Instilling Confidence Surrounding Early Introduction of Allergenic Foods

This education is about:

• Reviewing the evidence that led to the recommendation for early introduction of allergenic foods
• Identifying common concerns about introduction of allergenic foods
• Identifying strategies that can be used improve rates of early introduction of allergenic foods

Why it matters:

The clinical guidelines around allergen exposure during the complementary feeding period have changed greatly over the last several years, despite knowledge implementation rates are low.  Identifying strategies to guide introduction of new foods to children during the complementary feeding period, and guidance on integrating this knowledge when counseling parents and caregivers can help improve implementation rates to facilitate immune tolerance and allergy prevention.

• Profile

  Mimi Lai-Kuan Tang, MBBS, PhD

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  Mimi Lai-Kuan Tang, MBBS, PhD, is director of Allergy Translation and group leader of Allergy Immunology at Murdoch Children’s Research Institute in Parkville, Australia, a pediatric immunologist allergist at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne, and a professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Melbourne. Dr. Tang received her MBBS degree, with honors, and a PhD in immunology from the University of Melbourne. She completed her training in allergy and immunology through the Royal Australian College of Physicians and the Royal College of Pathologists Australasia.

  Dr. Tang has an international reputation in the field of allergic disorders and is a leading expert in food oral immunotherapy. She is recognized for her research achievements, investigating immune mechanisms of allergic disease and the role of the gut microbiota in modulating immune responses. Dr. Tang was responsible for the discovery of a highly effective world-first treatment for food allergy that induced remission of peanut allergy in eighty percent of children treated.

  In addition to her research published in scientific journals and textbooks, Dr. Tang has coauthored two books for lay audiences. Kids' Food Allergies for Dummies, provides valuable resources for parents, caregivers, and educators, and The Allergy Friendly Family Cookbook, provides recipes and reassurance for families of children with food allergies.

  Dr. Tang has been recognized for translating research into health policy and clinical practice with respect to food allergy and anaphylaxis management both nationally and internationally. She served on a committee to develop evidence-based Global Guidelines for Food Allergy Management in Schools, published in 2021 in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. In Australia, she played a key role in lobbying efforts to make EpiPens available through the national health service, developed guidelines for the prevention of anaphylaxis in schools, and worked with patient support groups to lobby governmental agencies to pass legislation requiring that day care and school staff receive training in anaphylaxis and allergy management.

  Dr. Tang is the author of more than 440 scientific articles, books chapters, reviews and studies, and, according to the Web of Science citation index, she is ranked in the top one percent of cited researchers in the field of immunology, demonstrating her remarkable influence in the field. She is associate editor of the Journal of Allergy and Immunology and serves on the editorial boards of a several scientific journals including the Pediatric Allergy and Immunology Journal, Journal of Allergy and Immunology, Asia Pacific Allergy Journal, and World Allergy Organization Journal. She is a frequently invited speaker at international allergy and immunology symposia.

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  Mimi Lai-Kuan Tang, MBBS, PhD

  Professor, Head of Allergy Immunology Research Group
  Director, Allergy Translation Center
  Murdoch Children’s Research Institute
  Victoria, Australia