Peanut allergy diagnoses in children have significantly dropped by over 40% since 2017. This decline is attributed to a major shift in public health guidelines, now recommending the early introduction of peanuts to infants, reversing previous advice and based on strong evidence that early exposure drastically reduces allergy risk.
According to a recent paper in the Journal of Pediatrics, the number of peanut allergy diagnoses among children has fallen by over 40% since 2017. This significant reduction is a direct result of a 'sea change' in food allergy guidelines over the past decade. Previously, in the late 1990s and early 2000s, parents were advised to delay introducing peanuts until a child was at least three years old. However, a landmark 2015 study, the Leap (Learning Early About Peanut allergy) study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, revealed that introducing peanuts to babies as young as a few months old could reduce the risk of developing an allergy by over 80%. This pivotal finding led to new public health guidelines in 2017, recommending the early introduction of peanut protein to infants. Dr. Stanislaw Gabryszewski, a co-author of the recent paper, explains that the common misconception that delaying allergenic foods helps prevent allergies has been disproven by strong evidence showing the opposite: early introduction can actually reduce the risk of anaphylactic food allergies. Food allergies occur when the body's immune system mistakenly identifies a food as harmful, producing IgE antibodies that trigger symptoms like hives, swelling, vomiting, and difficulty breathing. These allergies are influenced by a complex mix of genetic and environmental factors. While common childhood allergies like milk and eggs are often outgrown, peanut allergies tend to persist into adulthood. Peanut allergies, once rare before the 1990s, saw a concerning increase in the late 90s and early 2000s, leading to a 'peanut panic' and the implementation of peanut-free zones in many public spaces. Current statistics indicate that about 3% of US adults self-report a peanut allergy, and approximately one in 50 children and one in 200 adults have a nut allergy. To cautiously introduce peanuts, current American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines recommend starting between four and six months of age. For children with higher risk factors, such as eczema or egg allergies, consulting a specialist beforehand is advisable. Experts suggest an 'early and often' approach to exposure. Safety is paramount: babies should have good head and neck control and be able to swallow solids. Whole peanuts are a choking hazard; instead, thin peanut butter with water or breast milk (aiming for about 2 tsp a few times a week) or use dissolving peanut butter puffs. Parents should closely monitor for allergic reactions, treating mild symptoms like a rash with antihistamines, but seeking immediate medical attention for severe reactions such as persistent vomiting, coughing, or difficulty breathing. Continued exposure to the food is crucial after initial tolerance to prevent sensitization. Dr. Gabryszewski notes that while early introduction doesn't guarantee prevention, the recent findings offer a 'heartening indication' that this strategy is effectively reducing peanut allergy rates.
