More than a third of babies diagnosed with peanut allergies may not actually have this condition. So says a new study conducted in Australia, which has found that a considerable portion of these diagnosiss may be inaccurate.
Study conducted by the Institute of Research for Child Health Murdoch ( M CRI) and the National Efficiency Centre for Allergy ( NACE, included 778 children under 18 months of age who had previously been diagnosed with peanut allergies.
To verify diagnosis, children were given increased quantities of peanuts in hospital – controlled conditions under doctors ‘ supervision to see if their organism showed an allergic reaction.
The results showed that 65 percent of the children had allergic reactions, while 35 percent showed no response. This means that more than one in three children was not allergic, despite previous diagnosis, which was then removed.
According to Dr. Tim Brettig, a researcher at MCRI and medical director of the ADAPT programme, early diagnosis confirmation is important because it enables children to avoid unnecessary eating restrictions.
The identity of these early children allows them to avoid an unnecessary diagnosis of allergies and the burden of avoiding peanuts, he has explained.
The baby’s case, diagnosed with allergies at five months of age
One of the cases mentioned in the study is that of young Arthur, who was diagnosed with peanut allergies when he was only five months old.
After testing doctors, however, the baby showed no allergic reactions, causing the diagnosis to be removed.
His mother, Leah, showed that the family was upset before the test, since he did not know how the child would react.
It is a great relief to know that Arthur can tolerate peanuts and that we can move forward without the uncertainty of allergies, she said.
Meanwhile, babies whose allergies were confirmed were involved in an immun therapy program, which aims to gradually increase body tolerance of peanuts through taking small daily doses under medical supervision.
Professor Kirsten Perrett, head of the research group at MCRI, has stressed that the controlled testing should be considered before a baby begins this treatment.
Food testing under doctors’ supervision should be considered routinely to confirm diagnosis before the start of immunal therapy, she stated.
When should peanuts be involved in infant food?
According to the American College of Allergy, Astma, and Immunology, early involvement in foods containing peanuts in infant diet can help reduce the risk of developing allergies.
Unlike previous recommendations, which suggested extending peanut consumption, current guidelines recommend that suitable food for the age containing peanuts begin to be included about 4 to 6 months, depending on the baby’s development.
However, parents need to consult the pediatric before being involved in such foods in their child’s diet, especially in cases of suspicion of allergies.
Total peanuts should not be given to infants because of the risk of being cornered. Likewise, testing through food consumption should be performed only under controlled medical conditions and never at home.
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Source Layer: Signal