Exploring the Connection Between the Microbiome and Allergy Development

This education is about:

• Effects of gut dysbiosis in infants and children
• The intersection of the microbiome, allergen sensitization, and food allergy development
• Diagnosis and management of cow’s milk protein allergy (CMPA)
• Probiotics as a tool for the management of CMPA
• Clinical and pharmacoeconomic benefits of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) for CMPA

Why it matters:

The incidence of food allergy is rising, affecting an estimated 220 million children worldwide. In recent years, evidence for the role of gut dysbiosis in food allergy has emerged, and our understanding of the importance of the microbiome in immune tolerance has expanded. Providers should be aware of the latest data supporting these interactions as well as novel clinical interventions that can support oral tolerance acquisition in infants with cow’s milk protein allergy.

• Profile

  Jenifer Lightdale, MD, MPH

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  Jenifer R. Lightdale, MD, MPH, is the associate chief of the Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition at Boston Children’s Hospital. Dr. Lightdale received her medical degree from Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City and completed her residency and internship at the University of California in San Francisco, followed by fellowships at the University of California in health policy, at Harvard Medical School in pediatric gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition, and pediatric health services research. She received her master’s degree in public health from Harvard School of Public Health.

  Dr. Lightdale specializes in evaluating and treating infants and children with a broad range of gastrointestinal disorders, especially feeding difficulties, abdominal pain, constipation, GERD and food allergies. She is recognized as an international expert in the areas of endoscopic safety and for her significant contributions to national and international guidelines. Dr. Lightdale was a pioneer in the use of hand-on training for teaching the principles of both diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopy in children and she designed curricula that are used internationally.

  In 2022 Dr. Lightdale played a significant role in helping manage a severe shortage of infant formula that resulted from a product recall by a manufacturer with a dominant market share. Recognizing that parents and caregivers were distressed and frustrated with the lack of guidance on appropriate substitutes for the recalled products, Dr. Lightdale developed information on formulas that are safe substitutes for each other. This resource—posted on the website of the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition (NASPGHAN)—was continuously updated, providing physicians, other healthcare providers, and families with information on how best to navigate the formula shortage.

  Dr. Lightdale is the author or coauthor of more than 130 peer-reviewed books, chapters, and articles and is a frequently invited speaker at national and international events. She serves on several committees of the Food and Drug Administration and has held a number of leadership roles in NASPGHN, and currently serves as the organization’s president. She is a member of the medical advisory board of the International Association for Food Protein Enterocolitis, chair of the editorial board of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, and an ad hoc review for other medical journals including the American Journal of Gastroenterology, BMJ, Pediatrics, Gastroenterology, International Journal of Pediatrics, JAMA, JAMA Pediatrics, Journal of Pediatrics Gastroenterology, and Pediatrics.

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  Jenifer Lightdale, MD, MPH

  Associate Chief, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition
  Boston Children’s Hospital
  Professor of Pediatrics
  Harvard Medical School
  Boston, Massachusetts