The emotional, social, and financial burden of food allergies on children and their families

BACKGROUND: As the prevalence of food allergy has risen among children and young adults, both in the United States and around the world, investigators have become increasingly aware of the daily emotional toll on patients and their families of living with food allergy. OBJECTIVE: To review the literature regarding the emotional, social, and financial impact of food allergy on pediatric patients and their families, and to provide evidence-based suggestions for clinicians on how to most effectively address these issues. METHODS: A literature search was performed to identify relevant articles related to the emotional, social, and financial impact of food allergy. RESULTS: There is a growing body of literature that demonstrates that living with food allergy adversely affects patients and families in the domains above. CONCLUSION: Food allergy can significantly impact pediatric patients and their families in all areas of their lives. Clinicians should be aware of these issues when working with these families. Implementing a multidisciplinary approach can help families cope with emotional, social, and financial burdens.