How Can I Take Care Of Myself If I Have A Peanut Allergy
If you have a peanut allergy, you need to pay close attention to what you eat. Food manufacturers must clearly state on their ingredient label whether a food contains peanuts.
Prepackaged foods that dont contain peanuts can be contaminated during the manufacturing process. Watch for phrases like may contain peanuts and made in a factory on machinery that also may have been used to process peanut products.
When you go out to eat, ask questions about ingredients. For example, peanut butter may be in certain marinades or sauces. Ice cream or yogurt shops could be places of accidental exposure because peanuts are common ice cream toppings.
Severe Allergic Reaction Anaphylaxis
Peanuts and tree nuts are among the most common foods to cause severe allergic reaction which is life threatening. Symptoms of a severe allergic reaction include:
- difficult or noisy breathing
- persistent dizziness or collapse
- paleness and floppiness in young children.
If you, or someone in your care, have a severe allergic reaction , call triple zero for an ambulance.
- Do not stand or walk.
- Administer an adrenaline injector , into the outer mid-thigh, if available.
- Further adrenaline may be given if there is no response after 5 minutes.
- Give adrenaline first, then asthma reliever puffer, if required.
What To Do If Your Child Has A Peanut Allergy
Avoiding the allergy-triggering food is the number 1 treatment.
Read restaurant menus carefully, ask a lot of questions about ingredients, and request a different preparation if necessary. Peanut is one of the top eight food allergens and will be listed on all packaged and prepared foods.
Create a list of foods your child cant eat, plus some snacks that they can eat, and share that with schools and family friends.
Youll also want to keep epinephrine and diphenhydramine on hand, and be sure your childs school has these too.
As your child matures, you and your allergist will also teach them about their food restrictions and how to ask questions and advocate for themselves.
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Early Introduction To Prevent Peanut Allergy
In 2015, the Learning Early About Peanut Allergy study found that introducing peanut early to infants may prevent peanut allergy. The study showed that the group of at-risk infants who ate 2 grams of peanut three times a week had significantly less allergy to peanuts at 5 years of age compared with infants who avoided peanut.
Based on this study and others, an expert panel of doctors, scientists and public health experts created new guidelines on how to introduce peanut to infants. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases released new guidelines in January 2017.
How Is Nut Allergy Treated
If you or your child has reacted to eating nuts, the first step is to see your doctor. They may send you to an allergy specialist who will do a skin or blood test to see what you are allergic to. You may be allergic to several different types of nuts.
There is no cure for nut allergy. The only proven treatment is to completely avoid exposure to the nuts you are allergic to. Research is underway into how to prevent nut allergies in people who may be at risk, and how to ‘switch off’ nut allergy using immunotherapy.
If you are at risk of anaphylaxis, you may be given an adrenaline autoinjector . You should also have an anaphylaxis action plan so you and everyone else knows what to do if you are exposed to nuts.
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What Are Peanut Allergies
In addition to being severe, it also seems that peanut allergies are becoming more common. Some experts believe that increased caution about peanut exposure may be a cause. Previously, mothers were encouraged to avoid peanut intake during pregnancy and not allow children to consume peanut products until after three years of age. More recent research seems to contradict that advice, indicating that earlier exposure helps children better tolerate peanuts. You should talk with your doctor to get their input on this subject.
How Are Severe Allergic Reactions Treated
Currently there is no cure for food allergies. The only option for managing the risk is to completely avoid the specific allergen. Appropriate emergency treatment for anaphylaxis includes an injection of epinephrine, which is available in an auto-injector device. Epinephrine is the only medication that can stop an allergic reaction from progressing and must be administered as soon as symptoms of a severe allergic reaction appear. Antihistamines, if used, should be given AFTER epinephrine has been administered. The injection must be followed by further treatment and observation in a hospital emergency room. If your allergist has diagnosed you with a food allergy and prescribed epinephrine, carry it with you all the time and know how to use it. Follow the advice of your allergist on how to use an auto-injector device.
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The Truth About Peanut Allergies In Kids
Its no surprise that peanuts are often feared by parents the number of kids with peanut allergies has tripled in the past 15 years.
But peanuts can be your babys food friend. Really!
New research shows that introducing small amounts of peanut products to your baby can help your child avoid being among the 1 in 50 kids with a peanut allergy.
In fact, giving a little peanut butter or mixing in peanut powder with other foods can ward off allergic reaction to peanuts and prevent peanut allergy development in some people, according to new guidelines from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
What Is The Government Of Canada Doing About Priority Food Allergens Gluten Sources And Added Sulphites
The Government of Canada is committed to providing Canadians with the information they need to make safe and healthy food choices. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Health Canada work closely with municipal, provincial and territorial partners and industry to meet this goal.
The CFIA enforces Canada’s labelling laws and works with associations, distributors, food manufacturers and importers to ensure complete and appropriate labelling of all foods. The CFIA recommends that food companies establish effective allergen controls to prevent the occurrence of undeclared allergens and cross-contamination. The CFIA has developed guidelines and tools to aid them in developing these controls. When the CFIA becomes aware of a potential hazard associated with a food, such as undeclared allergens, Health Canada is asked to assess the situation. When a serious risk is identified, the food product is recalled from the marketplace and a public warning is issued. The CFIA has also published several advisories to industry and consumers regarding allergens in food.
More information on the regulations that enhance the labelling of food allergens, gluten sources and added sulphites can be found on the Health Canada website.
If you come across a food that you think is improperly labelled, contact the CFIA and provide information about the product.
Report a food safety or labelling concern.
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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.
What Causes Peanut Allergies
An allergic reaction occurs when the immune system perceives a harmless substance as a threat. Its why you might sneeze at the thought of pollen or sniffle at the whiff of mold spores.
When a person has a peanut allergy, proteins in the peanut bind to something called specific IgE antibodies. These are antibodies produced by the immune system that travel to cells and release chemicals that cause an allergic reaction.
Exposure to peanuts through munching on a PB& J, for instance, triggers a persons immune defenses.
When you are allergic to peanuts your immune system can trigger a reaction called anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis is a potentially life-threatening allergic reaction to peanut that involves an intense drop in blood pressure and constriction of the airways.
Always check the food products you buy and make sure they do not contain peanuts or any nuts in the ingredients if you are allergic.
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Living With Peanut Or Tree Nut Allergy
If allergy skin testing shows that you have a peanut or tree nut allergy, an will provide guidelines on what to do.
The best way to prevent a reaction is to avoid peanuts and tree nuts. Avoiding nuts means more than just not eating them. It also means not eating any foods that might contain tree nuts or peanuts as ingredients.
The best way to be sure a food is nut free is to read the label. Manufacturers of foods sold in the United States must state on their labels whether foods contain peanuts or tree nuts. Check the ingredients list first.
After checking the ingredients list, look on the label for phrases like these:
- “may contain tree nuts”
- “produced on shared equipment with tree nuts or peanuts”
People who are allergic to nuts should avoid foods with these statements on the label. Although these foods might not use nut ingredients, the warnings are there to let people know the food may contain small traces of nuts. That can happen through something called “cross-contamination.” This is when nuts get into a food product because it is made or served in a place that uses nuts in other foods. Manufacturers are not required to list peanuts or tree nuts on the label when there might be accidental cross-contamination, but many do.
Some of the highest-risk foods for people with peanut or tree nut allergy include:
Tree Nut Vs Peanut Allergy
Peanuts are legumes belonging to the same family as peas and lentils and growing underground. Therefore, they fall under a different category than other tree nuts, such as walnuts and almonds, which grow on trees.
According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology, 30% of individuals with peanut allergies are also allergic to tree nuts. However, having a tree nut allergy does not necessarily mean an individual is allergic to peanuts.
Anyone with a tree nut allergy should talk with a doctor to see if they are also allergic to peanuts.
- swelling of the tongue or lips
- shortness of breath or breathing difficulties
- pale or blue coloring of the skin
- feeling of doom
People with a peanut allergy should carry an auto-injector of epinephrine to treat anaphylaxis. Two injections may occasionally be necessary to control symptoms. If someone sees a person experiencing anaphylaxis, they should seek emergency medical attention immediately.
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What Are The Triggers And Causes Of Peanut Allergies
What causes peanut allergy? It is actually a case of mistaken identity. The immune system wrongly believes that the protein in peanuts is a harmful invader and goes into overdrive to fight it. In the process, the immune response can actually harm the body. Most people learn from a minor reaction at a young age that they are allergic to peanuts. If you think your child may be allergic to peanuts, you should talk with your pediatrician.
Peanuts and peanut proteins can be found in a wide range of foods including:
Preventing A Nut Allergy Reaction
- Ask your server. Foods that don’t have peanuts or tree nuts in them can still get contaminated if theyâre made in the same place or with the same equipment as food that has the nuts. It can also happen in restaurants that use lots of ingredients, and even in ice cream parlors if equipment, like scoops, are shared.
- Check the label each time you buy a product. Food makers sometimes change the recipe.
- Look outside the kitchen. Nuts can also be in lotions, shampoos, and pet food. Check labels before you buy or use them.
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What Are The Symptoms Of An Allergic Or Allergic
When someone comes in contact with a food allergen or added sulphites, the symptoms of an allergic or allergic-type reaction may develop quickly and rapidly progress from mild to severe. The most severe form of an allergic reaction is called anaphylaxis. Symptoms can include breathing difficulties, a drop in blood pressure or shock, which may result in loss of consciousness and even death. A person experiencing an allergic reaction may have any combination of the following signs or symptoms:
- Skin: hives, swelling , itching, warmth, redness
- Respiratory: coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, chest pain or tightness, throat tightness, hoarse voice, nasal congestion or hay fever-like symptoms , trouble swallowing
- Gastrointestinal: nausea, pain or cramps, vomiting, diarrhea
- Cardiovascular: paler than normal skin colour/blue skin colour, weak pulse, dizziness or light-headedness, loss of consciousness, shock
- Other: anxiety, sense of impending doom, headache, uterine cramps, metallic taste.
Source: Anaphylaxis in Schools & Other Settings
Get Treatment For A Peanut Allergy
If youre concerned your child has a peanut allergy, dont delay in treating the problem. Dr. Chacko provides allergy testing and effective treatments for children of all ages. Visit us at one of our food allergy treatment center locations in Alpharetta, Atlanta, Canton, Cumming, Duluth or Johns Creek by calling .
Image Credit Albina Gavrilovic/Shutterstock.com
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The Increasing Prevalence Of Peanut Allergies In America
Almost everyone will know somebody with a peanut allergy and many may even have an allergy themselves. In fact, between 1997 and 2008, researchers found that the rate of childhood peanut allergy more than tripled. With such a rapid increase, its natural to ask just why so many people are allergic to peanuts? Here are the main reasons allergists believe peanut allergies are so common in Atlanta and across the country.
Can You Treat Peanut Allergies
You wont be able to use antihistamines to treat peanut allergies. But if you have allergic reactions to peanuts , theres actually some light at the end of the sneezy and wheezy tunnel. Thats because peanut allergies are the only food allergies with an FDA-approved treatment.
In 2020, a treatment called Palforzia was approved to mitigate allergic reactions, including anaphylactic shock, and it can be administered to children ages four through 17 with peanut allergies. It consists of three phases that consist of increasing dosage over time.
Essentially, its a form of allergy immunotherapy that gradually exposes the bodys immune system to the allergen over time. After a while, the body adapts and can shield itself against foreign threats. You can think of it as running .1 miles farther every single day until youre able to run a whole marathon.
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How Are Medications Used In Peanut Allergy Treatment
If you have a peanut allergy, your healthcare provider may prescribe medications to reduce the symptoms of an allergic reaction. You may take:
- Epinephrine : This is a lifesaving emergency medication that immediately begins reversing anaphylaxis symptoms.
- Antihistamines: These are medicines that reduce congestion or itching.
- Corticosteroids: These medications reduce swelling if you have an allergic reaction.
How Is An Allergic Reaction Treated
Nut and peanut allergies can cause a severe reaction called anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis may begin with some of the same symptoms as a less severe reaction, but then quickly get worse, leading someone to have trouble breathing, feel lightheaded, or to pass out. If it is not treated right away, anaphylaxis can be life-threatening.
If you have a peanut or tree nut allergy , the doctor will want you to carry an epinephrine auto-injector in case of an emergency.
An epinephrine auto-injector is a prescription medicine that comes in a small, easy-to-carry container. It’s easy to use. Your doctor will show you how. Keep the epinephrine with you, not in a locker or in the nurse’s office.
Every second counts in an allergic reaction. If you start having serious allergic symptoms, like swelling of the mouth or throat or trouble breathing, use the epinephrine auto-injector right away. Also use it right away if your symptoms involve two different parts of the body, like hives with vomiting. Then and have someone take you to the emergency room. You need to be under medical supervision because even if the worst seems to have passed, a second wave of serious symptoms can happen.
The doctor can also give you an allergy action plan, which helps you prepare for, recognize, and treat an allergic reaction. Share the plan with anyone else who needs to know, such as relatives, school officials, and coaches. Also consider wearing a medical alert bracelet.
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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.
