Peanut Allergies: Is There a Cure?
By: Keith
Doctors at Addenbrookes hospital in Cambridge seem to think they’ve hit upon a probably solution. 4% of British kids suffer from peanut allergies. The treatment the doctors think works involves gradually desensitizing peanut allergic schoolchildren via a yogurt and peanut flour mixture taken daily. To start 1 milligram of flour is mixed with a small amount of yogurt; then, based on reactions and over time, the ratio of flour to yogurt is increased. It’s a simple idea that could hold massive public health rewards and put the minds of thousands of mothers at ease. No more checking labels and being hyper alert at social gatherings.
So far the Doctors have had encouraging success. In the small group of kids who participated in the pilot trial, 21 out of 23 of them, aged seven to 17, were effectively desensitized. The doctors are embarking on the most recent and biggest trial to date of such a method and are confident that the results will give them a clear idea of the efficacy and safety of the treatment for the general population. That’s pretty big news. NOTE: The doctors are careful to remind parents that all trials are done in hospital and are not to be attempted at home. This story came from Guardian.co.uk and was originally submitted by Ian Sample, science correspondent, in San Diego.
Did you Know?
Peanuts are the number one leading cause of food based allergic reaction.
1/3 of peanut sensitive patients get severe reactions that can lead to death. Some cases can cause death in a matter of several minutes.
Airlines recommend that severe patients take morning flights because aircrafts get a thorough cleaning at the end of each day thereby minimizing risk. However, no airline guarantees a peanut free environment.
50% of patients react to as little as the equivalent of 1/50th of a peanut. In some cases a reaction can happen with 1/1000th of a peanut.
6-7 million Americans suffer from some sort of food allergy and 3 million have peanut allergies (1.1 percent of the population).
One study by Johns Hopkins University found that a full 50% of school aged kids outgrew their peanut allergy, but that some of the study participants’ allergies returned over time.
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My friend actually developed a temporary peanut allergy brought on by stress. I watched her face swell up like a balloon when exposed to them. When she stopped pushing on a string it stopped. Anyway, this is good news for many.
Really? I didn’t know you could get a temporary peanut allergy. Go figgure! I suppose people’s bodies protest in funny ways sometimes
That is interesting. We’ve had to extend little man’s exposure to peanuts because of the milk protein allergy he developed at four months of age. As a result we’ve had to read up on peanut allergies in the event he develops one.
Around that time my wife was telling me about a similar study, I think she said it was at Duke, where they did a test by incorporating peanuts into cake. The only problem they found with the desensitization is that they need to maintain that exposure in order to prevent the problem from coming back. So, if that were accurate, these kids would need to be exposed to peanuts in their diet every day for the rest of their lives.
At the hospital where my wife works they get the occasional case where someone has a penicillin allergy and they need to undergo a desensitization to it because penicillin is the best treatment for what landed them in the hospital. I’ll refrain from what that might be
She told me probably once a year they get a case like this and the person will still have the allergy, but the desensitization process is only temporary to get them over what is making them sick.
.-= PJ Mullen´s last blog ..Being Michael Symon =-.
My mom used to work out at a gym that had a daycare. My brother and I were pretty clever/cynical children since we hated being there. There was a girl older than me that nobody liked because she always was complaining about SOMETHING. Her mom came in one day and saw a jar of peanuts and FREAKED out because her daughter was allergic. Being the brat I was, I flipped my eyelids inside out and called my self the peanut man and chased around after her. To this day, it’s still funny.. but mean!
I hope it works. Peanut is one the things our baby is allergic to. Hopefully he’ll out grow it soon.
.-= Daddy Forever´s last blog ..Her Batman Dollhouse =-.
Ken: I was always told that peanut allergies were for life, but that’s not true according to what I’ve read. Thats good news. This research looks especially promising. Thanks for stopping in again!