Background: Although many food-allergic children experienced the Great East Japan Earthquake, little was known about the effects of the disaster on them.
Methods: Using a questionnaire survey, we studied 194 patients with food allergy in Miyagi Prefecture, who were hospitalized for the oral food challenge test after the earthquake. This survey consists of items related to the damage to home, means of gathering information, lack of allergen-free foods, exacerbation of atopic dermatitis or bronchial asthma, etc.
Results: At the earthquake, most of the patients lived around Sendai city. Lifeline disruptions, communication breakdown, and goods shortage occurred in almost all family. Immediately after the earthquake, it was difficult to continue the food elimination diet. Asthmatic attack occurred in 14% of food-allergic children with bronchial asthma. Exacerbation of eczema was seen in 60% of food-allergic patients with atopic dermatitis. Almost all guardians of atopic dermatitis children think that it was because the shower was unavailable after the earthquake.
Conclusion: It is necessary to supply food-allergic patients with the specific food elimination diet, and atopic dermatitis patients with the shower facilities as soon as possible after the natural disaster occurs.