According to four large studies published in the journal "Pediatrics," allergy rates among children are rising with approximately four percent of all children suffering some type of food allergy.

Experts believe higher awareness and reporting are not the main factors for this increase. As reported in the Los Angeles Times, some believe today's children are too clean, thus their immune systems respond to foods as if being attacked by a virus or infection.

This autoimmune response leads to eczema, respiratory distress and other symptoms. Common allergens include peanuts, dairy, soy, seafood, wheat and tree nuts.

Could an overemphasis on eliminating germs play a role in the growing numbers of allergies? If so, does current pharmaceutical usage bear some responsibility?

Or are environmental factors such pollution or exposure to byproducts of industrial food processing to blame? Recent studies have shown food packaging materials such as bisphenol-A (BPA) can leach into food products and cause reproductive and developmental problems.

Perhaps chemicals added to soil, packaging materials or food products to boost production and shelf-life somehow compromise the still developing immune systems of children.

While all of these notions are speculative, the current data suggests there needs to be a broader and deeper analysis into the problem.

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