From the King Street Chronicle: The Power of Early Peanut Introduction in Reducing Allergies

Early Peanut Exposure Reduces Allergy Cases

By Claire McMonagle ‘27, Co-Features Editor

Peanut allergies are one of the most common allergies in children in the United States (US), according to uhhospitals.org. In fact, almost three percent of all children in the country receive a peanut allergy diagnosis, according to chop.edu. However, throughout recent decades, statistics have indicated a decrease in peanut allergy cases among children, according to publications.aap.org. A recent influx in medical knowledge has informed the public about how to decrease the likelihood of acquiring a peanut allergy, according to usatoday.com.

A peanut allergy occurs when the immune system in one’s body flags peanut proteins as harmful. When peanuts and the immune system come into contact, the immune system causes symptoms releasing chemicals into the bloodstream. These chemicals are what cause an allergic reaction, according to mayoclinic.org.

The most common cause of an allergic reaction to peanuts is when someone eats a product that directly contains peanuts. However, another common way an allergic reaction happens is through cross-contamination, which occurs when food products come into contact with peanuts during the processing and handling stage.  Additionally, breathing in dust or aerosols that contain peanuts can induce an allergic reaction for some people as well, according to mayoclinic.org. Ms. Amy Kesavan, School Nurse, shared why peanut allergies can be so severe.

“When most people think of the danger related to peanut allergies, they are thinking about a response called anaphylaxis,” Ms. Kesaven said. “This is a life-threatening condition that requires medical intervention with epinephrine, which is basically adrenaline. What happens is that when the body is exposed to the allergen, it drastically overreacts, and the immune system releases large amounts of histamine, which causes widespread swelling, hives, and difficulty breathing. This is dangerous because it constricts the airway, making it difficult to breathe, but there is also a cascade of reactions happening in multiple body systems. Epinephrine helps to systemically reverse the reaction.”

In a study, researchers introduced high-risk children, aged from 4 months to 3 years, to peanuts. This study examined a potential link between the chances of developing a peanut allergy, even when exposed to peanuts from a young age. The study concluded that exposing children to peanuts early in their childhood reduces their food allergy risk by up to 80 percent, according to mayoclinic.org. 40,000 children have avoided developing a peanut allergy due to this discovery, according to npr.org. Additionally, there is an oral immunotherapy treatment that lessens the severity of one’s response to peanut exposure. This treatment entails introducing very small amounts of peanut protein to the immune system, increasing the quantity of the protein over time. So, when the body is accidentally exposed to peanuts, it will not go into anaphylaxis, according to foodallergiesatlanta.com.  

Studies have shown that the number of cases of peanut allergies in children and babies is decreasing, according to sciencefriday.com. The trend of introducing children to peanut products at an early age has resulted in a decreasing rate of peanut allergy cases among young age groups, according to The New York Times.  Ms. Kesaven commented on the study regarding introducing children to peanuts early in their lives.

“A large, comprehensive study called the LEAP-Trio study, sponsored and co-funded by the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, found that exposing children to peanuts early and regularly from when they are infants through the first five years of life resulted in a 71 percent reduced rate of peanut allergy,” Ms. Kesaven said. “Parents should be reassured that exposure in infancy is a safe, simple strategy to reduce allergies.”

Featured Image by Claire McMonagle ’27

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