Severe allergy at kids being put at risk

Children who with live severe allergies are being put at risk as waiting lists to see a specialist in the public system blow out up to 18 months. The health system nationally has been unable to keep pace with the “allergy epidemic” which has seen presentations of anaphylaxis, or severe allergy, double in 10 years according to experts said.

Support group Anaphylaxis Australia Inc says the State Government needs to inject at least $2 million to plug gaps in services for children and adults. It says children are waiting 18 months for a diagnosis alone at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital, and about a year on average at a private clinic.

A southern health survey released last month found waiting lists for urgent child cases for a first visit at Flinders Medical Centre is three to five months, and about seven for adults.

Di Edwards, SA co-ordinator of Anaphylaxis Australia Inc, said those on waiting lists were at risk of not having the correct diagnosis or medication to manage potentially fatal allergies.

“It’s getting out of control,” she said.

“You wouldn’t want to be a kid with a severe allergy, or the mother of one, sitting on a waiting list where the kid could die.

“It’s not because we lack doctors or nurses, the positions just aren’t there because there’s a lack of money . . . services just haven’t kept up. Some private clinics have closed their books.”

And rural allergy services were virtually non-existent.

The group, along with doctors, has presented concerns to the Government, which says it is “seriously addressing this rising health issue”.

Anaphylaxis can cause circulatory collapse with airways swelling to the point where breathing is prevented.

The rise in nut allergies and two deaths interstate from anaphylaxic reactions has seen some schools, kindergartens and childcare centres ban nut products.

Peanuts and tree nuts, milk, egg, soy, sesame, fish and shellfish account for 90 per cent of food anaphylactic reactions.

About 3 to 5 per cent of children are at risk of a food allergy. AAI says of the ballooning epidemic “there are theories but no one really knows why”.

Former president of the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology Dr Bob Heddle said lengthy waiting lists were just as bad, if not worse, for adults.

Exacerbating the problem in the future was that three-quarters of doctors in the field were expected to retire in five years. “Our concern is also that junior consultants aren’t there to replace them,” said Dr Heddle, who is also the FMC head of allergy.

Acting Health Minister Gail Gago said the Government was working to help those affected to see specialists and planned to meet AAI to discuss improving services.

“The department is also looking at setting up a statewide approach to allergies and anaphylaxis and will be working with the FMC, the Royal Adelaide and the Women’s and Children’s Hospital to reduce waiting list times,” she said.

Source : www.news.com.au