
Pediatricians group joins call for early exposure to peanuts to prevent children’s allergies
CHICAGO – A pediatricians’ group is recommending that infants at high risk of peanut allergies be given foods containing peanuts before they turn 1.
The interim guidance is in response to a major allergy study published earlier this year that found that exposure to peanuts in infancy seemed to help build tolerance — contrary to conventional thinking.
Baby-suitable foods used in the study included smooth peanut butter, peanut soup and finely ground peanuts mixed into yogurt and other foods.
The advice comes in a consensus statement that the American Academy of Pediatrics helped prepare and endorsed in June along with the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology and several foreign allergy groups.
The academy is releasing the statement online Monday in the journal Pediatrics.
Allergy tests are recommended before exposing at-risk infants to peanut-containing foods between 4 months and 11 months of age.
These are youngsters who’ve had skin reactions to eating eggs or a severe eczema skin rash, which suggests a possible food allergy.
The recommendations are meant to serve as interim guidance while more extensive guidelines are prepared by the National Institute of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology and the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. Those are expected by next year, the consensus statement said.
___
Online:
American Academy of Pediatrics: http://www.aap.org
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology: http://www.aaaai.org
Join the Conversation!
Want to share your thoughts, add context, or connect with others in your community? Create a free account to comment on stories, ask questions, and join meaningful discussions on our new site.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.