Preventative Treatment for Peanut Allergies In The Future!

[SeaBreeze]

When I was a kid, I never even heard of anyone having a peanut allergy, but these days it seems to be a very common affliction for some reason mostly in children. Now there's a possibility of using prevention therapy for those who are allergic to peanuts. More HERE. Anyone here have a family member who is allergic to peanuts, or are you?

The first treatment to help prevent serious allergic reactions to peanuts may be on the way. A company said Tuesday that its daily capsules of peanut powder helped children build tolerance in a major study.


Millions of children are allergic to peanuts, and some may have life-threatening reactions if accidentally exposed to them. Doctors have been testing daily doses of peanut, contained in a capsule and sprinkled over food, as a way to prevent that by gradually getting them used to very small amounts.


California-based Aimmune Therapeutics said 67 percent of kids who had its experimental treatment were able to tolerate the equivalent of roughly two peanuts at the end of the study, compared to only 4 percent of others given a dummy powder.


But a big warning: Don't try this at home.


"It's potentially dangerous," said Dr. Stacie Jones, a University of Arkansas allergy specialist. "This is investigational. It has to be done in a very safe setting" to make sure kids can be treated fast for any bad reactions that occur, she said.

 

[WhatInThe]

I too never heard or saw of a peanut allergy as a kid and pb & j was in lunch bag almost everyday. The 'peanut' allergy is probably as much from paranoid parents not exposing their kids to peanuts or peanut butter at all after hearing about one possible legitimate case. Everyone thinks every situation applies to them but it doesn't.

I think Israeli kids have some of the lowest peanut allergy rates around and by coincidence or not one the foods/snack foods given to children is a peanut based snack.

As to a peanut a day keeps the doctor a way I could see it especially if they give the child other immune system enhancing nutrition including extra vitamins and/or proteins which they might be deficient in because an allergy is frequently from a weak immune system, not a defective one.

 

[C'est Moi]

I have wondered about all the peanut allergy hysteria myself. Again, never heard of such a thing when I was a kid, or when I was raising our kids for that matter. What would I have done without peanut butter sandwiches with five kids to make lunches for??

 

[Aunt Bea]

I never heard of it when I was a kid and I can't imagine a life without Reese's peanut butter cups.

Sometimes I wonder if these kids are like the canary in the coal mine, letting us know that things are changing in our environment.

 

[Smiling Jane]

I can't stand peanuts or peanut butter or Reese's Cups or anything else made from peanuts. Not allergic; don't like the taste of peanuts.

I don't remember ever eating a pb&j sandwich when I was a child. Odd that I don't feel at all deprived.