Children's Allergy

Children's Allergy Consultant Paediatrician in Allergy
MD FRCPCH
PGCert Paed Allergy
PGCert Allergy

28/02/2026

A big part of my visit to the factory was looking at what is currently being developed in immunology.

Three areas stood out! A sublingual treatment aimed at reducing recurrent urinary tract infections in higher risk patients.

An immune-based approach for children with recurrent respiratory infections and wheezy episodes, including those who go on to develop asthma.

And further advances in sublingual immunotherapy. Allergoid vaccines have now been combined with additional immune-modulating components to enhance protection while aiming to reduce side effects.

Not all of this sits purely within allergy, but they are definitely things I will keeping an eye on for my patients!

If your child reacts to raw fruits or nuts during pollen season, it doesn’t always mean they have developed a new food a...
26/02/2026

If your child reacts to raw fruits or nuts during pollen season, it doesn’t always mean they have developed a new food allergy!

In many cases, this is pollen–food syndrome, where the immune system reacts to similar proteins found in both pollens and certain plant foods. In the UK and Northern Europe, this is often linked to birch pollen sensitisation and typically causes mild mouth or throat symptoms. 😷

However, not all pollen-related food reactions are the same.
In Southern Europe, reactions are more commonly linked to lipid transfer proteins (LTPs). These proteins are more stable and can sometimes be associated with more significant reactions.
Geography, underlying sensitisation patterns, and the specific proteins involved all influence risk.

This is why proper assessment matters. Standard allergy tests do not always tell the full story. Component testing can help identify which protein is responsible and guide what truly needs to be avoided!

Research paper: Asero R, Antonicelli L, Arena A, Bommarito L, Caruso B, Colombo G, et al. Lipid transfer protein allergy in the Mediterranean area. World Allergy Organization Journal. 2020;13(12):100484. doi:10.1016/j.waojou.2020.100484.

19/02/2026

As you may have seen, I recently had the opportunity to see, step by step, how the reagents Inmunotek I use in clinic for skin prick testing and sublingual immunotherapy are produced.

From allergen selection and purification to the multiple stages of quality control, every part of the process is carefully monitored!

One thing that stood out was the emphasis on safety. If a product does not meet strict standards at any stage, it is discarded, and the process begins again.

Being able to see how products that I use every day are developed and tested provides an extra layer of reassurance, not just for me, but for the families I look after.

It was also fascinating to look at some of the allergens under the microscope, including storage mites...

More to come from this visit, including upcoming clinical trials they are currently working on.

Emerging research suggests that people with atopic conditions (including certain food and pollen-related allergies such ...
16/02/2026

Emerging research suggests that people with atopic conditions (including certain food and pollen-related allergies such as LTP allergy) may have a higher risk of complications after some types of surgery.

This doesn’t mean surgery is unsafe, and it doesn’t mean everyone with allergies will have problems.

What it does mean is that:
✔️allergy history matters
✔️skin barrier and immune responses matter
✔️good pre-operative planning matters

For children and adults with known allergies, especially those with eczema, pollen-food syndrome or multiple sensitivities, making sure this history is clearly documented before surgery is important.

As always, I will continue to share any new research that is released!

14/02/2026

This week, we were in Madrid visiting the Inmunotek facilities to better understand how modern immunotherapy is developed and produced.

We had the opportunity to meet with their medical teams, learn more about allergen design and immune tolerance.

Filming inside the laboratories wasn’t permitted, but it was incredibly valuable to see first-hand the level of precision and science involved in these treatments.

Understanding how these therapies are made helps me better guide families considering immunotherapy.

More content from the visit is coming soon!

13/02/2026

Allergy Update 🚨 The House of Lords debated Benedict’s Law - legislation aimed at improving how schools manage allergies and anaphylaxis.

This follows the tragic death of a child in a place that should always be safe. Sadly, this is not always the case.

At its core, this law is about prevention:
• Mandatory allergy and anaphylaxis training for school staff
• Clear, robust allergy policies in every school
• Better access to adrenaline auto-injectors
• Accountability when safety standards are not met

From both a clinical perspective and as a parent of a child with allergies, I welcome this step.
Training matters, policies matter, but so does practical implementation! Including how emergency medication is stored and accessed when seconds count.

There are simple, evidence-based ways schools can do this better, and I hope these are considered as the bill moves to the House of Commons.

Many teachers care deeply, and many schools want to do the right thing. They need the structure, funding, and training to make that possible.

If your child has allergies and you have concerns about school safety, keep asking questions!

29/01/2026

If you’re looking for clear, specialist advice around allergies in children, come and see me at one of my clinics!

I work with families to assess, diagnose and manage childhood allergies, whether that’s food allergy, eczema, asthma, hay fever or complex reactions.

Clinics available in:
✔️ Warwickshire
✔️ Oxfordshire
✔️ Aylesbury
✔️ London

Booking available on my website!

The Food Standards Agency has issued a recall for one specific batch of Aptamil First Infant Formula.If your baby’s form...
27/01/2026

The Food Standards Agency has issued a recall for one specific batch of Aptamil First Infant Formula.

If your baby’s formula does not match the batch details shown, this recall does not apply to you.

For families who do have the affected batch, the advice is simple and precautionary:
stop using it and return it for a refund. No illness has been confirmed, but this step is about staying on the safe side.

Recalls like this are rare, but they’re part of how food safety systems work, identifying potential risks early and acting quickly.

If you’re unsure, worried, or your baby has already been fed this formula and you have concerns, speak to your GP, pharmacist, or NHS 111 for advice.

Many of the conversations I have with parents in clinic start with the same sentence:“I didn’t know this.”Food allergy a...
24/01/2026

Many of the conversations I have with parents in clinic start with the same sentence:
“I didn’t know this.”

Food allergy advice has changed a lot over the years, and it’s understandable that parents feel confused or unsure about what’s right for their child.

Early introduction, reaction severity, and food avoidance are areas where old advice still lingers, even though the evidence has moved on.

The most important thing to remember is that there is no one-size-fits-all approach. What matters is your child’s history, their risk factors, and having the right guidance at the right time.

If food allergies are causing uncertainty at home, an individual assessment can make a real difference.

More information and clinic bookings via the link in my bio.

21/01/2026

We’re seeing a rise in reactions to foods that weren’t traditionally common in UK diets.

Buckwheat is one example. It’s often used as a gluten-free alternative and appears in foods like soba noodles, certain pastas and a range of European dishes. Because of this increased exposure, we’re now seeing more suspected buckwheat allergy in children.

One important point for parents: tolerating wheat does not mean buckwheat will be tolerated. They are different proteins.

Buckwheat is also relevant because some of its proteins can cross-react with other foods, including peanut and hazelnut, and sometimes wheat as well. That means symptoms may not always be as straightforward as they first appear.

If a child reacts to buckwheat or any new food, it’s important not to guess or self-exclude large parts of the diet. Proper assessment helps us understand what’s really going on and how to manage it safely.

As diets change, allergy patterns change too. Staying informed and getting the right advice makes all the difference.

Allergy testing can be frightening for children, and anxiety alone can make procedures harder than they need to be.Recen...
15/01/2026

Allergy testing can be frightening for children, and anxiety alone can make procedures harder than they need to be.

Recent research has shown that using virtual reality during skin prick testing significantly reduced anxiety, fear and pain in children, with full cooperation compared to standard care. By helping children feel calmer and more engaged, tools like VR have the potential to improve both the experience and the quality of care.

This doesn’t replace good clinical practice, but it highlights how small, thoughtful changes can make a meaningful difference in paediatric allergy clinics. Child-centred care that is backed by evidence matters.

Source: Medscape, 2025
Virtual Reality Makes Allergy Testing Less Scary for Kids
https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/virtual-reality-makes-allergy-testing-less-scary-kids-2025a1000val

12/01/2026

More NEW allergy research! 🥜

Oral immunotherapy continues to evolve, and recent evidence suggests that lower doses may be both effective and better tolerated.

A trial soon to be published, known as the LoMo (low-dose oral immunotherapy) trial, explored the use of around 10% of the traditional peanut dose, approximately 30 mg per day. To put that into context, this is roughly one eighth of a peanut.

Despite the very small dose, participants showed immune changes consistent with increasing tolerance. After 18 months of daily dosing, many were able to tolerate the equivalent of around seven peanuts during food challenges. Importantly, the low dose testing appeared to achieve similar levels of tolerance to higher dose protocols, but with fewer side effects.

These findings support a growing view that very low-dose oral immunotherapy may be a safer and more acceptable option for some patients, not only for peanut but potentially for other food allergens. This is an area of ongoing research and one that is likely to influence future clinical practice!

Address

The Chase, Old Milverton Lane
Leamington Spa
CV326RW

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 3pm
Tuesday 9am - 3pm
Wednesday 9am - 3pm

Telephone

+447949990798

Website

https://allerpack.co.uk/

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