Parents and kids with food allergies frequently experience increased worry due to the potential dangers of accidental interaction with food allergens. Additionally, they question the safety of medical procedures like oral food challenges and oral immunotherapy as well as if they should avoid social events involving food. According to a recent study published in the scientific journal Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI), targeted cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) can significantly reduce anxiety related to food allergies (FAA) in both children and parents.

Participants in the study were 10 children (8–12 years old, 80% female) who had been sent by their allergists for evaluation and management of FAA. The children had to have medically unnecessary and impairment-causing excessive worry and nervous avoidance primarily connected to their food allergy, as well as proven IgE-mediated food allergy/allergies that were under control. The patient participated in 5-8 "proximity exposure sessions" as part of the CBT. Depending on whether it was a group or solo session, the length of each session ranged from 30 to 90 minutes. The sessions were led by an allergist or mental health professional.

The entire group participated in a range of graded exposures during each session, including sniffing, touching, and tasting a food that is unnecessarily feared and avoided "said Katherine Dahlsgaard, PhD, the study's primary author and a CBT therapist who worked with the families. "One or both parents of each child answered a post-therapy survey about treatment satisfaction. The treatment was highly assessed as useful and satisfying by parents, and all 10 of the children were rated as very improved or very significantly better.

Allergists and other professionals who care with children who have FAA, including mental health experts, may be helped by CBT in their treatment efforts even if the sample size was limited and randomised studies still need to be carried out. Megan Lewis, CRNP, research co-author, said, "This manualized treatment was brief  just 6 sessions and may be provided in allergists' offices by nurse practitioners or other clinicians. The testing, diagnosis, and management of food allergies are all specialties of allergists. Use the ACAAI allergist locator to discover a local allergist who can work with you to develop a personalised strategy to handle your child's food allergies and help them live their best life.

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