The Unexpected Way To Beat A Peanut Allergy

A recent study led by the National Institutes of Health's National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) has found that early exposure to peanut products can significantly reduce the risk of developing a peanut allergy later in life. The study found that feeding children peanut products, such as thinned peanut butter, regularly from infancy to the age of 5, was associated with a 71% decrease in the rate of peanut allergy among adolescents.

The study also found that a child exposed to peanut products by six months of age has a 75% reduced risk of having a peanut allergy by age 5, and by age 12, that child is four times less likely to develop a peanut allergy. The reduced risk from early exposure is maintained even if a child stops eating peanut products regularly after the age of 5.

"If widely implemented, this safe, simple strategy could prevent tens of thousands of cases of peanut allergy among the 3.6 million children born in the United States each year," said Dr. Jeanne Marrazzo, director of the NIAID.(^1^)

Parents and caregivers are advised to consult with their child's pediatrician before exposing them to peanut-containing foods. Guidelines from the NIAID suggest that a child with no eczema or food allergies can have age-appropriate peanut-containing foods freely introduced into their diet at home starting around 6 months of age. If a child has severe eczema or an egg allergy, they should be fed peanut-containing foods only after consulting closely with a healthcare provider.

Peanut allergies are one of the most common food allergies, affecting nearly 2% of adults and kids in the United States, according to the American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology. Allergic reactions to peanuts can be life-threatening.