Table 4.

Advantages and disadvantages of different therapeutic options in the management of patients with AP.

Therapeutic Options	Advantages	Disadvantages
Empiric diet	- Simple and effective - Can be managed by the pediatrician	- Risk of overdiagnosis - No definitive diagnosis - Often longer than necessary
Elimination diet after diagnostic OFC	- Excludes false positives - Diagnosis of certainty	- Recurrence of bleeding after a period of well-being
“Watchful waiting” (no change to diet)	- Avoids the elimination diet - More economical (avoids any eHF or AAF)	- Parental anxiety - Only 20% of patients overcome hematochezia without elimination diet - Possible occurrence of long-term anemia

Legend: AAF = amino acid formula; eHF = extensively hydrolyzed formula; OFC = oral food challenge.