How scary are peanut allergens? The price of dehydrated garlic powder that requires a peanut allergen of less than 2.5 is nearly $1,000 a ton higher than that of dehydrated garlic powder that does not require peanut allergens. Are you willing to pay so much extra for a peanut allergen?
Australia starts world-first peanut allergy treatment for babies
Babies with peanut allergies in Australia will be offered treatment to build immunity to the potentially life-threatening condition, under a world-first program.
Supervised by select paediatric hospitals, eligible babies will be given gradually increasing doses of peanut powder each day for at least two years, to reduce sensitivity.
Australia is often dubbed the “allergy capital of the world”, with one in 10 infants diagnosed with food sensitivities.
Peanut allergy affects about 3% of Australians at 12 months old. Unlike other food allergies, few children outgrow it.
This might be the game changer to stop this terrible allergy in its tracks.
The free program is only available to children under 12 months who have already been diagnosed with a peanut allergy and are receiving care at one of ten participating hospitals across the country.
The dosing schedule will be carefully calculated for each child, program lead Tim Brettig told the BBC. Some children may experience side effects including an allergic reaction, but they are mild and do not require treatment, he said.
“Ultimately, we want to change the trajectory of allergic disease in Australia so that more children can go to school without the risk of a life-threatening peanut reaction,” said Professor Kirsten Perrett, Director of the National Allergy Centre of Excellence.
However, doctors have stressed that families should not try oral immunotherapy at home unsupervised.
Post time: Aug-16-2024