Parental anxiety in food allergy: using a cognitive behavioural therapy approach to guide early intervention
Intended for healthcare professionals
Evidence and practice    

Parental anxiety in food allergy: using a cognitive behavioural therapy approach to guide early intervention

Anne McDonnell Nurse specialist, Paediatric Allergy and Immunology and HEE/NIHR ICA pre-doctoral clinical and practitioner academic fellowship, Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle upon Tyne, England
Joseph Charles Manning Clinical associate professor in children and young people and families nursing and deputy director, Centre for Children and Young People’s Health Research, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, England
James Gardner Nurse consultant in children’s allergy, Food Allergy Immunotherapy Centre, London, England and associate clinical lecturer, University of Newcastle, Newcastle upon Tyne, England
Karen Corder Department head of apprenticeships and assistant professor, Department of Nursing, Midwifery and Health, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, England
Jane Coad Professor in children and family nursing and director, Centre for Children and Young People’s Health Research, School of Health Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, England

Why you should read this article:
  • To understand that food allergy in children and young people can induce significant anxiety in parents

  • To recognise that parents’ anxiety may influence the way their children adjust to living with a food allergy

  • To learn how cognitive behavioural therapy-based strategies can support parents to manage their stress and anxiety

Food allergy is a common allergic disease and often coexists with other allergic diseases such as asthma, allergic rhinitis and eczema. Parents of children and young people with food allergy commonly experience stress and anxiety and this can significantly affect their child’s mental health. Interventions that incorporate approaches from cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) can reduce stress and anxiety in parents of children and young people with food allergy and support healthy adjustment and psychological well-being in their children. However, access to psychological services is limited. This article uses reflection on a case study to illustrate the value of taking a CBT-informed intervention approach and to outline the potential role for nurses in its delivery. Research suggests that talking therapies may improve mental health and parenting behaviours in the parents of children and young people with a range of long-term conditions, so this article is also relevant to their care.

Nursing Children and Young People. doi: 10.7748/ncyp.2023.e1453

Peer review

This article has been subject to open peer review and checked for plagiarism using automated software

@annemc2202

Correspondence

annemcdonnell@nhs.net

Conflict of interest

None declared

McDonnell A, Manning JC, Gardner J et al (2023) Parental anxiety in food allergy: using a cognitive behavioural therapy approach to guide early intervention. Nursing Children and Young People. doi: 10.7748/ncyp.2023.e1453

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Linda Tinkler, trust lead for Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professionals Research, Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle upon Tyne, England; the Paediatric Allergy Team, Great North Children’s Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne, England; and the Children’s Services Directorate Management Team, Great North Children’s Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne, England

Published online: 09 May 2023

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