Outgrowing Tree Nut Allergies

I don't really have any info on it, but I think it's about the same as outgrowing peanuts--rare. However, Ben's CAP RASTS for tree nuts were low enough that the allergist said he may be outgrowing them. Since he's allergic to peanuts, and shouldn't eat tree nuts anyway, the allergist saw no reason to do an oral challenge, but said he would if I wanted. I may want to in a few years if the numbers go down more. Even though he wouldn't eat nuts, I wouldn't have to worry about "may contain tree nuts" labels--I'm not going to worry about "double" cross-contamination.

My dd is TNA and my info is that it is as rare or even more so to outgrow TNA. Also it develops more frequently later in life - for example it is something an adult might be more likely to develop then PA.
TNA reactions normally vary from nut family to nut type (family), (for example my dd does not react at all to almonds per the RAST, while pecan is off the chart) but all should nuts are normally avoided due to cross contimiation, subsititutions in bakery goods etc... And that does not mean that the TNA is being "outgrown", just that the different nuts have different chemical make ups. A "nut" RAST or similar test might give you more specfics about allergy to only one type of nut - but again avoidance will probably be the safest choice.
Hope this helps!
[This message has been edited by Chicago (edited March 16, 2002).]

I asked Robert Wood, MD this question at the FAAN meeting. He said the rate of outgrowing PA is about 25% (based on new data) and the rate of outgrowing TNA is about 10-15%. He said you have to outgrow each TNA to be no longer allergic to TN and that requires that more things be outgrown( almonds, pecans, walnuts, etc). But it can happen!

My son was skin tested for tree nuts along with peanuts at age 3 all the results were the same. He tested very positive for all. We had him skin tested again when he was five and all his tree nut allergies looked like they are gone! His peanut allergy is still very severe according to the skin test, but we have not had a reaction since he was 2 so I am praying that he is one of the few that have outgrown his peanut allergy. We plan to have him CAP RAST tested within the month!

Can't say anything on this subject w/r to our daughter, since she's never been exposed and we have not tested her for TN.
Her father is walnut allergic, and has always eaten other nuts without any problems at all. He loves pistachios in particular, but used to eat mixed nuts as well.
Since he developed the walnut allergy when he was a very young child, and he is now..... well, for his sake I will just say its unlikely he's going to "outgrow" it [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/smile.gif[/img]
His reactions are not anaphylactic... but he hasn't ever consumed more than a very small amount, either, and I have seen him get pretty ill from a single bite of something.
I also knew a family friend who had anaphylaxis to beestings, and was also moderately almond allergic. Only almonds, and she didn't avoid other TN at all.
I think (based on the extensive case histories of what, two individuals? [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/wink.gif[/img] ) that perhaps the TN allergies when they occur without PA are pretty predictable and less likely to be anaphylaxis triggers.