Food allergies: Rise in young people needing hospital treatment

Food children can be allergic to include shellfish and peanuts

There's been a rise in the number of young people who've had to go to hospital because of a food allergy, according to new research.

Millions of people in the UK have a food allergy - it's when the body's immune system reacts unusually to certain foods.

The research shows that in the last five years lots more young people who have allergies have had to go to hospital for treatment.

There was a significant rise in the number of teenagers who were getting treatment.

The charity Allergy UK think there might be a few reasons why that's happened.

They said teenagers might not question food the same way their parents did, or they might not read food labels in as much detail.

They also said people have more awareness about what happens during a reaction - so they might think hospital is the best place to go for help.

There have been calls for the government to introduce more laws on how schools should manage allergies.

The Department for Education said it was "clear that children with medical conditions should be properly supported to enjoy a full education and be safe at school".

Bethany, who lost her best friend Natasha after she had a severe allergic reaction to a sandwich, is working hard to make sure that people know about the dangers of food allergies and what to do to help anyone who can't eat certain foods.

It was an extreme and tragic case, but Bethany thinks everybody should know how to help make life safer for the millions of people who live with allergies.

For more information and advice about food allergies click here.