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Preventive Measures For Peanut Allergy

Six-year-old Dan is happily munching on a chocolate chip cookie at his cousin’s birthday party.  He was half way through finishing his cookie and was about to grab another one when he felt a sudden heaviness on his chest.  Panic started taking over him.  Agnes, the housekeeper, who was just about to bring out the birthday cake on the back yard, came rushing to Dan’s aid.  Dan was pale and white all over.  Rashes now appeared on both his arms and face.  Thinking quickly, Agnes yelled ‘call 911’.  Several minutes later paramedics rush into the house and drove Dan to the nearest hospital.  He was found to have peanut allergy and good thing his anaphylactic reactions were managed in just the nick of time or he would have died at that very instant.  A birthday party suddenly turned into a tragedy.

Having allergies can be quite a burden to some, but good thing there are ways to avoid allergens.  Like when you have peanut allergies, where there are easy cures on how to deal this type of allergy.  Here are some of those options:

Desensitization or the gradual introduction of allergens is the key to cure peanut allergy according to some studies.  Start with a small serving of peanuts about one tenth of the whole peanut then gradually increasing the amount until it is tolerated by the one afflicted with peanut allergy.

Sometimes, peanuts can be accidentally eaten so it is very essential to find the unlikely sources of peanuts.  According to a CNN report on allergens, peanuts can be found in the following sources:

1. Arachis oil which is synonymous also to the usual peanut oil.
2. Chocolate candies.  Some people are most of the time deceived with these tasty treats, but do not be fooled further because these treats contain peanuts which most likely causes cross contact.
3. Artificial nuts can sometimes be peanut based.  Manufacturers do add a touch of flavor to mask as other nuts such as pecans or walnuts.
4. Specialty baked goods and ice cream which mostly contain peanuts or are often times have a touch of peanuts added as part of their ingredients.
5. Cuisines coming from countries like China, Mexico, Indonesia, Africa, Vietnam, and Thailand more often than not have peanuts as part of their ingredients.
6. Sunflower seeds.  Most brands of this kind are often produced using the same equipment also utilized in making peanut processed foods.
7. Saliva.  Close contact through sharing of utensils, cup or straws that have been utilized by a person who have previously eaten peanuts or through kissing can eventually cause the passing of allergens coming from peanuts.
8. Nut butters are produced the same way as peanut butters.

Allergies are found or detected in the early stages of childhood.  Once detected, it is still best to address the allergy as early as you can.  Inform the caregivers of the child.  Also, inform the school authorities and educate the child on the dos especially the don’ts when dealing with his allergies.

If you have peanut allergy it is also more likely that your children can have the same allergies as well.  So do your children a favor and have a genetic check up for early detection and prevention.

Getting an anti IgE therapy is a proven helpful method as well.  Antibodies working against IgE are utilized for the treatment.  Lessening IgE antibodies curbs the gravity of allergic reactions from recurring.

Having a peanut allergy might also mean that you are most likely to be allergic on certain legumes such as almonds, cashew nuts and the like.  It is then vital again to get an expert opinion from an allergologist or immunologist to avoid experiencing harmful side effects.

Still, prevention is so much better than cure, so instead of taking risks or chances, do try to avoid food items containing peanuts.  Avoid cooking or preparing food items in a vessel also used in cooking peanuts since allergens which are present in peanuts are not destroyed even after cooking.  Take alternatives.  Consume processed peanut oil because the allergens present here are removed during its processing, but never ever consume processed peanut oil because it would be fatal to your health.

With the above mentioned ways, your peanut allergy can now be manageable and stress free.