Peanut Allergy Epidemic Overstated?

02/23/2006

Peanut Allergy Epidemic Overstated?

I have a new philosophy. I'm only going to dread one day at a time.
Charlie Brown in "Peanuts"

Recent medical research suggests, "Severe peanut allergies are not as common as people think, and are surprisingly difficult to diagnose accurately." Evidence for the belief that peanut allergies have reached epidemic proportions is thin. To A. Munoz-Furlong, a researcher and founder of the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network, an advocacy group, "Today about 25% of parents believe that their children have food allergies, although only about 4 percent really do ... [a]nd even among children with true allergies ... only a tiny fraction will have life-threatening reactions, called anaphylaxis." Approximately the same number of Americans each year die from lightning strikes as from peanut allergies. Studying peanut allergies is complicated. Doctors usually rely on a skin prick test, in which a tiny dose of peanuts gets injected under the skin to see if a hive forms. Apparently, this test is not very precise. Only 40 percent of children with strongly positive skin tests had positive food challenges, and only half of these needed any treatment.

In a 2003 study, "Children told they had peanut allergies were more anxious and felt more physically restricted than children with juvenile diabetes." Thus severe peanut allergies, "are extremely uncommon." To avoid such allergies, where there is a strong family history of peanut allergy, mothers are encouraged to stay away from peanuts and other likely allergens during pregnancy and breastfeeding, to keep such foods from children before 2 years of age, and to avoid Zantac, peanut-containing diaper and breast creams, and consider soy-based formulas. Finally, keep in mind that the average person, "with true peanut allergy still gets a reaction every three to five years." For affected children, be sure there is an EpiPen nearby and staff know how and when to use it.

Sanghavi, D. (2006, Jan. 30). "Peanut allergy epidemic may be overstated: Pediatric perspective." Boston Globe, p. C1, 3.

Contributed by Michael Kalinowski

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