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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Ashland gets prepared for climate challenge ... Reversing opioid overdose ... Ashland chamber recognizes outstanding businesses of Ashland ... Ashland gets prepared for climate challenge ... Reversing opioid overdose ... Ashland chamber recognizes outstanding businesses of Ashland ... Peanut allergy breakthrough Study suggests giving kids peanuts early on may prevent allergies Comment By Melissa Erickson More Content Now DailyTidings.com By Melissa Erickson More Content Now Posted Mar. 19, 2015 at 12:19 PM By Melissa Erickson More Content Now Posted Mar. 19, 2015 at 12:19 PM » Social News Are peanut allergies preventable? A groundbreaking new study shows that the key to preventing peanut allergies in children may be exposing them to the food early and regularly. That’s hopeful news for parents who want to protect their children from potentially life-threatening food allergies. More than 2 percent of children in the United States are allergic to peanuts, and that number continues to increase, according to The Associated Press. The study’s results are counterintuitive to current thought that avoiding peanuts will help ward off peanut allergies. About the study The five-year, British-based study, published in February by the New England Journal of Medicine, found that the risk of peanut allergies drops 81 percent when infants are exposed early: “Consumption rather than avoidance seems to protect against developing peanut allergy,” said Dr. Gideon Lack of King’s College. “The early introduction of peanuts significantly decreased the frequency of the development of peanut allergy among children at high risk for this allergy,” the LEAP (Learning Early About Peanut Allergy) study concluded. “Prior to 2008, clinical practice guidelines recommended avoidance of potentially allergenic foods in the diets of young children at heightened risk for development of food allergies,” said Dr. Daniel Rotrosen, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases’ Division of Allergy, Immunology and Transplantation. “While recent studies showed no benefit from allergen avoidance, the LEAP study is the first to show that early introduction of dietary peanut is actually beneficial and identifies an effective approach to manage a serious public health problem.” According to the study, 3.2 percent of infants that were given peanut products tested positive for peanut allergies as 5-year-olds compared with 17.2 percent of the babies who did not eat peanuts during the study. “Food allergies are a growing concern, not just in the United States but around the world,” said Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, director, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. “For a study to show a benefit of this magnitude in the prevention of peanut allergy is without precedent. The results have the potential to transform how we approach food allergy prevention.” What’s next What does this new research mean for parents? Experts like Dr. Rebecca S. Gruchalla advise caution. The allergist and immunologist who practices in Dallas wrote an editorial in the New England Medical Journal about the study. “We believe that because the results of this trial are so compelling, and the problem of the increasing prevalence of peanut allergy so alarming, new guidelines should be forthcoming very soon,” she wrote. “In the meantime, we suggest that any infant between 4 months and 8 months of age believed to be at risk for peanut allergy should undergo skin-prick testing for peanuts. If the test results are negative, the child should be started on a diet that includes 2 grams of peanut protein three times a week for at least three years.” A follow-up study called LEAP-On will ask all LEAP study participants to avoid peanut consumption for one year. These results will determine whether continuous peanut consumption is required to maintain a child’s tolerance to the food. By Melissa Erickson More Content Now DailyTidings.com By Melissa Erickson More Content Now Posted Mar. 19, 2015 at 12:19 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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