Children being left malnourished after parents use bogus allergy testing kits, specialists warn

Parents are leaving their child malnourished because of unfounded fears they suffer from an allergy, specialists have claimed.

A new guide suggests parents are wrongly diagnosing their child with an allergy after using bogus home testing kits which "have no scientific basis".

This is leading to parents cutting out major food groups, with the "unnecessarily restrictive diet" leading to cases of malnutrition, according to Sense About Science.

Experts say this is "particularly risky for children".

Dr Paul Seddon, a consultant paediatric allergist, said the tests needed to be stopped.

Sense About Science produced the guide "Making Sense of Allergies" alongside specialists and charities.

Its director, Tracey Brown, described the myths and misinterpreted studies surrounding the diagnosis of allergies as "probably the biggest mess" for science communication.

"The costs are huge - unnecessary actions for some and not enough action for those whose lives depend on it."