Disease Progression—the Allergy March

 

Allergic sensitivities may affect not only a child’s symptoms today, but also his or her long-term health. In the small child, elevated food-specific IgE antibody levels are associated with significantly elevated risk of developing inhalant allergen sensitivities later in childhood.1 Ultimately, asthma may result from a cascade of atopic illnesses known as the pediatric Allergy March. In the Allergy March, symptoms manifest from low-level food and/or inhalant sensitivities and can trigger a progression of diseases from atopic dermatitis to gastrointestinal distress, recurrent otitis media, allergic rhinitis, and ultimately asthma—often by the age of 3 to 4 years.2,3 Although atopic illness often follows the common progression of the “march,” allergic sensitivities may emerge with symptoms of any one of the five conditions—and may involve more than one allergic illness at a given time.

Click on one of the ovals to learn more about a given illness.

As sensitivities shift from food allergens to inhalant allergens,4-6 symptoms and diseases can also shift. Click on one of the ovals to learn more about a given illness.