An estimated 7% of children in Canada have a food allergy.

To explore different ways to manage an allergy we spoke to Dr. Jennifer Protudjer, an investigator here at CHRIM. She is also an Endowed Research Chair in Allergy, Asthma and the Environment, an Associate Professor Co-Director at Academic Skills in Medicine (ASK), she’s in the Pediatric Postgraduate Medical Education for the Department of Pediatrics and Child Health at the University of Manitoba, and Epidemiologist, at the George & Fay Yee Centre for Healthcare Innovation.

Dr. Protudjer and her research team have discovered that once a child is diagnosed with a food allergy, avoidance of that food is not the only hurdle that they must face. Her team studies the burdens that are put on families such as financial, psychological, and social pressures that come with the adjustment of lifestyle. They work with groups and organizations to form relationships that will assist in guiding the team to new intervention strategies, resource changes, and program and policy improvements!

“I am thankful that I get to work with extraordinary people, on projects that are meaningful and have a direct impact on those managing food allergy.”

Her team had the opportunity to study an intervention they developed that helped to keep grocery costs below the pace of inflation. Caregivers were given boxes of food with allergy-friendly food products, as well as more information on how to manage an allergy to investigate what helps caregivers navigate an allergy with confidence.

The apprehension and care that is necessary to follow allergy avoidance have been found to cause the child and their caregivers increased tension and anxiety. They have also found that these households have higher grocery bills than those without an allergy by an additional $100-$200 a month. The increase in food prices and the decrease in the availability of safe foods through a food bank puts families in very difficult positions.

The families that took part in the study were able to help conclude that the intervention qualitatively reduced caregivers’ stress. It also allowed them to explore different types of allergy-friendly foods that may be out of reach for many families. Children were able to try new foods that had a bit of a heavier price tag to explore more of the options that are available to them, without their caregiver buying something new with the risk of them not liking it. 

The team’s work provides well-developed ways of living with food allergies and has a direct impact on those managing them. To support these households the team hosts webinars for caregivers from internationally recognized experts to provide clarity through knowledge translation.

We thank Dr. Protudjer and her research team for all that they do! Find further resources and information here.

Find a recent publication from Dr. Protudjer here.