FPIES Allergy: New Code to Diagnose the Rare Allergy in Children Gets CDC's Approval

Researchers have developed a new code to help diagnose a rare type of food allergy accurately. 

Bringing new hope in parents of children affected with Food Protein-Induced Entercolitis Syndrome, the CDC approved ICD -10-CM code (International Classification of Diseases code) to diagnose the rare disorder early and more accurately. Authorities at the International Association for Food Protein Enterocolitis (IAFFPE) who developed the code made the announcement Monday, June 3. The news comes shortly after the country observed May 12-18 as Food Allergy Awareness Week.

Food Protein-Induced Entercolitis Syndrome (FPIES) is a food allergy disorder found among infants and small children. The condition normally starts when certain types of foods (solid or fluid) are introduced to the infant after 4 months of age.

In FPIES, consumption of milk (either cow's or soy) and certain types of cereal grains (rice, oat), poultry and fish affects the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and leads to continuous vomiting and diarrhea in infants. However, allergic reactions in FPIES start showing up only two hours after consuming the allergic food.

Though in most cases, children outgrow the condition by age 3 or 4, if untreated, it can pose a risk to the child's health. Symptoms associated with the disorder - weight loss, vomiting, bloody diarrhea, lethargy and dehydration - are normally used to identify the condition, as it is often difficult to detect through regular food allergy (skin or blood) tests.

"Approval of this ICD-10-CM code is exciting because it helps make the unknown known. It will allow for accurate classification of this condition and bring awareness of FPIES to a whole new level," Fallon Schultz, IAFFPE Founder and Chair, said in a news release.

Until date, medical experts are not able to provide accurate data on the number of American children affected with the condition due to the lack of a specific diagnostic code to identify it.

"ICD-10 coding will increase awareness of the disease, allowing us to understand how common it is. It will also allow patients to be classified correctly, enabling us to learn the natural history of the disease," said Dr. Jonathan Spergel, Chair of IAFFPE's Medical Advisory Board.

The new diagnostic code is expected to come into effect October 2015.