[The primary and secondary prevention of allergic diseases in the child "at risk" for atopy: a review of the literature and the authors' personal experience].

: The increasing prevalence of the atopic diseases in the industrialized countries is closely linked together the numerous efforts to attempt to prevent them. Several Authors have suggested environmental and/or dietetic measures in the "at risk" babies in the first months of life, more critical for the atopy development. The environmental measures are directed to the avoidance of the major inhalant allergens (house dust mite, pet allergens, cigarette smoking, etc.). The employment of the acaricides can be useful to this purpose. The dietetic measures include: prolonged and exclusive breast feeding in the first six months of life, delayed and gradual weaning, avoidance of the major food allergens (cow's milk proteins, egg, fish, etc.) for the breast-feeding mother, choice of an adequate cow's milk substitute when the breast-feeding is not sufficient. For long time soya milk has been employed. In the last decade partially or highly hydrolyzed formulae were introduced, but in some cases they can be more allergenic of cow's milk. In this paper we reviewed the various environmental and dietetic measures and the different prevention programs that the several Authors have adopted in "at risk" babies.