Allergy Week 19 To 23 May 2008, UK

Main Category: Allergy
Also Included In: Respiratory / Asthma;  Eczema / Psoriasis
Article Date: 19 May 2008 - 13:00 PDT

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Over the past 40 years there has been a dramatic rise in the number of people suffering from asthma, eczema, hayfever and food allergies and this 'allergy epidemic' has particularly affected children.

Allergy Week UK takes place from Monday 19 May to Friday 23 May and highlights this chronic debilitating condition affecting many children and adults.

The Paediatric Allergy department at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust is the largest of its kind in Europe and diagnoses and treats a whole range of allergic diseases.

Our consultant allergists are available for interview during and leading up to Allergy Week and can provide advice and expert opinion on the kinds of allergies that affect children. We can also provide case studies of patients who have been treated at the Trust.

Conditions treated at Guy's and St Thomas' include:

- Asthma
- Eczema (also know as dermatitis)
- Food allergies
- Anaphylaxis
- Hayfever
- Oral allergy syndrome
- Urticaria (also know as hives)
- Drug allergy
- Latex allergy
- Chronic sinusitis
- Insect sting allergy

The department is also involved in cutting edge research, developing new ways to prevent and alleviate allergies, which allows patients to benefit from the most up-to-date treatments.

Leap Study

The Leap Study is exciting research which is being carried out at the Evelina Children's Hospital at St Thomas'. The Leap Study is currently enrolling 640 children, 11 months or younger who have been diagnosed with eczema or egg allergy or both in a groundbreaking study to discover more about peanut allergy - a potentially life threatening condition that affects one in 70 babies and young children.

Who's who

Professor Gideon Lack - Head of Service

Professor Lack studied medicine at Oxford University before training as a paediatrician in New York and then as a paediatric allergist in Denver, Colorado. He set up and led the Department of Paediatric Allergy at St Mary's Hospital for 12 years and was made Professor of Paediatrics at Imperial College in 2005. Professor Lack moved to the Evelina Children's Hospital in 2006. His major research interests are peanut allergy and respiratory allergy and he is the LEAP Study's Principal Investigator.

Dr Adam Fox - consultant paediatric allergist

Adam studied medicine at Cambridge University. He trained in paedaitrics and paediatric allergy in London, working at Great Ormond Street Hospital, Royal Free Hospital and St Mary's Hospital. His research interests include gastrointestinal food allergy and eczema.

Dr George DuToit - consultant paediatric allergist

George obtained his initial specialist training at the Red Cross Children's Hospital, University of Cape Town. Prior to taking up his current post, he was employed as a consultant paediatric allergist at St Mary's Hospital, Paddington. Major research interests include chronic urticaria, and drug and food allergy. George is a co-investigator on the Leap Study.

Notes

1. Guy's and St Thomas' provides around ¾ million patient contacts in acute and specialist hospital services every year. As one of the biggest NHS Trusts in the UK, it employs over 9,000 staff. The Trust works in partnership with the Schools of Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing and Biomedical Sciences of King's College London and other Higher Education Institutes to deliver high quality education and research. Website: http://www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk

2. Guy's and St Thomas', King's College Hospital and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trusts and our academic partner King's College London are working together to create the UK's largest Academic Health Sciences Centre (AHSC). The AHSC will bring together the widest range of clinical and research expertise in the UK - strengths that will be used to drive improvements in care for patients, allowing them to benefit from breakthroughs in medical science and receive leading edge treatment at the earliest possible opportunity.

http://www.londonsahsc.org