Dr. Curt ChaffinQ: There has recently been a lot of media coverage on early introduction to peanuts and new treatments. What does all this mean for my child with peanut allergies?
A: Up to this point the only treatment has been avoiding exposure to peanut and having injectable epinephrine available for an emergency situation that involved ingestion of peanuts. There have been some recent developments regarding peanut allergies that may change the course of prevention and treatment for this dangerous allergy. In a recent trial, young infants who were at risk of peanut allergy were skin-tested to peanuts. As long as the testing was done correctly, then they were given peanuts in the doctor’s office to make sure there was no reaction. If the patient had no reaction to ingesting peanuts, the parents were instructed to continue giving their child a specific amount of peanuts on an ongoing basis. This resulted in a large reduction in the numbers of kids who developed peanut allergy compared to the group of children that avoided peanuts. Do not attempt this at home since children could have potential fatal reactions. The testing by a board-certified allergist is key to avoid giving peanut to someone who is likely to have a severe reaction.
– Dr. Curt Chaffin, Allergy & Asthma Group; member, Chattanooga-Hamilton County Medical Society
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