Q&A with Dr Andrew Clark, consultant in paediatric allergy, who is leading the world's largest peanut allergy study

[GeraldineMumsnet]

Dr Andrew Clark is a consultant in paediatric allergy at Addenbrookes NHS Foundation Trust and he has been in the news because he's leading a £1 million NHS-sponsored study into peanut allergy.

We're very pleased that Dr Clark, whose other research and clinical projects focus on improving the care of children with food allergy, has agreed to answer your questions about children's food allergies.

We'll send over the questions on this thread to Dr Clark on 24 April and put up his answers during the first week of May.

Thanks to Dr Clark, and TIA for your questions.

[CantSleepWontSleep]

hey misdee, how are you? i'm sure that the consultants there are quite good - it's just getting my GP to refer us to them that's the problem! But I'll follow it up in a few weeks when dc3 arrives. Thanks .

[tatt]

Venusdemedici He made some general comments about this sort of situation. Paraphrasing this would amount to get your child the blood test that gps can do (to which I add but you may have to tell them its available) because of their atopic history. They have both probably already been exposed to nut traces (our allergy consultant said children usually had been by age 3).

The younger child could probably have nuts anyway and the testing method was described - little on the lip and wait 24 hours. Personally I'd favour the slower method our allergy consultant suggested which involved some on the arm or back, then the skin of the face, then the lip.

[VenusdeMedici]

Tatt, thanks very much for your response. Really kind of you.

[ThePhoenixLady]

Dear Dr Clark, My Daughter is 14 and has had multiple Allergies all her life. We have all come to terms with it and are grateful to all the health care professionals that have helped us understand and live with this.
My daughters life would be a million times better however, if she could eat egg, as this is in so many foods. The tree nut, Shell fish & certain fruits that she is allergic to, she can avoid easily enough and manufacturers are producing increasing varieties that exclude nuts in particular.
We did speak to Dr Kakoo at St. Marys about this, but he said that there are currently no Desensitisation programmes in the UK. I Then stumbled across this page and regained some hope.
Please can you help us in any way?
Kind Regards, Rachelle Oakley

[YoniTrix]

thephoenixlady this thread is a few years old, you'll not get a reply.

[Spuderoonerism]

As YoniTrix said, this is an old thread. Addenbrookes allergy page is here but says they are no longer recruiting for the trials.

[TiredFeet]

Not feeling great so apologies if these questions have already been posted

• my son has multiple severe allergies (diagnosed by blood /skin prick tests) including milk egg soya wheat. I am pregnant with second child and wondering if there is anything I should be doing/not doing during pregnancy/breastfeeding/weaning this next child. (Lots of allergies on both sides of our family)?
  

• my son had severe eczema from 3-6 months and we were desperate, he never slept for more than 40 minutes at a time, day or night. We were seeing gp's bi-weekly, desperate for help but they just prescribed piriton/emollients. I asked about cutting cows milk out of my diet (breastfeeding) and the gp laughed at me. When we started weaning he had a very severe allergic reaction to his first taste of cows milk and the paramedics had to administer adrenaline. This, whilst terrifying at the time,was a blessing in disguise as we finally got decent advice from a dermatologist and allergy testing. Can more be done to educate GPs? I can't believe their current lack of awareness at the connection between infant eczema and allergies. My sons life (and mine) was transformed when the allergens were cut out.

[TiredFeet]

ah balls just seen this is old thread!