Commentary

Warner and Hathaway more objective in our approach to food allergy and intolerance these cases will continue to arise.It is disturbing that in so many of the children we describe the myth of food allergy was perpetrated or perpetu- ated by doctors.This is very similar to the experience in an adult allergy clinic,7 where the patients with pseudo-allergy had evidence of emotional disturbance.As with other forms of Meadow's syndrome the management is extremely difficult.These few cases stand out in our memories as having caused more problems and occupied more time than the genuine cases of food intolerance put together.Unfortunately confrontation, as suggested by Meadow,' does not succeed in these cases because the problems are usually not severe enough to warrant enforcement of a new treatment regimen.We suspect that prevention is the most important approach.Sensible handling when these problems first arise may prevent mothers from developing an entrenched belief about the cause of their children's symptoms.