Peanut allergy is a severe, usually rapid, reaction to the ingestion of
peanuts. Symptoms
range from atopic dermatitis (hives, eczema, etc.) and digestional discomfort to
anaphylaxis,
a potentially fatal constriction of the airways and swelling of the throat.
Though these symptoms are similar to those of other food allergies, peanut allergy
symptoms tend to be rather severe and account for the majority of fatal or near fatal
anaphylactic reactions in the U.S. (Bock, Munoz-Furlong, & Sampson, 2001; Sampson, 2002).
For reasons that are unknown, a peanut-allergic person produces massive amounts of histamines
as soon as the body starts to digest the ingested nuts. In severe cases,
treatment must be administered
at once to prevent a fatality. Although peanuts are a ground nut and
a peanut allergy is different from a tree nut allergy, there are similarities.
In fact, many peanut allergy sufferers also have tree nut allergies. For many,
a peanut allergy is a lifelong problem; approximately 20% of infants with
peanut allergy outgrow the allergy.
The reaction usually happens shortly after a food is eaten and in some extremely sensitive individuals,
ingestion of even trace amounts of peanut can stimulate a reaction. It is important for parents to
be aware of the difference,
which is often a matter of severity, between a peanut allergy
reaction and reactions to other food allergies. Food allergies
are extremely prevalent, affecting between 4-8% of children, but most are not as
dangerous as a peanut allergy, which affects approximately 1% of children.
A peanut allergy is more common in people who have other atopic
conditions, like eczema, asthma or hay fever, or who have
immediate family with these conditions.
Allergic food reactions, particularly peanut allergy, are on the rise, according to The Food Allergy
& Anaphylaxis Network. Peanut allergy causes an estimated 15,000 emergency room visits each year and nearly 100 deaths.
Peanuts, along with milk, eggs, tree nuts (walnuts, almonds and pecans, for example), fish, shellfish,
soy and wheat account for 90 percent of all allergic reactions in the United States.
Food allergy-induced reactions are estimated to account for tens of thousands of allergic
reactions each year and 30,000 emergency room visits.
As mentioned above, what distinguishes a peanut allergy is the severity of the reaction. In fact,
studies by Scott H. Sicherer, M.D., associate professor of pediatrics at the Mount
Sinai School of Medicine and a researcher in the Jaffe Food Allergy Institute, suggest
that 80% of people with a peanut allergy have had a reaction that involves a breathing
problem or that affected multiple areas of their body. He further
estimates that 100 to 150 people in the USA die each year from peanut allergies.
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