Peanut allergy is fairly common with a prevalence rate of about 1 in 90 people in the United States. Unfortunately, peanut allergies can be severe and those with a peanut allergy need to be very cautious about eating food that has been prepared by someone else, especially in a restaurant, because even food that has no peanuts in it can cause an allergic reaction if it was prepared with the same equipment as food with peanuts. Peanuts are not actually nuts, but instead they are legumes and are more closely related to beans.
A rather alarming study was conducted by the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network, or (FAAN), which found that the incidence of peanut allergy is rapidly on the rise and in fact doubled over a recent 5 year period.
A test carried out in the UK had similar results. In this study conducted by the David Hyde Asthma and Allergy Research Centre, 1273 children were tested and the results showed that 3.3% of the children tested positive which was up from 1.1% in a previous study a few years earlier. Also, it was determined that these children had a high degree of atopy which is a genetic inclination to develop asthma and allergy symptoms.
Although researchers are not sure exactly why allergies and asthma are increasing so rapidly, they do offer a few reasons for the increase in peanut allergy:
Pregnant women are consuming more peanuts and peanut products and passing them onto the unborn baby.
Breastfeeding babies are being exposed to larger amounts of peanuts which pass through the breast milk.
Vegetarianism is increasing and therefore more people are consuming plant based foods and vegetarian foods which often contain nuts, especially peanuts.
The study mentioned above also found that for those with peanut allergy, 79% had severe reactions and 66% had frequent reactions. Considering this, it is surprising that only 74% of the children and 44% of the adults sought medical help in controlling their peanut allergy. Of those that sought help, less than half of those were given a prescription for epinephrine which is the most often used drug to stop and reverse a life threatening allergic reaction.
According to the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network, peanut allergies account for 15,000 emergency room visits and around 100 deaths each year.
So how can you protect your self or your children if you suspect a peanut allergy? First of all, you must be tested to determine if in fact you do have the peanut allergy. If so, then it is important to closely follow the advice of your physician. You must practice strict avoidance of all foods which contain peanuts. This means you will need to read all ingredient labels of the foods you buy in the grocery store. You also need to be very careful about eating in restaurants or other people’s homes who might have previously prepared a food containing peanuts with the same equipment used to prepare your food.
If your doctor doesn’t suggest epinephrine shots, ask him about them. You carry the shot with you at all times in the event you do come into contact with a peanut and begin to have a reaction, you can self administer the epinephrine which just might save your life.
If it is your child with the peanut allergy, make sure your child understands the importance of avoiding peanuts in food. Also make sure her friends and their parents along with the school officials are aware of your child’s condition and know what to do in the event of an emergency.
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Sarah Thomas provides articles on health. You can find more of her work at the site allergy-engine.com.
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