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Some Young Children May Grow Out Of Peanut Allergy LONDON, ENGLAND -- April 24, 1998 -- 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, says a report in this week’s issue of the British Medical Journal. Based on findings from research, by Dr. John Hourihane, from the Institute of Child Health, and colleagues 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 thought. The study recruited 15 children with resolved peanut allergy (resolvers) and 15 with persistent allergy (persisters). The main outcome measure was the reaction on challenge with peanut, serum total and peanut specific IgE concentrations. The researchers found that the groups had a similar median age at first reaction to peanut (11 months, range five to 38) and similar symptoms. Allergy to other foods was less common in resolvers (two of 15) than persisters (nine of 15). On skin prick testing with peanut all 13 resolvers tested but only three of 14 persisters had a weal of less than 6 mm. Total and peanut specific IgE concentrations did not differ much between the groups. The researchers said appropriately trained clinicians must be prepared to challenge pre-school children with peanut as some will be tolerant despite a history of reactions to peanut and a positive skin prick test with peanut. Pre-school children whose apparent peanut allergy is refuted by food challenge show allergy to other foods less often than those in whom peanut allergy persists. The size of weal on skin prick testing to peanut predicts reactivity but not severity on peanut challenge. The authors 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. E-mail this page to a friend or colleague! To print, use this version