Helping early teens manage food allergies
Official title: Evaluation of a Behavioral Intervention to Promote Food Allergy Self-Management Among Early Adolescents
Funded at Children's Research Institute · NIH-11222687 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project teaches early adolescents with food allergies practical skills to avoid allergens and respond quickly if a reaction happens.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Children's Research Institute NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Washington, United States) |
| Project start | November 1, 2022 |
| Project end | October 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $506,915 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AI168090-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11222687 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Early adolescents (around 10–14 years) with a diagnosed food allergy who are beginning to take responsibility for their own allergy management are ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
Very young children, adults, people without food allergies, or those unable to participate in behavioral programs or follow-up visits are unlikely to benefit from this project.
What this research studies
You would join a program that teaches teens how to spot risky foods, plan ahead, carry and use epinephrine, and talk with peers and caregivers about allergies. The program focuses on building confidence and daily routines as kids shift more responsibility from parents to themselves. Researchers will track how well participants follow avoidance and emergency plans, measure anxiety and quality of life, and follow participants over time to see if the skills stick. The work is designed for early adolescence when peer pressure and developing decision-making make self-management especially important.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could reduce accidental exposures and delays in treatment, and make teens feel safer and less anxious about their food allergies.
How similar studies have gone: Behavioral self-management programs have shown benefits in other chronic conditions, but evidence-based programs specifically for food allergy in early adolescence are largely new.
Where this research is happening
-
Children's Research Institute
Washington, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Herbert, Linda Jones — Children's Research Institute
- Study coordinator: Herbert, Linda Jones
Related research
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Food allergy outcomes by race/ethnicity from infancy through adolescence
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Gut-brain links in food allergy responses
A research grant is exploring how signals between the gut and brain drive dangerous reactions to foods, with the goal of helping people with food allergies.
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Targeting gut microbes to restore food-tolerance in adults
Aims to understand how gut bacteria and the lining of the gut interact to keep people with food allergies tolerant to what they eat.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.