Early introduction of peanut reduces allergies by 43% in children under 3, study finds

Introducing peanut early could help reduce allergies in children, new research suggests.

Exposing children to peanuts between 4 and 11 months of age — instead of waiting until 3 years of age, as previously recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics — appears to reduce the number of peanut allergy diagnoses, suggests the study published in Pediatrics.

“The occurrence of new peanut allergy has decreased by 43% in children under 3 years of age,” Dr. David Hill, MD, PhD, of the Division of Allergy and Immunology at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, told Fox News Digital.

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Hill, one of the study’s authors, noted that new food allergies were down 36 percent overall in this age group.

Peanuts are one of the leading causes of serious allergic reactions in children. These reactions occur when the immune system overreacts to peanuts by producing a substance called immunoglobulin E (IgE), which can lead to anaphylaxis – a serious, sometimes fatal allergic reaction, researchers noted in a press release.

Introducing peanut early could help reduce allergies in children, suggests new research published in Pediatrics. (iStock)

About 4% of children are affected by these types of food allergies, which can cause hives, difficulty breathing, swelling and vomiting. These symptoms can be immediate and life-threatening, experts told Fox News Digital.

Beyond peanuts, other common food allergens include milk, eggs and wheat, according to the report.

Scalable advice

Before 2015, it was common to warn parents about peanut exposure for children under 3 years old. Then, in 2015, a landmark study – the Learning Early About Peanut Allergy (LEAP) trial – sparked a shift in clinical practice.

The study found that for infants with severe eczema or egg allergy, exposing them to peanuts between 4 and 11 months could reduce the risk of peanut allergy by 81%.

Exposing children to peanuts between 4 and 11 months of age – instead of waiting until 3 years of age, as previously recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics – appears to reduce the number of peanut allergy diagnoses. (iStock)

Based on the LEAP trial, leading pediatric allergy and immunology organizations revised their clinical practice guidelines in 2015 and 2017, allowing early exposure to peanuts for high-risk children.

“There seems to be this window of tolerance during early childhood.”

The guidelines were updated again in 2021, encouraging the introduction of peanut, egg and other major food allergens starting at 4 to 6 months of age for all children — including those without a history of a prior reaction, according to health experts.

“It seems like there’s this window of tolerance during infancy, so if we introduce foods during that window, you’ll avoid food allergies,” Dr. Susan Schuval, chief of the division of pediatric allergy and immunology at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital in New York, told Fox News Digital.

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“If you wait until after this window, the child will be more predisposed to having a food allergy,” added Schuval, who was not part of the study.

Positive results

Hill and his team of researchers focused on the effects of the revised 2015 and 2017 guidelines, but did not include the 2021 revisions. They analyzed electronic health records from multiple clinics in multiple states to determine whether the policy changes had an effect.

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For at least two years after the 2015 guidelines, the study found a 27% decrease in peanut allergies and a 38% decrease in food allergies.

Egg allergies were also more prevalent than peanut allergies in this analysis.

Food allergies can cause hives, difficulty breathing, swelling and vomiting, which can be immediate and life-threatening. (iStock)

After the 2017 guideline change, peanut allergies decreased by 43% and overall food allergies decreased by 36% (compared to pre-2015 guidelines) in children observed for at least a year, the researchers found.

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“Everyone wonders whether these historic public health interventions have had an impact on reducing the rates of IgE-mediated food allergies in the United States,” said first author Stanislaw Gabryszewski, MD, Ph.D., an attending physician in the Division of Allergy and Immunology at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

“We now have data to suggest that the effect of this historic public health intervention is occurring,” she added.

After the 2017 guideline change, peanut allergies decreased by 43% and overall food allergies decreased by 36% (compared to pre-2015 guidelines) in children observed for at least one year. (iStock)

Hill told Fox News Digital that he “hopes our results will help raise awareness that early introduction of allergens is safe and effective.”

Although early exposure cannot completely eliminate allergies to peanuts and other foods, declining rates of food allergy diagnoses are promising, researchers said. They also highlighted the importance of early and consistent introduction into clinical practice settings.

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“Our findings are relevant (to) those of us who treat patients (and) those who care for infants – and increased awareness, education and advocacy could further increase the positive results we observed in this study,” Hill said.

Not all parents may be comfortable with these revised guidelines, health experts told Fox News Digital.

Parents are encouraged to discuss any concerns with their pediatrician before introducing potential food allergens. (iStock)

“Not everyone has followed these guidelines, but this is further evidence that this early introduction is effective in preventing food allergies,” Schuval said.

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Parents are encouraged to discuss any concerns with their pediatrician before introducing potential food allergens.

Future studies are needed to determine how the timing, dosage and frequency of exposure might further protect against food allergies, Hill added.