Paula Barrett is internationally recognised as a prominent scholar and groundbreaking researcher in the field of child psychology.

1. SUSTAINABLE RESILIENCE
Allergies and Anxiety
Preventative Strategies
Paula Barrett
Pathways Health
and Research Centre
www.pathwayshrc.com.au
University of Queensland

2. Acknowledgments
• My family: Ana, Tom, Brad and our pets
• Pathways Team
• All the families we have worked with

3. “Our mind can
overcome almost
any adversity “
Norman Doidge

4. Risk and Protective Factors for Human
Development
Risk Factors:
• Temperament
Physiological
sensitivity – low
thresholds for stress
• Neurological/brain
development
• Life Events traumas
• Physical Health
Protective Factors:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Attachment/Affection
Cognitive style
Family
Sleep
Daily Exercise
Diet
School /Work
Evidence Based
Prevention

5. What we know:
• One in five adults & children suffer anxiety or
depression (more prevalent than drug use,
ADHD, or any other health problem)
• One in five adults or children suffer from
allergies and associated anxiety
• Less than 5 % of cases receive effective
preventative interventions

6. What we know:
90% of major emotional
and psychological
difficulties and allergies
start before 18 years of
age !

7. What we know
Parents and Health
Professionals do not know how
to access and implement
preventative Psychological
Evidence Based Interventions

8. Evidence based
interventions
Attachment
Stable, unconditionally
loving relationships,
Learning
Self - soothing,
Problem solving skills
mirror self-worth,
Coping Behavioural Skills
acceptance,
Positive role models
safety
Support networks
Physiological
Awareness of body clues
Relaxation techniques
Self-regulation
Managing physical conditions
Cognitive
Positive
thinking skills
about self,
others
and the environment

9. Australian Evidence Based
Resilience Program: Friends for Life
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
F = Feelings (awareness and empathy)
R = Relaxation (self reg & self soothing)
I = Unhelpful vs helpful thinking
E = Problem Solving and step plans
N = Nurturing confidence
D = Don’t forget the ongoing practise
S = Stay calm, You know what is
happening, You know what to do

10. “We cannot always build
the future for our youth,
but we can build our
youth for the future”

11. Early Intervention
• Preventative Interventions - Early prior to
onset of a disorder
• Preventative Interventions - Early
developmentally in a child’s life

12. What WE CAN do:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Education rather than stigma
Prevention rather than waiting
Empowerment rather than blaming
Focus on interactions and learning skills
Focus on strengths rather than deficits
Focus on solutions rather than problems

14. “ Externalising the
anxiety and allergy
challenges
empowers the child
and the family”

15. Friedman and Morris, REVIEW
Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings
• There is an increasing prevalence of anxiety
disorders and allergic conditions in children and
adolescents - these illnesses are often
comorbid.
• Anxiety management skills are needed for
parents and children
• Allergy management skills are needed for
parents and children

16. Friedman and Morris
What can be done:
• We must identify at-risk children
• We must study the family history
• We must conduct validated assessments for
comorbid anxiety and allergies
• We need to target anxious parents and to
implement exposure and other CBT skills
• We need to develop and evaluate treatments
that reduce fear associated with the
physiological symptoms of allergic reactions

17. Teufel et al, 07
What can be done:
It is important to acknowledge the complex
interplay between body and mind: adults
and children suffering from food allergy
show impaired quality of life and a higher
level of stress and anxiety. We need to
develop strategies for an optimized
management of the various types of
adverse reactions to food.

18. DunnGalvin et al, 09
What can be done:
1 - A developmental framework must link health
related quality of life and the maturation of the
immune system.
2 - It must also link psychological stress,
temperament and emotion to neuro-immunoregulation and increased risk of negative
impact.
3 – It must explain both physiological and
psychological phenomena and their interaction.

19. Preventative skills
Be happy
Nurture important relationships
Have fun with children
Let children be children
Monitor, cohesion, consistency
Spend time, interpersonal rewards
Sleep, Diet, Exercise, Play

20. DunnGalvin et al, 09
Children whose parents encouraged
independence and self-management were more
likely to describe positive coping strategies
“If there's food around, I will be careful, but
otherwise I don't think about it”
“I always tell people I'm food allergic…its safer that
way and then you don't have to keep explaining

21. Cummings Ped All Imm
2010
Anxiety can be managed by both
parents and children with positive
outcomes for all independent of
allergy severity and type
experienced by the children.

22. Graves et al, 2010
Journal of Pediatric Psychology
• Summarises 70 studies doen with children
with chronic illness mainly allergies
• Only 50% of families with children adhere
to treatment and prevention protocols
• Adherence maximises long term health
benefits

23. THANK YOU!
WWW.PATHWAYSHRC.COM.AU
“The brain that changes itself” Doidge, 07
“Allergies and Anxiety in Children and Adolescents: A Review
of the Literature” Friedman and Morris, 06
“Psychological burden of food allergy”
Teufel et al, 07
“Developmental Pathways in food allergy: a new theoretical
framework” DunnGalvin et al, 09