Peanut allergies linked to eczema creams

If your child complains of a tingling in the mouth, or an itchy feeling after eating peanuts, you should ask your doctor for a referral to an allergy specialist. ‘This isn’t reliable, but if a child complains they don’t like peanuts, that can also be a warning sign,’ says David Reading, founder of the Anaphylaxis Campaign. The peanut allergy may remain mild, but can develop into anaphylaxis, so you should seek medical help no matter how inconsequential the symptoms seem.

Coping with a peanut allergy can be worrying and demanding

A parent has to steer clear of many more foods than just peanut butter and satay sauce. Peanuts seem to be present in a surprising number of foods. ‘You can find peanut traces in cakes, biscuits, pastries, ice cream, cereal bars, confectionery, vegetarian products, curries, salad dressings and Chinese, Thai or Indonesian dishes,’ says David Reading, whose own daughter died from eating peanuts contained in a lemon meringue pie. ‘Ingredient labels need to be checked thoroughly.’

Even checking the label is no guarantee, as small amounts of peanut do not need to be declared. Eating out in restaurants and buying food from the deli counter can be especially difficult. Peanut oil can also be lurking in non-food products like soaps, shaving creams and shampoos.

Since 1998 the Department of Health has advised mothers who suffer with allergies to avoid nuts during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. This is also recommended when the father or any siblings have allergic conditions.

However, according to Dr Lack’s initial findings, there is no link between a mother consuming nuts and the development of peanut allergy in her baby. Worryingly, he even suggests that if a mother avoids the food it might increase the likelihood of a nut allergy in her baby.

The Department of Health issued a statement saying that it will consider in detail the results of the completed study but at the moment, the existing guidelines on nut consumption during pregnancy still stand.

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