This month, researchers found that giving small amounts of peanuts to children who are allergic to them may help them overcome their allergy. That is great, but wouldn't it be better if these kids were never allergic in the first place? Peanut allergies doubled from 1997 to 2002, and the numbers continue to rise. Today, 3.3 million Americans are allergic to peanuts.
For a long time, doctors recommended that pregnant and breastfeeding women refrain from eating peanuts, in order to stave off the allergy in their children. They may have done exactly the opposite.
The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology recently published a report that youngsters who are not exposed to peanuts are more likely to develop allergies to them. Ten times more likely, to be exact.
There you have it: a legitimate reason to indulge in a few Snickers bars while pregnant and nursing.
American Academy of Pediatrics updates list of advice for breast-feeing mothers
The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: Early consumption of peanuts in infancy is associated with a low prevalence of peanut allergy
The New York Times: Treatment for Peanut Allergies Shows Promise
Comments
Thanks so much for posting this - we just found out my daughter has a peanut allergy and I was feeling so guilty.
I don't know if that is right or not. All I know is that I loved peanuts and most everything with them. When I was pregnat with my second son, I ate peanut products almost every day. He had asthma-like breathing episodes when he was very young and they continued untill he was diagnosed at the age of 3 with a life threatning peanut allergy. I had avoided feeding him peanut products the same as I did with my older son untill age 4-5.
My older son is not at all allergic to them but my second son is. I did everything the same during both pregnancies. So I don't beleive that theory is correct.
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