Admin
... Read More
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookie Policy.
Written By: Admin | Updated : October 7, 2014 5:59 PM IST
Keeping your home too clean could cause your child to develop a life-threatening peanut allergy, a new study suggests. The research also found that children from a more affluent background were more likely to suffer from peanut allergies than their more indigent peers. Peanut allergy commonly causes breathing problems, but occasionally results in fatal anaphylactic shock.
Scientists say that the findings support the Hygiene Hypothesis that germs and dirt actually aid a developing child s immune system. When they are later exposed to new irritants, including harmless foods such as nuts, their body is more likely to have an allergic reaction. The study examined 8,306 patients, 776 of which had some form of reaction to peanuts.
Overall household income is only associated with peanut sensitisation in children aged one to nine years, said lead author of the study, Dr Sandy Yip.
This may indicate that development of peanut sensitisation at a young age is related to affluence, but those developed later in life are not, he said.
Researchers also found that peanut allergy was generally higher in males and racial minorities. While many children can develop a tolerance to food allergens as they age, only 20 per cent will outgrow a peanut allergy, said American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (ACAAI) president Dr Stanley Fineman.
