Background and Objectives: Parental beliefs strongly influence treatment adherence in pediatric allergic diseases. Concerns about corticosteroid therapy—known as corticophobia—may disrupt disease control and compromise child well-being. This study aimed to evaluate parental knowledge, beliefs, and concerns regarding topical, inhaled, and intranasal corticosteroid use in children, and to identify sociodemographic factors associated with corticophobia. Materials and Methods: This prospective survey was conducted in a tertiary pediatric allergy and immunology clinic. A structured questionnaire was anonymously completed by 110 parents of children receiving corticosteroid therapy. The survey assessed demographics, family history of atopy, corticosteroid use, perceived disease severity, knowledge level, concerns, and sources of information. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were applied (p < 0.05 significant). Results: The most frequent concerns were growth retardation, hormonal imbalance, and long-term side effects. Corticophobia was significantly more prevalent among university-educated parents (p = 0.043) and those with a family history of atopy (p = 0.017). Despite generally high adherence to prescribed regimens, nearly 60% of parents sought additional information, highlighting the impact of knowledge gaps on health-related parenting practices. Conclusions: Corticophobia remains a common parental concern in pediatric allergy care, with implications for adherence, family decision-making, and child well-being. Addressing misinformation and providing family-centered, tailored educational strategies—particularly for highly educated parents and those with an atopic background—may reduce fears, strengthen trust, and promote sustainable healthy behaviors.

Introduction: Egg allergy is one of the most common food allergies in early childhood and often coexists with atopic conditions such as atopic dermatitis (AD) and urticaria. Skin-barrier dysfunction plays a critical role in the pathophysiology of allergic diseases. This study aimed to examine the relationship between egg allergy and skin-barrier health by evaluating hydration, sebum, and softness using a noninvasive bioimpedance method. Methods: In this prospective case-control study, 49 children aged 0–2 years with egg allergy and 50 age-matched healthy controls were enrolled between December 2024 and February 2025. In the case group, total and egg-specific IgE levels, eosinophil counts, and skin prick test results were recorded. Skin parameters were measured from the antecubital region using a portable bioimpedance device. Intergroup comparisons were performed using the Mann-Whitney U test. Additionally, an exploratory subgroup analysis compared skin parameters between egg-allergic children with and without AD exacerbation after allergic reaction. Results: Children with egg allergy had significantly lower skin hydration, sebum, and softness compared to controls (p < 0.001 for all). Total IgE levels were higher in egg-specific IgE-positive patients (p = 0.001), although skin parameters did not differ significantly by IgE status. Among 20 egg-allergic children with follow-up after allergic reactions, those with AD exacerbation had markedly lower moisture, oil, and softness scores than those without exacerbation (p < 0.01 for all comparisons). Conclusion: Children with egg allergy exhibit both elevated immunologic activity and impaired skin-barrier function. Bioimpedance analysis offers a practical and noninvasive tool for evaluating skin health in allergic infants. Integrating skin-barrier assessment into allergy management may facilitate early intervention and more comprehensive care.

Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the hemogram parameters of patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) and contribute to the existing literature. Methods: This cross-sectional study retrospectively analyzed data from pediatric patients diagnosed with AD, who presented to the Pediatric Allergy and Immunology outpatient clinic at Ümraniye Training and Research Hospital between January 1, 2024, and August 15, 2024. The sociodemographic characteristics, hemogram parameters, total IgE values, allergy history, and allergy test results of the patients were evaluated. Neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR), systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), systemic inflammatory response index (SIRI), neutrophil/lymphocyte/platelet ratio (NLPR), and pan-immune-inflammation value (PIV) were calculated. Allergen-specific IgE measurements were performed using the ImmunoCAP method, and skin prick tests were conducted for food and inhalant allergens. The severity of AD was classified as mild or moderate-to-severe based on the potency of the topical corticosteroids used by the patients. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS version 29.0. Results: A total of 346 patients diagnosed with AD were included in the study. Among the patients, 53.8% were male, and the median age was 32.5 months. Mild AD was identified in 46.5% of the patients, while 53.5% had moderate-to-severe AD. Although sensitization to house dust mites, cats, eggs, and nuts was more frequent in patients with moderate-to-severe AD, no statistically significant difference was found between allergen sensitization and AD severity. Eosinophil count and eosinophillymphocyte ratio (ELR) were significantly higher in moderate-to-severe AD patients compared to those with mild AD (p=0.008 and p=0.004, respectively). No significant difference was found for other hemogram parameters and inflammatory markers. Patients with allergen sensitization had significantly higher WBC, basophil, eosinophil counts, and total IgE levels (p<0.05). Conclusion: This study evaluated the relationship between hematological parameters and allergen sensitization in AD patients. Eosinophil count and ELR were significantly elevated with increasing AD severity. However, NLR, SII, SIRI, NLPR, and PIV were not associated with AD severity. Patients with allergen sensitization had significantly higher WBC, eosinophil, basophil counts, and total IgE levels. Our findings suggest that eosinophil count and total IgE levels may serve as predictive markers for AD severity and allergen sensitization. Routine measurement of these parameters could offer a practical approach in determining AD severity and allergen sensitization. Further research is needed to clarify the clinical significance of other hematological parameters.

Introduction: This study investigated the potential impact of maternal consumption of fermented products during pregnancy and lactation on the development of cow’s milk protein allergy (CMPA) in infants. The introduction highlights how maternal diet can influence immune tolerance and the development of allergic diseases. Although the protective effects of fermented foods on various health conditions are recognized, evidence of their role in preventing allergic diseases remains inconclusive. Methods: The research was conducted as a case-control study with 95 children aged 0–3 years, comprising 46 CMPA cases and 49 healthy controls. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews with mothers, focusing on demographic information, maternal diet, and environmental factors. Fermented product consumption was measured in grams and milliliters, and allergy diagnoses were confirmed via clinical evaluations, IgE tests, and oral food challenge tests. Results: Our study analyzed 46 cases and 49 controls. Among cases, 67.4% (n = 31) had IgE-mediated CMPA, while 32.6% (n = 15) had non-IgE-mediated CMPA. Maternal smoking during pregnancy was reported in 4.3% of cases and 10.2% of controls (p = 0.437). Yogurt intake during pregnancy was lower in cases (230 g/week) than in controls (420 g/week) (p = 0.011), while cheese intake was 210 g/week and 225 g/week, respectively (p = 0.042). Conclusion: The study concludes that maternal consumption of fermented products during pregnancy may reduce the risk of CMPA in infants. However, larger and long-term studies are needed to clarify the interaction between dietary, cultural, and environmental factors. Further investigation into variables like antacid use, probiotic supplementation, and infection history is also recommended to better understand their influence on CMPA development.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the frequency and clinical characteristics of allergic reactions following Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR) vaccination in children with egg allergy. Our aim in selecting the MMR vaccine was to better understand vaccine-related allergic reactions in children with egg allergy and to assess its reliability. Material and Method: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 202 patients diagnosed with egg allergy who received the MMR vaccine in our clinic between 2023 and 2024. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory data were reviewed. Patients’ age, sex, concomitant allergic diseases, total IgE, specific IgE for milk, egg, and nuts, skin prick tests, and post-vaccination reactions were recorded. Results: The median age of the patients was 12 months (range: 7-84 months), and 57.4% were male. Sensitization to cow’s milk was detected in 29.2% of the patients, while 6.9% had nut allergen sensitivity. The most common clinical conditions were urticaria (43.1%) and atopic dermatitis (36.6%). Following vaccination, only four patients (2%) developed localized rash, and none had a history of anaphylaxis. Conclusion: No severe systemic reactions were observed following MMR vaccination in children with egg allergy. Our findings support current guidelines, suggesting that MMR vaccination can be safely administered under standard conditions in children with egg allergy. In our study, 29.2% of patients with egg allergy had cow’s milk allergy, and 6.9% had nut allergy, suggesting that food allergies are often seen together in childhood. Additionally, it is emphasized that the India-made MMR vaccines used in Turkey contain milk proteins, which may increase the risk of anaphylaxis in individuals with milk and egg allergies, highlighting the need for careful evaluation of the vaccine prospectus before vaccination in these children.