Do we or don’t we feed infants peanut in an attempt to avoid developing life threatening food allergies? Isn’t peanut and peanut butter a choking hazard? What about family history of anaphylaxis?
In response to this confusion over The Learning Early About Peanut Allergy (LEAP) study, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has stepped up to the plate to bring us some clarity with this statement of endorsement, “Consensus Communication from the American Academy on Early Peanut Introduction and the Prevention of Peanut Allergy In High Risk Infants “.
Our beloved allergy guru’s (physicians/researchers) Scott Sicherer, Matthew Greenhawt and Hugh Sampson were primary contributors of this communication. What does this mean to you and me? Doctors who are committed to saving lives and the management of life threatening food allergies have something to say and want our pediatricians to hear it.
What we need to know-waiting for guidelines. The AAP is telling us that based on scientific evidence (we always want those hard-core facts), there are “potential benefits of supporting early, rather than delayed, peanut introduction during the period of complementary food introduction in infants”. Meaning, the previous suggestions of holding off introducing children to peanut has not improved the odds of avoiding developing peanut allergy and feeding infants peanut may be appropriate. The Consensus statement linked above details interim guidelines for physicians to address until the National Institute of Allergy, and Infectious Disease (NIAID) and the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) publish formal guidelines next year.
Our action: Speak to your physician before you take any action regarding introduction of peanut to your infant or currently allergic child. Ask your physician to read the “Consensus Communication from the American Academy on Early Peanut Introduction and the Prevention of Peanut Allergy In High Risk Infants .” When your community challenges your behavior or actions, refer them back to the Consensus statement-we are all waiting for the guidelines.
An arm chair psychologist’s dream. After the (LEAP) study is released, headlines blaze that a cure – google peanut cure for grins – has been found (not true) and we all need to start feeding our babies peanut (not exactly true) and even worse, communities are fighting food allergy parents are over their “perceived” over-reacting since the cure is here (not true and flat out dangerous)–just feed your kid peanut they are saying. Just why has our society taken one headline as gospel? Maybe since a cure would be convenient for everyone?
So what is happening here exactly? On one level, we have good science being worked on–we can only find a cure or a therapy if there is good science taking place, such as the LEAP study. On the other hand, we have headlines fueling the confused general public regarding their infants and introducing peanut, why food allergic parents request 504 plans for our children or talk about air travel and why aren’t kids with peanut allergies simply eating small amounts of peanut?
Until the guidelines arrive, we need to find balance between understanding action to be taken with infants and managing our peanut allergic children while dispelling myths discussed in our communites.
Allergic Living has been following the LEAP study and below are a few links so you can observe how this study has been impacting our society. Disclaimer: I am an Allergic Living Contributor and am sharing these links since I think they help paint a good picture. I was not asked to share, nor does Allergic Living know I am sharing–until now.
Oldest to most current…
Early Introduction of Peanut Protects Against Allergy LEAP Study Finds
Key Points From the Leap Study
What LEAP Study Results Mean For You
LEAP Study Prompts New Peanut Introduction Guidelines for Physicians
RECENT: American Academy of Pediatrics Supports New Leap Guidelines for Infant Peanut Consumption in Statement
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One of the hardest things I find about managing both life threatening food allergies and asthma is talking to others. I hate to be the one that might be perceived as demanding, pushing or for asking too much. What I now know, fourteen years later, is that honest, clear information presented with kindness works!..
I have to say, as a food allergy parent (one of which is peanut) this frightens the living crap out of me! Putting the general media sensationalism aside, let’s consider some simple facts that are true whether you have food allergies or not.
A) There is a reason we have been told not to feed infants ANY foods before certain time frames. This is because the human body cannot handle/digest foods before a certain age. So why would we rush this even more?
B) Infants cannot speak. So, although you may be able to watch for typical signs & symptoms of a reaction, your child cannot fully tell you what is going on. They may cry, they may be acting oddly but they will not be able to say ‘Mommy, my throat feels tight” or “My tongue feels fuzzy”. Wouldn’t you want to be able to communicate with your child if you were that uncomfortable about food allergies?
C) Every reaction can be different and every person can react differently. Plain and simple- what may be safe for one child may not be the case for another. This leaves it as completely up to the parents to see how they want to proceed.
Apologies as this is not at all meant as a rant- I want everyone to just stop & weigh their own personal options to keep their families safe and as allergic-free as possible. If you do decide to try out a new food- ANY food, not just peanut butter, please keep in mind that you should pre-think & prepare just in case. This means have 2 doses of epinephrine within reach, have a telephone handy in case you need to call 911 and have a diaper bag packed & ready to go just in case a hospital stay is needed.
Tracy, I thought of you and your good insight on the digestive system! Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts!! You are not ranting, but joining our efforts to challenge families to seek good information while staying safe.
I agree too about the in-ability for an infant to signal if they are in distress and the need to wait for visible symptoms. After walking in these boots, I need to know that I am taking a medically vetted action that won’t place my child in a very dangerous place.
As time ticks forward, I see the confusing growing. This is concerning. I’m hoping the AAP’s statement and information regarding guidelines coming down the pike will help.
Thank you for writing this, Caroline! This is an important discussion to have and we continually need to have the discussion on what LEAP means and what it doesn’t. My hope is that pediatricians or other PCP’s caring for infants correctly interpret things and consult with an allergist when appropriate. Even worse is if parents take matters into their own hands without knowing their child may be at risk of developing food allergies (e.g. they have eczema) during a time when they can’t communicate the symptoms of an allergic reaction.
Jessica,
Happy to see you here today! The surface level comments I see on the internet sound very authoritative. This is what concerns me most. Only a physician, educated on the topic should help parents make these judgements. Preferably, with a board certified allergist. I am proud of the AAP’s work.
Thanks for such a great post highlighting the lack of clarity. All of these issues are so frustrating to me, and you can hear people tuning right out, and thinking in their head, or rolling their eyes “helicopter mom” when we say, yes, peanut/food allergy is still out there and there’s very little we can do but manage it right now, and we need your accommodations on planes, in school, etc….
And then those headlines scream the opposite. They scream CURE! Already Solved!
About the LEAP study, I find the headlines especially upsetting, particularly because you know parents will just start feeding peanut to their babies, regardless of even having a conversation w/their pediatrician. And even if they did, the pediatrician may have no idea who is “at risk” or not: My son never would have been considered high risk as an infant. He had no eczema. no egg or other food allergy, no asthma at the time, no history of food allergy in family…. If I read these headlines, I’d think we were safe to give it a try. And of course we’d be unprepared for anaphylaxis…
It’s nice to get media coverage on food allergies, as others know the condition exist. But sadly, what is out there, is reckless on many levels.