Issue Date: September 21, 2008
Peanut allergies
Parents, be prepared.
Peanut butter is a staple in our house. It tides us over between meals, the kids request it for school lunch, and we even use a tiny bit as a treat to get our dogs to take medicine.
About 20% of kids will outgrow peanut allergies.
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Unfortunately, for a growing number of families, peanut allergy is a frightening reality. It's responsible for about 15,000 emergency room visits and nearly 100 deaths a year, reports the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.
As in other allergies, a peanut allergy involves an overreaction of the immune system. When a sufferer is exposed to proteins in peanuts, his or her immune system activates a series of defense mechanisms meant to fight off infections. This reaction releases the chemical histamine, which causes symptoms such as itching on the roof of the mouth, nasal congestion, swelling of the eyes and tongue, hives, shortness of breath and wheezing.
Parents, you must become educated about peanut allergy (read food labels!), observant about its symptoms and prepared to respond in an emergency. For my patients with the allergy, I prescribe an epinephrine pen, an injector they can use in emergencies to buy time while seeking medical attention. Your doctor will be happy to do the same.
Tedd Mitchell, M.D., is president and CEO of Dallas' Cooper Clinic.
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