Canadian FAIT ResearchWhat is a food allergy, really?
A case of mistaken identity
Deep in the immune system, antibodies called IgE are built to fight parasites and infections. In a food allergy, they lock onto something harmless instead — a protein in peanut, egg, or milk — and mark it as a threat. The next time that food is eaten, the body reacts fast: cells release histamine and other chemicals meant to fight off danger that isn't actually there.
It can reach almost every system in the body
- Skin — hives, swelling, intense itching
- Airway — throat tightness, coughing, wheezing
- Digestion — cramping, nausea, vomiting
- Heart & circulation — a sudden drop in blood pressure — the most severe stage, called anaphylaxis
Researchers estimate roughly 1 in 13 children in North America live with a food allergy — about two students in every classroom.
It isn't only physical
It's reading every label, twice. Packing a separate lunch. The quiet worry on the first day of school, at a birthday party, on a plane. A food allergy asks a family to stay alert every single day — and that adds up.
But there is hope
Treatments like oral immunotherapy (OIT) and sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) introduce tiny, measured amounts of an allergen under a doctor's care — slowly building tolerance, one step at a time. It isn't a cure, and it isn't right for every family, but for many it turns an unpredictable daily fear into a guided, medically supervised path forward.
A future where food allergy doesn't limit a child's life.
Canadian FAIT Research brings together research, family & allergist resources, and education — connected to the FAIT Program at UBC and BC Children's Hospital.
Three ways into the Network
Current & Past Research
The CAN-FAIT Registry, immunotherapy protocol development, and work on equitable access to treatment.
See the research →Resources
Plain-language reading for families, and clinical resources for allergists and referring providers.
Browse resources →Learn & Events
Free info sessions, school talks, the Thriving Families support program, and a calendar of what's next.
See what's coming up →What the CAN-FAIT Registry has learned
Families further down the road
Did Your Child Have a Reaction?
You're not alone. Tell us a little about your family and we'll email you plain-language reading on the treatment options — so you're ready for the conversation with your allergist.