Mothers Awareness Regarding Food Allergy Among Their Children

Abstract

Food allergy : defined as an adverse immune response to specific foods, typically proteins. In children, there are eight foods that cause 90% of food allergy. These diseases include food allergies, fever, atopic dermatitis, asthma, and anaphylaxis Symptoms include red eyes, and itchy rash, runny nose, shortness of breath, and swelling. Aim of study :to assess mothers awareness regarding food allergy among their children. Design: A descriptive correlation study was used. Setting: study was conducted as follows: pediatric Out Patient Clinic of Ain Shams, Helwan General Hospital and Dar El Salam General Hospital. sample study included 730 Mothers Who Had Children Diagnosed With food Allergy. Tools: four Tools were Used In This Study: First tool was An Interviewing Questionnaire, Second tool was questions about awareness regarding food allergy among their children , Third tool was questionnaire Form for measuring the indicators of mothers behaviors in relation to food allergies for their children, and fourth tool was questionnaire Form to measure the factors affecting the lifestyle of mothers with regard to food allergy among children . Result, current study showed that 56.0 % of mothers of sample had satisfied level of awareness with food allergy among their children, while 44.0% of mothers of sample had unsatisfied level of awareness with food allergy among their children, 69.5% of mothers of sample had negative behavior toward food allergy among their children, while 30.5% of mothers of sample had positive behavior toward food allergy among their children.