child.4