Interesting article about early peanut exposure

greentiger

Tue, Nov 11 2008, 8:05 am

http://www.reuters.com/article.....81107

Quote:

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Contrary to widespread recommendations, the consumption of peanuts in infancy is associated with a low prevalence of peanut allergy, the results of a new study suggest.

"Our study findings raise the question of whether early introduction rather than avoidance of peanut in infancy is the better strategy for the prevention of peanut allergy," write researchers in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

In the UK, Australia and, until recently, the United States, guidelines have recommended that women avoid peanuts during pregnancy and breastfeeding, and should not introduce peanuts into their children's diets during infancy, note Dr. George Du Toit of King's College London and colleagues.

The researchers analyzed the prevalence of peanut allergy and diet histories for 5,171 Jewish children from the UK and 5,615 Jewish children from Israel.

They found that children from the UK had a prevalence of peanut allergy that was 10-fold higher than that of children from Israel -- 1.85 percent versus 0.17 percent.
....

PIP

Tue, Nov 11 2008, 8:57 am

I would definitely not recommend this advice to a family who's prone to allergies. Maybe it holds true for someone who has no allergy history, but for a family w\ allergies in the genes? I doubt it.

shnitzel

Tue, Nov 11 2008, 9:02 am

To me the not exposing pregnant women to peanuts dosen't make sense based on the scientific reason, I still don't get why having babies exposed to an allergen is less likely to make them allergic, it makes more sense the other way - that their body freaks out and thinks the protien is dangerous when the body has never seen it until the child is three.
My m-i-l avoided all allergens (nuts, fish, dairy) that my DH was allergic to when she was pregnant with my b-I-l and dear b-I-l is still severely allergic to all these things while DH outgrew some of his allergies. Only anectodotal but it does show that it dosen't work that way - not exposing a baby to allergens isn't a simple formula that keeps the kid from being allergic.

yOungM0mmy

Tue, Nov 11 2008, 9:06 am

I have allergies, and totally disagree with that theory! I was born with my allergies - at 2 weeks old I could not breathe, and as soon as my mother went off milk, I was fine. She drank lots of milk through pregnancy, so that makes no sense. I was also born with fish, nut and egg allergies - none of which she particularly avoided.
My son is now allergic to soy, and I drank soya milk practically every single day since I dpm't drink milk and that is my main source of calcium, and I use soy sauce in cooking at least 5 times a week...he is also allergic to wheat, which I did not avoid at all either - probably ate almost every day.

Marion

Tue, Nov 11 2008, 10:24 am

greentiger wrote:

But acording to the article eating peanuts during pregnancy may prevent that in the first place.

Again, assuming the pregnant mom doesn't have the allergy. Hmm, if I'd done that neither DS would be here because neither would I.