Allergy Pal is an electronic record of a child's ASCIA allergy plan. The app helps you manage your child's food allergy and share their ASCIA action plan with friends and family. Everyone caring for your child can use Allergy Pal to help recognise the signs of an allergic reaction and administer appropriate first aid, including when and how to use an EpiPen® or Anapen®

The core features of Allergy Pal are free for everyone. With the free version, you can share your childs profile with two people. You are only required to upgrade to the paid version if you wish to share a profile with more than two people.

Allergy Pal allows you to add unlimited profiles. Perfect if you are have have multiple children with allergies.

Allergy Pal helps you track medication and expiry dates. You can record your childs medication, the expiry date and where the medication is kept eg 'front pocket of school bag'. Allergy Pal will also notify you when your medication is expiring.

Yes. You can share your child's profile with up to two people in the free version of Allergy Pal. You can choose to share a full version that allows the  user to edit and add to a profile - great for spouses and partners. You can also share a read only version that is perfect for school, daycare etc.

Allergy Pal has a an emergency feature that helps carers manage allergic reactions by providing a simple workflow that can ensure appropriate first aid is administered. This includes when and how to use an EpiPen® or Anapen®

Allergy Pal has been designed and developed by Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Australias leading peadatric research hospital. Allergy Pal is clinically validate dand ist scientific advisory board includes members from MCRI, Ascia and Allergy & Anaphlaxis Australia.

A food allergy is an abnormal immune response to certain proteins found in food. When a person with a food allergy eats a specific food, their immune system mistakenly identifies the protein as harmful and triggers an allergic reaction.

Symptoms can range from mild, such as hives, facial swelling or vomiting, to severe and life-threatening anaphylaxis, such as difficulty breathing and collapse.

While both food allergy and food intolerance are adverse reactions, food allergy involves the immune system, while an intolerance does not. When a person with a food allergy eats a particular food, their immune system mistakenly perceives a protein in the food as a threat and triggers an abnormal immune response, while an intolerance occurs when the body is unable to properly digest or process a certain food ingredient, such as lactose or gluten.

Allergic reactions can range from mild to life-threatening, while intolerances typically cause symptoms such as abdominal pain, nausea, bloating, gas and diarrhoea. While those with food allergies need to strictly avoid the allergen as it can be life-threatening, those with food intolerances have non-harmful reactions and may sometimes be able to tolerate small amounts or take digestive aids.

An antigen is a substance that can trigger an immune response in the body. Antigens are usually foreign substances, such as bacteria, viruses, or toxins, but can also be proteins or other molecules found in food or drugs. When a person with a food allergy eats a food containing the antigen, their immune system incorrectly identifies it as a harmful substance and produces antibodies to fight it off.

Immunoglobulin E, or IgE, is a type of antibody which is produced by the immune system of people with allergic disease.  When a person with a food allergy is exposed to a specific food protein, their immune system mistakenly produces IgE antibodies against the allergen. This usually result in an immediate onset reaction, with symptoms developing within one hour of eating the food.

Allergy tests are useful primarily for diagnosing IgE mediated allergies, as they can detect the presence of IgE antibodies in the skin through a skin prick test, or in blood through a specific IgE blood test.

IgE-mediated allergic reactions occur when the immune system produces specific IgE antibodies in response to a food or other allergen.  This results in symptoms ranging from mild, such as hives and swelling, to life-threatening anaphylaxis, such as difficulty breathing and collapse. Non-IgE-mediated allergic reactions, on the other hand, involve a different part of the immune system and can take longer to develop. These reactions can cause symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhoea, and eczema, and are often triggered by foods like cow's milk or soy.

Allergy tests are generally helpful only for IgE mediated food allergies, whereas non IgE mediated food allergies are confirmed through dietary elimination and reintroduction of the food protein.

An allergic reaction occurs when the immune system overreacts to a harmless substance, mistaking it for a dangerous invader. When a person with an allergy is exposed to the allergen, the immune system produces an antibody called immunoglobulin E (IgE) against it. The IgE antibodies then trigger mast cells, an immune system cell found in the skin, lungs and digestive system, to release chemicals which result in allergic symptoms.  These chemicals include histamine and bradykynin.

Mistaking a food allergy for an intolerance can be dangerous. Food allergy is an immune system reaction to specific food proteins. Even if the initial reaction consisted of mild symptoms, such as hives and swelling, future reactions could potentially result in life-threatening anaphylaxis. In contrast, food intolerance is an adverse reaction to a food that does not involve the immune system, and generally causes milder gastrointestinal symptoms of bloating and diarrhoea. Hence, it is important to get a proper diagnosis if you are having a reaction to a particular food so that you can take the necessary steps to avoid the food.

Certain risk factors can be associated with an individual being at greater risk of  having a severe anaphylactic reaction. These risk factors include either not using or delaying the administration the adrenaline during anaphylaxis, having a past history of severe anaphylaxis and the presence of poorly controlled asthma. Adolescents and young adults are also at higher risk of severe anaphylaxis, and hence it crucial that teenagers develop confidence in when and how to use their adrenaline autoinjectors, and also remember to bring it with them at all times.

It's fair to say you need to eat the food you are allergic to in order to have a severe reaction. Touching the food will generally cause a local reaction where the food has made contact. For example, touching peanut butter can cause a local reaction on your skin if you are allergic to peanuts. You may see hives, swelling, and itching, which can be very unpleasant. However, touching the food won't cause a severe reaction that can lead to difficulty breathing and problems in circulation that can cause a life-threatening reaction.

Introducing foods to your baby early in life is the best way to prevent a food allergy. Although your child can potentially be allergic to all foods, 90% of food allergies are to eight common food types: eggs, milk, wheat, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, and shellfish. Introducing food early reduces their risk of developing a food allergy.

This was demonstrated in a large, randomised study introducing babies to peanuts in their first year. They were 80% less likely to present a peanut allergy by five years of age compared to children who avoided peanuts for the first five years of life.We encourage parents to introduce foods (including the eight common food types) from around six months of age and no earlier than four months. Begin with, we recommend introducing foods in small amounts, especially if you have a family history of allergic reactions.

Start with a little bit and double it every day. If your baby does have an allergic reaction, it will most likely be on the first exposure. That's why we recommend starting small. By starting small, your child will most likely have a mild reaction.

Do you know why food allergies are on the rise?There has been a dramatic rise in the rates of allergies in the past three decades, which is not unique to food allergy issues. This rise also includes other allergic conditions such as asthma, eczema, hay fever etc. Researchers first witnessed this with the increase in asthma cases. What's interesting about the rise in food allergies is that they have increased predominantly in western countries. So, we know this rise can likely be attributed to western lifestyles, but what can we extrapolate from this?

One of the most popular theories is related to microbiota. Microbiota is the microbes that live both in our bodies and the environment. Studies over the past decade have shown us how vital this microbiota is for human health. We have trillions of microbes in our body, particularly in our gut and the surface of our airways. The gut microbiota appears to be critical for regulating healthy immune responses.

So how do we acquire this gut microbiota? The most considerable load comes at birth, from our mothers, if delivered naturally or from the environment if delivered by caesarean. After birth, the rest of the microbiota is determined by our diet. Including breastfeeding, bottle-feeding, and long-term diet, the microbiota is primarily established in the first three years of life. In this period, you can establish a healthy microbiota that supports a lifetime of health. On the other hand, you might end up with a suboptimal microbiota called Dysbiosis. Dysbiosis is linked with an increased risk of chronic illness in the western world. We know that there is an association between gut microbiota and food allergy development.

Our research has shown babies who develop allergic conditions start with suboptimal gut microbiota. It's challenging to find an association between the things that influence gut microbiota and these allergic conditions. We've seen some association between antibiotic intake and allergic conditions, and an association with caesarean section delivery and an increased rate of some allergic conditions. However, the relationships aren't consistent across studies.

Unfortunately, there is no cure for food allergies. However, there are treatments available to help manage symptoms. This includes avoiding the allergen, carrying an epinephrine auto-injector, and medications to reduce the severity of a reaction.

It is possible for some people to outgrow food allergies as they age, but not all food allergies will go away. At MCRI, we have conducted one of the world's best studies looking at the rates of food allergies, called the HealthNuts Study, which shows that 10% of infants have a food allergy.

The most common allergy was eggs, followed by peanuts. By 5-6 years of age, this dropped to 3-5%. Our study showed a rapid outgrowth of food allergy in the first few years of life. It's common for children to grow out of allergies to eggs, milk, wheat, and soy. On the other hand, allergies to peanuts, tree nuts, fish and shellfish tend to persist into adulthood.

As doctors, we give kids with food allergies ASCIA action plans. Some are red, and some are green. We photocopy them, one goes to school, and one stays home. But it is important to keep in mind that there are many other activities that kids participate in besides going to school and being at home. Allergy Pal is a digital companion to your child's ASCIA action plan. It provides a comprehensive and interactive approach to managing your child's allergies and helps keep them safe in the care of others.

Unfortunately, teenagers are the age group whom are at the greatest risk of dying from anaphylaxis. The exact reasons are not clear, but may be due to increased risk-taking behaviour, having a lack of understanding of the symptoms of anaphylaxis, and when and how to use their adrenaline autoinjectors. Allergy Pal is an evidence-based tool that helps keep teenagers safe from allergic reactions. Teenagers can use AllergyPal's digital anaphylaxis action plan tool to help them manage anaphylaxis more confidently - keeping them safer wherever they go.

An allergist is a medical specialist specialising in diagnosing, treating, and managing allergies and asthma. Allergists are trained to identify the triggers of allergic reactions and to provide treatments such as immunotherapy and medications to help reduce symptoms.

Clinical immunology/allergy specialists work in private practice and hospitals. To see an allergist youi must first obtain a referral from your GP.

You can find a list of ASCIA registered allergists here allergy.org.au/patients/locate-a-specialist

Your allergist will discuss your allergy symptoms, duration, when they occur, your medical history and also ask if allergies run in your family. When appropriate, they may run tests to identify the allergens that trigger your symptoms and determine the best treatment. These tests include skin tests, blood tests, patch test and potential a Pulmonary function test. Based on the results, your allergist will prescribe appropriate treatment and may prescribe prescription medication medications.