Is Contact Through Touch Or Smell A Risk For People With A Nut Allergy
People with peanut allergy are often concerned that casual contact with peanut such as through touch or smell could trigger a life-threatening reaction.
A US study gives some reassurance. Researchers observed 30 children with severe peanut allergy while they were being exposed to peanut butter through touch and smell. Accidental contact was simulated by pressing a dab of peanut butter on the childs back for one minute, and by holding a dish containing three ounces of peanut butter one foot from the childs nose for 10 minutes.
- None of the children experienced anaphylaxis.
- There were no reactions to inhalation.
- During contact with the back, one-third of the children had a mild reaction, such as redness, itching, or a single hive limited to the site of contact. Medication was not needed to treat these reactions.
Researchers concluded that at least 90% of similarly allergic children would not experience a severe reaction to similar exposures. However, the study looked at peanut butter but not peanut in other forms.
Top Food Tips For Managing Nut Allergy
- Watch out for satay sauce , pesto sauce and marzipan and praline . Salad dressings may contain nut oils.
- Curries and other Asian dishes are high risk because many of them contain peanuts or tree nuts and their presence may not be obvious if the food is spicy. Studies focusing on takeaway meals have shown that even when nut-free meals were ordered, a significant proportion still contained nuts.
- Foods likely to contain peanuts or tree nuts include the following: cakes, biscuits, pastries, cereal bars, confectionery, ice cream, desserts, vegetarian products, salads and salad dressings. This list is not exhaustive take particular caution with snack type foods.
- Watch out for peanut shoots as they are being sold in some UK shops. They can be used in stir-fry dishes and salads and could be mistaken for bean sprouts.
- Roasting and heat treatment do not reduce the allergenicity of peanuts or tree nuts. In fact, laboratory experiments have suggested that roasting and heating peanuts may increase their allergenicity.
How Are Peanut Allergies Diagnosed
Multiple tests are available to help diagnose food allergies. You may undergo a skin prick test, a blood test, or an oral food challenge. In an oral food challenge, youll eat small portions of the suspected allergen while your doctor waits to see how you react.
Allergy tests can be performed by your primary care doctor or an allergist.
Severe allergic reactions require immediate medical treatment.
People at risk of anaphylaxis should also keep an epinephrine auto-injector on hand in case of emergency. Brand-name options include the EpiPen and Adrenalick. In December of 2016, the pharmaceutical company Mylan introduced an version of the EpiPen.
For more mild reactions, over-the-counter antihistamines may help decrease the symptoms, such as itchy mouth or hives. However, OTC antihistamines will not relieve respiratory or gastrointestinal symptoms. Its important to develop a food allergy emergency plan with your doctor and understand the best ways to treat a reaction, whether mild or severe.
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases advised women against removing peanuts from their diet during pregnancy and lactation. Thats because they found no correlation between a mothers diet and a childs potential for developing a peanut allergy.
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What Are The Symptoms Of A Nut Allergy
The symptoms of a food allergy can come on rapidly, within minutes of eating the food. These may include nettle rash anywhere on the body, or a tingling or itchy feeling in the mouth.
The term for this more serious form of allergy is anaphylaxis. In extreme cases there could be a dramatic fall in blood pressure . The person may become weak and floppy and may have a sense of something terrible happening. This may lead to collapse and unconsciousness.
Most healthcare professionals consider an allergic reaction to be anaphylaxis when it involves difficulty in breathing or affects the heart rhythm or blood pressure. Click here to read our Anaphylaxis factsheet for further information.
- Swelling in the throat and/or mouth
- Difficulty breathing
- Emerade: www.emerade-bausch.co.uk
What Foods Should I Avoid If I Have A Peanut Allergy
Adults with peanut allergies must be vigilant to avoid accidental exposure to peanuts or peanut-containing foods. Also, be mindful of any foods containing tree nuts such as walnuts, almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews and pecans people with peanut allergies may also be allergic to tree nuts.
According to Kids with Food Allergies , around 35 percent of American toddlers with peanut allergies will also develop tree nut allergies. For those with severe peanut allergies, also be wary of cross-contamination and cross-contact. Always read labels on packaged foods and be careful while eating in restaurants.
Peanuts may be hidden in a lot of common foods, including:
- African, Asian, and Mexican foods
- cereal and granola
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Why Do Children Become Allergic To Peanuts
Children of any age can experience an allergic reaction to peanuts. In many cases, the first time eating a product containing peanut traces is enough to set off a reaction. The reason for the response is an overactive immune system that identifies proteins in the peanut as a threat. An antibody called immunoglobulin E is produced which causes chemicals to be released. The result is an allergic reaction one that could potentially be life-threatening.
There is no single reason why so many kids are allergic to peanuts today, but some factors that contribute to this issue are described below.
Multiple Allergies
Having other allergies increases the chances of having a peanut allergy. For example, suffering from hay fever makes it more likely that you will become allergic to different foods over time.
Family History of Allergies
If other family members have a peanut allergy, there is a greater chance that a child will respond badly to the food.
Undeveloped Immune System
Peanut allergies are often experienced at a young age, when the immune system is still developing. Some kids grow out of the allergy, but many experience allergic reactions throughout their lifetime.
Lack of Vitamin D
What Are Symptoms Of An Allergic Reaction What Should I Look For
Mild symptoms can include:
- A few hives around the mouth or face
More severe symptoms can include any of the following alone or in combination:
- Change in skin color
- Sudden tiredness/lethargy/seeming limp
* If you have any concerns about your infant’s response to peanuts, seek immediate medical attention/911.
Depending on their age, your child may not have the words to describe the reaction they are feeling. Listen for phrases like:
- My tongue is hot or burning
- My mouth itches or tingles
- My mouth/throat feels funny
- Something is stuck in my throat
- It feels like there are bugs in my ears
- My tongue feels bumpy
Very young children may pull or scratch at their tongue or ears, show an increase in drooling or sound different.
The most severe reaction is called anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis is a medical emergency. If you do not have epinephrine on hand, call 911 to get immediate help.
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How Can I Prevent A Peanut Allergy
Feeding infants small amounts of peanut-containing foods can lessen the chances that they will develop an allergy. One study found that 17% of babies who did not eat peanuts developed an allergy by age 5. In contrast, only 3% of those who ate peanuts developed a peanut allergy by age 5.
Always ask your childs healthcare provider for recommendations about feeding your child peanuts. The timing of introducing your child to peanuts varies, depending on if your child has:
- Both severe food allergies and eczema.
Whether You Think That Prevalent Peanut Allergy Statistics Overstate Or Understate The Problem The Important Things To Remember Are:
- Peanut allergy is a very real problem with a potentially fatal reaction
- Someone who suffers a peanut allergy reaction should seek immediate medical attention
- Epinephrine is the only available treatment for a severe peanut allergy reaction
- There are many nut-free foods and resources available to those with a peanut or other nut allergy
Here are a few related peanut allergy statistics accompanied by links to their sources. We encourage you to follow the links for a better understanding of the problem.
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Why Are People Allergic To Peanuts
An allergic reaction is caused by a dysfunction in the immune system. Individuals may experience allergic reactions to foods, insect venom, latex, and a variety of environmental exposures. A food allergy reaction involves the immune system and occurs when a typically safe substance in foods, usually a protein, unnecessarily, triggers the bodys protective immune response. Reactions can range from mild to severe.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that children with food allergies are more likely to have asthma or other allergic conditions. Nearly 90% of food allergies are caused by these common foods: tree nuts , peanuts, milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, wheat, and soy.
More Adults Are Now Allergic To Peanuts Guess How Many Of Them Got Peanut Allergy
Many people automatically think of children when they hear the phrase ‘peanut allergy.’ However, new research showed that this common food allergy already affected approximately 4.5 million adults in the U.S.
According to Northwestern University researchers, more adults in the U.S. are impacted by peanut allergies than infants, and several of these allergies may not appear to show up before adulthood.
Researcher Dr. Ruchi Gupta said per U.S. News that Palforzia, currently the only peanut allergy drug approved by the FDA, is only recommended for pediatric patients.
Because of the rising peanut allergy cases in U.S. adults, Gupta claimed new treatments are required to resolve this increased risk of illness better.
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Facts About American Food Allergies
Thats because there are 8 foods that account for 9 out of every 10 food allergies that doctors have documented. The problem for the standard American diet is that many of these foods that cause severe allergies, including peanuts, are considered a staple food. They are in virtually everything that we eat in some form or another because companies that process foods will process multiple foods on the same equipment.
This may be a reason behind the development of food allergies that are becoming more prevalent, but the actual reasons are not really known. There have been multiple research studies conducted on the matter and the only real conclusion that has been formed is that more research and data needs to be gathered in order to know what is really going on.
For peanut allergies, some children are able to outgrow the problem. Others, however, find that their food allergy becomes a lifelong ordeal. Some adults find that they develop food allergies over time as well. Most cases of food allergies dont end up in death. The most common reaction is hives that form in and around the mouth, tingling in the mouth, or minor swelling. Its only in the most severe reactions that anaphylactic shock may occur.
Can You Treat A Peanut Allergy
The common assumption about allergies is that you need to avoid contact with the responsible allergen. While this approach will help you avoid an allergic reaction, with peanut traces prevalent in so many products, it is quite difficult to maintain avoidance. If you want to live without worry about accidentally consuming peanuts, you should consider oral immunotherapy treatment.
Oral immunotherapy involves eating small amounts of peanut protein until the immune system builds up a tolerance. The amount of peanuts you eat is gradually increased over the course of a year, desensitizing you to the allergen. Oral immunotherapy has proven to be an effective response to peanut allergies, and is performed by a limited number of experienced allergists.
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Peanut Allergy & Tree Nut Allergy
The peanut is a legume, related botanically to foods such as peas, beans and lentils. Tree nuts are in a different botanical category and include almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, cashew nuts, pecans, Brazil nuts, pistachios and macadamia nuts. As the botanical category is different, many people only react to peanut and not tree nuts, and vice versa.
A key message for people with peanut or tree nut allergy is take your allergy seriously. You should visit your GP and ask to be referred to an NHS allergy clinic for a proper assessment and high-quality advice.
Eight Major Food Allergens Cause 90% Of Allergic Reactions
Food allergy facts show that the most common allergens are:
Theyre referred to as the Big 8. The allergic reactions occur not more than 12 hours after consuming the allergens.
Over 8 million Americans are allergic to shellfish. Moreover, nut allergy statistics reveal that over 6 million people in the US are allergic to peanuts and milk.
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Is There A Cure For Peanut Allergies
There is no cure for peanut allergies. But children can outgrow peanut allergies. As children get older, an allergist may perform another blood or skin test to measure a childs sensitivity to peanuts. If a peanut allergy appears to be decreasing, allergists may recommend an oral food test.
There are new treatments available called Oral Immunotherapy and early OIT. This is where carefully selected patients undergo therapy to help develop a tolerance to the food they have an allergy to. Palforzia®, a treatment for peanut allergies, is the first FDA approved treatment for food allergies. Although it doesn’t cure peanut allergies, it can make it possible for people to tolerate accidental peanut exposure without having a reaction.
If your child has a peanut allergy, it’s important to not give your child peanuts unless an allergist has directed you to do so.
As an adult, you can manage a peanut allergy by carefully avoiding peanuts. You may need to carry epinephrine if you have severe allergies that could lead to anaphylaxis.
How Common Are Peanut Allergies
Food allergies now affect around 10 percent of adults and 8 percent of children in the United States, according to the organization Food Allergy Research & Education . Severe allergic reactions are on the rise as well. FARE also notes that the number of children hospitalized because of food allergies increased threefold between the late 1990s and the mid-2000s. One type of food allergy thats of particular concern is peanut allergy.
While most common food allergies, such as those to cows milk and eggs, go away during childhood, peanut allergies rarely do. Because peanut allergies are a lifelong condition for 80 percent of people, theres a greater risk of a person eventually having a serious reaction.
Peanut allergies have seen a 21 percent increase among children in the United States since 2010. Almost 2.5 percent of American children may be allergic to peanuts, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology .
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Most People With Peanut Allergy In Us Are Adults But Kids Remain The Focus
Feb. 9 — Nearly 3% of adults in the United States, or 4.5 million people, are allergic to peanuts, according to a study published Tuesday by the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.
Even though roughly 75% of people in the country with a peanut allergy are over age 17, it is often considered more of a health problem for children, said to Dr. Ruchi Gupta, co-author of the study.
Approximately one in six U.S. adults with a peanut allergy developed it at age 18 or older, and up to one-fifth of adults with the allergy report visiting a hospital emergency room for food allergy treatment annually, study data showed.
“Given the high prevalence of peanut allergy among U.S. adults, additional therapies are needed to help address this growing burden of disease,” said Gupta, a professor of pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and a physician at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago.
Earlier this year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a peanut allergy therapy for children age 4 to 17, but no FDA-approved therapies exist for those with adult-onset food allergy.
In addition, people who developed their peanut allergy during adulthood are less likely to report having an epinephrine auto-injector, or “epi-pen,” prescription — a rescue medication for those who go into anaphylactic shock during an allergic reaction — than those who developed their peanut allergy during childhood.
The Methodological Concerns And Food Allergy Prevalence In Asia
Self-reported food allergy surveys tend to overestimate the rates of food allergy. It is well documented that the prevalence of perceived food allergy exceeds that of true food allergy. Surveys that include skin prick testing and oral food challenges tend to give a better picture of the true prevalence . However, despite OFC being the gold standard, the data may be compromised by many factors. These include open versus double blind placebo controlled food challenges, the choice of food used for the challenge , the challenge procedure itself , and the lack of universal criteria to define a positive challenge.
Population food allergy surveys in Asia also illustrate the importance of an accurate clinical history from well designed survey questionnaires and testing to provide a more precise evaluation of the food allergy in a community. In general, the prevalence of food allergy is higher in surveys that relied on questionnaires alone compared to those that incorporated allergy skin prick and oral food challenge testing .
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