Food Allergies
Did you know that the majority of food allergies show up during the first year of life? My little boy just turned 10 months old this week and has has not shown any signs of food allergies yet. Hopefully that means we will not have to deal with this potentially life-threatening health issue. But many, many families struggle with food allergies on a daily basis.
An allergy to peanuts is one of the scariest food allergies. Nearly half of the 150 deaths attributed to food allergies each year in the U.S. are caused by peanut allergies according to Duke University. Do you have a child with an allergy to peanuts? Then here is some information you need to know.
New research is showing that a medically suprvised daily dose of peanuts may help children with peanut allergies greatly increase their tolerance to the food. This new treatment involves giving the child tiny daily doses of peanuts (starting around one-thousandth of a peanut) and slowly increasing to about 15 peanuts per day. The results are very promising. For more information, be sure to read "Treatment for Peanut Allergies Shows Promise" by Tara Parker-Pope. As always, consult with your pediatrician first before undertaking any new treatment option.
Also be sure to check out the article "Growth Spurts: Birth to 12 Months — On the Lookout" in the May 2009 issue of ParentLife. It will help you learn the signs that indicate possible food allergies.
