Food Allergy Care and Outcomes in Adolescents (the FOCUS study) : Evaluating the Role of Oral Food Challenges in de-labelling food allergies and improving quality of life.

Oral food challenges will be offered to eligible food allergic adolescents aged 15-17 years. The participant will be admitted to the study site on the day of the food challenge, and the challenge will usually take 4 to 6 hours to complete. Prior to the food challenge, a physical examination, blood and skin prick testing will take place. Oral food challenges involve giving increasing amounts of the allergic food every 20 to 30 minutes. The challenge starts with tiny amounts and watching to see if a reaction occurs. The adolescent will be monitored by an allergy trained nurse and an allergy trained medical doctor or nurse practitioner will supervise. Regular monitoring including vital signs (e.g. pulse, blood pressure) will take place. Depending on the number of food allergies the adolescent has, they may be eligible for up to three food challenges. Eligible foods include egg, cow's milk, peanut and tree nuts. The dosing schedules will be standardised across all sites and will depend on the allergen being challenged. The order and timing of challenges will be made in consultation between the adolescent, their family, and the doctors and nurses involved.