Allergy Hero!

The Basics Of Peanut Allergies

One of the more common food allergies that people have is an allergy to peanuts and peanut byproducts. The peanut allergy is different and separate from the common nut allergy in that it is caused by an overreaction of the immune system in response to one of the dietary properties of the peanut. Peanut allergy can cause serious physical symptoms to the estimated 1% of the population that possess this hypersensitivity to the peanut.

Peanut allergy is becoming more and more common in children; still experts say that roughly 25% of all children who suffer from peanut allergies grow out of it before they reach adulthood.

An allergic reaction to peanuts can be caused by as little as 1/1000th of a peanut, and the symptoms usually involve the following:

Vomiting
Anaphylactic shock
Asthma
Abdominal pain
Hives
Swelling of the lips
Swelling of the throat
Swelling of the face
Diarrhea

Reaction to peanut allergy can run from slight irritation to death. Sufferers who also suffer from asthma are the candidates most likely to experience the most severe reactions.

The only true treatment for peanut allergies is avoidance from the peanut and its byproducts. Through avoidance and persistent attention paid to food labels, sufferers of peanut allergies can avoid having to deal with the severe symptoms that accompany this food hypersensitivity.