Last year, a highly publicized study out of England indicated that early introduction of peanuts in infants at high risk for allergy was shown to prevent peanut allergy. The authors of that study have published two follow up studies – out tomorrow – to find out:
- The effect on peanut allergy of avoiding peanut products after early peanut consumption, and- The effects of introducing allergenic foods to breast-fed infants.
Last year’s LEAP (Learn Early About Peanuts) study showed evidence that health care providers should recommend introducing peanut-containing products into the diet of “high-risk” infants early on in life (between 4 – 11 months of age). Allergists now recognize that delaying the introduction of peanut may be associated with an increased risk of developing peanut allergy.
These two new studies expand on those findings. One study examined whether the rate of peanut allergy remained low after 12 months of peanut avoidance among children who had consumed peanuts during the original study – compared to those who had avoided peanuts. The second study evaluated whether the early introduction of allergenic foods in the diet of breastfed infants would protect against the development of food allergy.
Allergist Matthew Greenhawt, MD, member of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) Food Allergy Committee, is available to comment on both studies, and the implications for preventing food allergies in very young children.
For more information about prevention of food allergies in young children, and to set up an interview, please contact Hollis Heavenrich-Jones at [email protected] or call 847-427-1200, ext. 240.
About ACAAIThe ACAAI is a professional medical organization of more than 6,000 allergists-immunologists and allied health professionals, headquartered in Arlington Heights, Ill. The College fosters a culture of collaboration and congeniality in which its members work together and with others toward the common goals of patient care, education, advocacy and research. ACAAI allergists are board-certified physicians trained to diagnose allergies and asthma, administer immunotherapy, and provide patients with the best treatment outcomes. For more information and to find relief, visit AllergyandAsthmaRelief.org. Join us on Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter.# # #
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