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Peanut Allergy
December 12, 2008 A recent study published in the journal of allergy and clinical immunology found
that children who did not eat peanuts during infancy and early childhood and were
ten times more likely to develop an allergy to the food. Area physicians say while
this information is beneficial the link between age and peanut allergies is still
being studied.
Dr. Gaston Turnier is an allergist and immunologist. He says, “You have to know
if there is a history of allergy in the family and that makes the whole difference.
If you have a kid who’s already had some allergy to peanut or any other food you
will want to be more cautious.”
Dr. Turnier adds that it’s important to find out if a child’s body is mature enough to process foreign proteins found in foods like peanuts. Family history and testing
can be helpful in that process. “If you have a strong family history, if you have
kids already who have allergies to peanut or any other food allergy, talk to your
physician, talk to an allergist, see if you want to test first before you go that
way,” says Dr. Turnier.
If you have a family history of food allergies, it’s still recommended to wait until
your child is three or four years old before you introduce peanuts or tree nuts
into their diet. Common allergic reactions to peanuts include skin reactions like
hives, sweatiness in the face, vomiting or diarrhea. |
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