Paediatric allergy in review

This will provide an overview of allergy to facilitate an understanding of the epidemiology, immuno-pathology, and the early life origins of the allergic diseases, which are increasing in prevalence worldwide. This veritable allergy epidemic poses a significant public health burden in both the developed and the developing worlds and makes optimal allergy care in both primary and tertiary settings a priority. A clear body of literature supports the commonly observed evolution of early food allergies and atopic dermatitis to the later development of the airways allergic diseases, namely allergic rhinitis and asthma. The main hypotheses behind these concepts are described. A typical clinical case is discussed in order to highlight this allergic march in the clinical setting and current and future strategies for allergy prevention are explored.