The current paradigm of care in food allergy, namely strict avoidance of the allergen(s) and treatment of allergic reactions with epinephrine autoinjectors, has changed a lot in recent years with the development of oral immunotherapy (OIT). According to the 2020 guidelines of the Canadian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, OIT’s quality of care benefits from a multidisciplinary approach including nurses, registered dietitians, and psychologists. But the role of registered dietitians has not yet been defined in the context of OIT and they reported having inadequate training to support the needs of people with food allergy. In this session, an allergist will discuss the context of food allergies in Canada, the pros and cons of food allergy management options with a particular focus on OIT. Participants will gain insights on the conduct of OIT, the expected results as well as the associated challenges and the potential for multidisciplinary work. Moreover, a registered dietitian specializing in food allergies will discuss the potential roles of the registered dietitian during and after OIT. Attendees will receive techniques, practical tips, and resources that can be integrated into their clinical practice to support allergic patients including those following the OIT process.
Bénédicte L. Tremblay is a registered dietitian, assistant professor at the School of Nutrition at Université Laval, and a researcher at the Centre Nutrition, santé et société (NUTRISS) and Institut sur la nutrition et les aliments fonctionnels (INAF). Holder of a doctorate in nutrition from Université Laval, she also completed a first postdoctoral internship in data science at Université de Montréal and a second in allergic diseases and omics sciences at Université du Québec à Chicoutimi. She has developed multidisciplinary expertise in nutrition, omics sciences, data science, and allergic diseases, more specifically in food allergies. Her research program aims to use precision nutrition to better understand underlying mechanisms of food allergies and to predict the response to oral immunotherapy. This precision approach also aims to develop clinical practice guidelines while mobilizing and transferring knowledge to the public and health professionals to improve the prevention and management of food allergies.