(Resolution of peanut allergy: case-control study)
Like children who develop allergies to cows' milk or eggs, a proportion of young children who develop a sensitivity to peanuts early in life seem to grow out of their reaction as they get older, say Dr Jonathan Hourihane et al in this week's BMJ. Based on findings from research conducted at the University of Southampton and South Manchester University Hospitals, the authors stress that children who seem to have a peanut allergy should be evaluated by a specialist food allergy unit, as the allergy may not be as severe as initially assumed.
Hourihane et al cite previous research which suggests that changes in the dietary habits of the British population towards vegetarianism and the increasing use of peanut butter as a snack food, may be linked to a recently observed decrease in the age of onset of peanut allergy.
Contact:
Dr Jonathan Hourihane, Lecturer, Institute of Child Health, London J.Hourihane@ich.ucl.ac.uk