Peanut Desensitization & Oral Desensitization

8/10/2016:  Peanut Desensitization for 1 to 3 year olds

According to a small study involving 40 children recently completed by the National Institute of Health, after giving the 1 to 3 year-olds very small doses of doctor supervised amounts of peanut powder, for two years, 80% of them could tolerate some foods containing small amounts of peanuts. [1]

8/10/2016:  New Company Creating Desensitization Doses

AIMMUNE is a new company in San Francisco, California implementing a Characterized Oral Desensitization ImmunoTherapy a.k.a. CODIT program to create precisely control amounts (in capsule form) of allergens to achieve a level of desensitization (but will require on-going doses). They are starting with peanuts and moving onto eggs in 2017.[2] 

[1] https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/08/160810104017.htm

[2] http://ir.aimmune.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=254097&p=irol-pressReleasesArticle&ID=2194768 

Probiotics & Peanuts

3/4/2016:  More Data Supports Giving Peanut to Infants

A study in 2015 is supported by a report by the New England Journal of Medicine in 2016 that reports infants who are given peanuts mashed up during their first year of life will have less likelihood of developing an allergy.  4% vs. 18% of the control group developed peanut allergy--the higher percentage was in the peanut avoidance group--both groups consisted of children considered high risk for allergies. [1]

3/16/2016:  One Strain of Probiotics Helps Most

According to a study in mice, it was found that the probiotic strain called Lactobacillus or Bifidobacterium longum KACC 91563 helps most with food allergies.  This strain can influence the immune system to cause the mast cells triggering the allergic response to essentially die. [2]

[1] http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1514209

[2] https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/03/160316085011.htm 

Antibiotics Causing Allergic Reactions

2/24/2015:  Viaskin(r) Data Presented at AAAAI Meeting Show Safety and Efficacy in the Treatment of Food Allergies

Some research is being done and presented by DBV Technologies on a product called Viaskin for treating food allergies through Epicutaneous Immunotherapy (EPIT®).  It appears that rather than eating tiny amounts of peanut like with sublingual immunotherapy treatment (SLIT) this method puts the food onto the skin and treats the allergic person in that way which is apparently a safer from a reaction perspective. [1]

2/23/2015:  New Study Shows Introducing Peanut Early in Life Prevents Development of Peanut Allergy

“Investigators tested the hypothesis that regularly eating foods containing peanut – if started during within the first year of life – could elicit a protective immune response rather than an allergic reaction….By the age of 5, just 3 percent of the children who ate the snack developed peanut allergy, while 17 percent in the avoidance group developed peanut allergy.” [2]

2/23/2015:  Antibiotics On Food Causing Children To Have Allergic Reactions To Fruits, Vegetables

Farmers are treating fruits and vegetables with an antibiotic called streptomycin that keeps bacteria, fungi and algae from growing on the foods.  Children are reacting to the fruits and vegetables, sometimes with anaphylaxis, even though they are not allergic to those foods.  The amount of antibiotic may vary. [3]

[1] http://globenewswire.com/news-release/2015/02/24/709012/10121591/en/Viaskin-r-Data-Presented-at-AAAAI-Meeting-Show-Safety-and-Efficacy-in-the-Treatment-of-Food-Allergies.html?parent=702298

[2]  http://www.foodallergy.org/2015/022315 

[3] http://boston.cbslocal.com/2015/02/23/antibiotics-causing-children-to-have-allergic-reactions-to-fruits-vegetables/ 

Baby with Food Allergies

It can be shocking to learn your infant or baby has a food allergy or a bunch of food allergies--especially if it is your first child and if you don't have a lot of experience in dealing with food allergies.  I remember feeling like I could not really believe what the allergist was telling me.  No chicken, no dairy, no eggs, no... What??

At the very least, there has been some progress over the past ten years in dealing with the large numbers of food allergies in children that now exist.  The safest course of action is avoidance:  Simplify the foods that you give to your child and then wait a few weeks.  For example, rice is easily digested, normally, plus perhaps a few fruits or veggies that your child likes.  If you are nursing, then you have to eliminate offending foods from your diet as well.  Slowly add back foods one at a time and watch for signs of rashes or other digestive issues or changes in behavior.  When the baby is older, you can perhaps start another course of action under the guidance of doctors. 

But more importantly, don't despair.  Chances are your child is healthy and handsome or pretty.  Be happy for the new life in you life.  Worrying takes a lot of the fun out of parenthood--which is hard enough.  So try to be safe and enjoy your new baby.