Monthly Archives: September 2015

Food Allergy Epidemic – is it unique to Australia

The rise in food allergy in developed countries is an intriguing phenomenon that has captured the attention of both the medical research community and the media. Although we need to be circumspect about the extent to which it has risen and which countries are most affected, there is little doubt that IgE mediated food allergy and anaphylaxis were rarely reported 50 years ago but are now commonly described. The drivers for this modern day epidemic are poorly understood and indeed it is not clear whether this phenomenon is part of a 2nd wave epidemic of allergy following on from the general rise in allergic disease that was noted around the world at the end of the 21st century or whether the new food allergy epidemic is due to a new set of unique factors

.

Ethical issues in caring for asylum seeker children

David went to Nauru in December to see children referred to him. He will present a case related to this visit and will discuss what are our ethical responsibilities to asylum seekers and the role of advocacy

.

Understanding brain trauma better in the 21st century

Brain trauma is a common reason for death in children and young adults, a major cause of long-term disability, and huge economic costs from rehabilitation, care and loss of productivity. Understanding the mechanisms of injury and having improved treatment strategies may mitigate some of the burden of neuro-trauma. This talk will cover international efforts to better understand brain trauma. There are many current inadequacies in our knowledge of this condition. Dr Michael Bell and his team at the University of Pittsburg are heading several research projects to answer these issues.

.