Children can be protected from the dangerous effects of peanut allergy by slowly building up their tolerance, research has shown.
After six months of the therapy, up to 90% of allergic children taking part in a study could safely eat five peanuts a day.
Peanut allergy, which affects one in 50 children, can lead to anaphylactic shock - a potentially fatal immune reaction. It is the most common cause of deaths due to food allergies.
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11 Secret Allergy Triggers
1. Lemons And Limes(01 of11)
Open Image ModalLimonene, a zesty compound in lime and other citrus fruits, gives many people watery eyes and a burning sensation in the nose, according to James Wedner, MD, chief of allergy and immunology at the Washington University School of Medicine. It might even irritate your skin, whether you touch, eat or drink products containing limonene.What to do: If you get a rash, treat it with topical hydrocortisone creams used for bug bites and poison ivy. And natch, skip the lemon or lime wedge with your drink or salad, and look out for lime in salad dressings, desserts and marinades (it’s used in numerous dishes). (credit:Flickr:Nick Harris1)
2. Stuffed Anything (Even Teddy)(02 of11)
Open Image ModalDust mites living in mattresses, plush toys and pillows are a huge allergy trigger. Roughly 15% of the population is allergic to these microscopic bugs. Encasing mattresses and pillows with impenetrable covers and cases is a useful step -- but it’s not enough. The mites also love kids’ favorite furry toys.What to do: Wash, dry, then repeat -- and use very hot water. “Toys should be washed at 140°, which will ensure that the mites are killed,” Dr. Randolph says. After they’re clean, store them on a shelf, not on the bed. What to do with the nonwashable toys? Every two to three weeks, put them in a plastic bag in the freezer for a couple of hours, which will also kill the mites. (credit:Flickr:Vuarnet)
3. Candles(03 of11)
Open Image ModalYou can’t be allergic to essential oils -- which make candles smell like autumn leaves or dune grass -- but their odors can inflame your nasal cavities, says Dr. Wedner. “People with nasal allergies have a natural increased sensitivity, so they’re likely to get a runny nose or watery eyes around candles,” he says. “To the person with the sensitive nose, it’s no different than cigarette smoke.”What to do: If you’re very sensitive, avoid candles altogether. But if you love the smell and want to use them at home, buy candles that have few ingredients and feature just one scent, like pumpkin. By a process of elimination, you may be able to pinpoint which scent or ingredient bothers you. If you have a bad reaction to a scented candle, getting some fresh air should make you feel better. (credit:Flickr:Newtown grafitti)
4. Perfume(04 of11)
Open Image ModalFragrances can contain hundreds of chemicals that are mostly untested on humans, Dr. Wedner says. When those chemicals bond with the essential oils in perfumes and are then sprayed into the air, sensitive people may take offense. Sneezing, congestion and headaches can be the result.What to do: Kindly ask your colleagues to go easy on their favorite fragrances, and bring a portable fan to keep your area as scent-free as possible. Stick with body creams and moisturizers that have light scents. These are less likely to irritate you. (credit:Flickr:knitsteel)
5. Soaps And Detergents(05 of11)
Open Image ModalYou think it’s the chemicals in cleaning products that make you itch? Surprise: “The majority of skin sensitivities are caused not by the cleaning agent but by a perfume additive,” Dr. Wedner says. “And nearly every soap now has some sort of plant in it to make it fancy -- roses, elderberries, etc. The skin can respond with irritation, and give you a rash.”What to do: Buy organic or specially marked soaps; look for “no additives,” “nonscented,” or “phthalate-free” on the label. Phthalates are chemicals that help improve texture, but they’ve been linked to allergic reactions; products that contain them may have “diethyl phthalate” or something similar on the label. Dove, Tide and Ivory all offer low-irritant products, as do many organic brands. (credit:Flickr:expressionposthumus)
6. Carpeting(06 of11)
Open Image ModalYou may love the feel of carpeting under your feet, but mites find it just as attractive. “Even if you vacuum constantly, you’ve still got mites,” Dr. Wedner warns.What to do: Remove wall-to-wall carpeting -- who doesn’t like a beautiful wood floor? -- and use small rugs that can be washed in hot water monthly. “And keep the humidity below 50%” with your central air system or a dehumidifier, Dr. Randolph says. “Dust mites thrive in humidity.” (credit:Flickr:Elsie esq.)
7. Spices(07 of11)
Open Image ModalThey add nuance and zing to a variety of dishes, but there’s no getting around spices’ origin: pungent plants. For some people, eating the spices made from these plants leads to a just little sniffling. For others, it may cause itching, swelling and even burning of the lips.What to do: Avoid the spices more likely to cause trouble: coriander, poppy seeds, pepper, dill, paprika, cumin, and saffron -- which, in broad strokes, means Indian and Middle Eastern food. If you’re not sure which spices bother you, record what you’ve been exposed to each time you have symptoms and look for the common denominator. (credit:Flickr:Hey Paul Studios)
8. Wall Paint(08 of11)
Open Image ModalThe solvents and synthetic resins used in paint often lead to itchy eyes and headaches. Oil-based paints are a particular problem because they can continue releasing chemicals even after they dry.What to do: Keep windows open as often as possible and allow fresh air to circulate for four weeks after painting, no matter what kind of paint you use. If possible, use latex paint, which emits less gas than oil-based kinds due to its water base. What about paint with low levels of VOCs (volatile organic compounds)? They spew fewer chemicals into the air and are less smelly than regular paints. But that doesn’t mean they won’t bother you. To find these paints, look for the “Green Seal” certification mark on the label. (credit:Flickr:Max Barñers)
9. Beer And Alcohol(09 of11)
Open Image ModalAn actual allergy to alcohol is quite rare, but being allergic to the grains and additives used in liquor is not: Wheat or the preservative sulfur dioxide could cause a rash or a stuffy nose. New York City allergist Wellington Tichenor, MD, founder of the information site Sinuses.com, also blames grains like corn, barley and rye, as well as fruit flavorings. Wine and beer may create problems too.What to do: Stick with grain-free liquors like potato vodka, rum (made from sugar) and tequila (the agave plant). Skip all flavored liquers. And if sulfite preservatives in wine bother you, red wine tends to have fewer preservatives than white. Also, look for wine labeled “sulfite-free” (it won’t stay fresh for long). Remember that anything with carbonation (like a wine cooler) increases the likelihood of an allergic reaction, Dr. Tichenor adds. (credit:Flickr:simon.wright)
10. Blue Jeans Buttons(10 of11)
Open Image ModalThe buttons on your jeans are probably made with the metal nickel -- a rash trigger for up to 20% of women. A nickel rash near your waistline is usually itchy, red and sometimes blistery.What to do: Take your pants to a tailor and have her replace the nickel buttons with plastic ones (another metal might also cause irritation). A second option: Coat the button with clear nail polish, a remedy found to be effective in a recent St. Louis University study. Just be aware that nail polish itself may lead to a rash if you’re sensitive to it. (credit:Flickr:Rya Pie)
11. Christmas Trees(11 of11)
Open Image ModalA word to the wise before the holidays: Mold grows fast on Christmas trees. “When you put that tree in a bucket of water, invisible mold grows almost immediately,” Dr. Wedner says. “Most people are allergic to or irritated by mold spores.”What to do: Try a fake tree. Can’t live without a real one? Ask when it was cut down before you buy it; trees that were cut weeks in advance are already ripe with mold. Then, starve it of water and keep it for as short a period as possible. Mold grows on houseplants, too, so keep them on the dry side. (credit:Flickr:Tannaidhe)
The STOP II trial, the largest of its kind worldwide, involved 99 young people aged seven to 16 consuming carefully measured doses of peanut protein.
Over a period of four to six months, the dose was gradually increased until their bodies could cope with the equivalent of five whole peanuts.
By the end of the study, between 84% and 91% of the participants could safely tolerate 800 milligrams of peanut protein a day, the amount found in five peanuts.
Study leader Dr Andrew Clark, from Cambridge University Hospitals, said: "This treatment allowed children with all severities of peanut allergy to eat large quantities of peanuts, well above the levels found in contaminated snacks and meals - freeing them and their parents from the fear of a potentially life threatening allergic reaction.
"Before treatment, children and their parents would check every food label and avoiding eating out in restaurants. Now most of the patients in the trial can safely eat at least five whole peanuts. The families involved in this study say that it has changed their lives dramatically."
Although a fifth of the children given oral immunotherapy (OIT) reported allergic reactions, they tended to be mild. The most common symptom was itching around the mouth.
The findings are published in the latest edition of The Lancet medical journal.
Co-author Dr Pamela Ewan, head of the allergy department at Cambridge University Hospitals, said: "We found that OIT is well tolerated and provides protection in most children with peanut allergy in this age group by raising the reaction threshold.
"This large study is the first of its kind in the world to have had such a positive outcome, and is an important advance in peanut allergy research. However, further studies in wider populations are needed."
But she warned: "It is important to note that OIT is not a treatment people should try on their own and should only be done by medical professionals in specialist settings."
Maureen Jenkins, director of clinical services at the charity Allergy UK, said: "The fantastic results of this study exceed expectation. Peanut allergy is a particularly frightening food allergy, causing constant anxiety of a reaction from peanut traces. This is a major step forward in the global quest to manage it."
Lynne Regent, chief executive of the Anaphylaxis Campaign, said: "We welcome the positive results of this important study. Such a good outcome for so many of the children who took part demonstrates the importance of oral desensitisation treatment in transforming the lives of those with food allergy. We look forward to seeing further developments in this area to improve patient outcomes."
Further research and a licencing review will be required before peanut immunotherapy can become generally available to the public, which could take several years.
:: Three of the children taking part in the trial spoke about their experience.
Lena Barden, 11, from Histon, Cambridgeshire, said: "I felt like I had won a prize after I found out I had been picked for the active group. It meant a trip to the hospital every two weeks. A year later I could eat five whole peanuts with no reaction at all. The trial has been an experience and adventure that has changed my life and I've had so much fun. But I still hate peanuts!"
Thomas Baragwanath, 16, from Holbeach, Lincolnshire, said: "The trial has helped me so much. I don't have to worry when I go out with my friends about what I'm eating and where it's come from. 'What's in it? Where's it been prepared?' - I don't have to worry at all. It has been a massive problem for me since I was a small child and I'm so thankful I'm getting rid of it. It has really helped me a lot."
Anna O'Hara, 14, from Coventry, said: "I am very glad to be on this trial as it has meant I can go to more restaurants and try a wider variety of food. Also, I am able to go to friends' houses more without the worry of having an allergic reaction whilst away from home. It has also meant I am able to go on more school trips without my mum having to come along."