Nutty About Allergies: The Peanut Problem

Peanuts – love them or fear them, they sure know how to cause a stir. In this episode, we’re diving into the nutty world of peanut allergy—why it happens, how to spot it, and what you can do if you or your child has it.

We’ll bust some common myths, chat about how early peanut introduction might actually help prevent allergies (yep, really!), and hear real-life stories from families living with peanut allergy every day. Plus, we’ll talk about what to do in an emergency and what new treatments are on the horizon.

Whether you’re a parent, a teacher, or just someone with a peanut-allergic friend, this episode will leave you feeling more informed, more prepared, and maybe a little less scared of the snack aisle.

Sources:

1. Berkes, S., et al. (2025) ‘Re-evaluating treatment success in trials of peanut oral-immunotherapy: impact of different definitions on efficacy outcomes’, Current Opinion in Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 25, pp. 185–193. doi:10.1097/ACI.0000000000001077.
2. Brough, H.A., et al. (2015) ‘Atopic dermatitis increases the effect of exposure to peanut antigen in dust on peanut sensitisation and likely peanut allergy’, Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 135(1), pp. 164–170. doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2014.10.007.
3. Du Toit, G., et al. (2013) ‘Identifying infants at high risk of peanut allergy: The Learning Early About Peanut Allergy (LEAP) screening study’, Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 131(1), pp. 135–143. doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2012.09.015.
4. Keet, C., et al. (2021) ‘Ara h 2–specific IgE is superior to whole peanut extract–based serology or skin prick test for diagnosis of peanut allergy in infancy’, Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 147(3), pp. 977–983. doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2020.11.034.
5. Kotsapas, C., Nicolaou, N., Haider, S., Kerry, G., Turner, P.J., Murray, C.S., Simpson, A. and Custovic, A. (2022) ‘Early-life predictors and risk factors of peanut allergy, and its association with asthma in later-life: Population-based birth cohort study’, Clinical & Experimental Allergy, 52(4), pp. 646–657. doi:10.1111/cea.14103.
6. Peanut Allergy | Allergy UK | National Charity (2021) Peanut Allergy. Available from: Allergy UK website.
7. Peters, R.L., Allen, K.J., Dharmage, S.C., Koplin, J.J., Dang, T., Tilbrook, K.P., Lowe, A., Tang, M.L.K. and Gurrin, L.C. (2015) ‘Natural history of peanut allergy and predictors of resolution in the first 4 years of life: A population-based assessment’, Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 135(5), pp. 1257–1266. doi:10.1016/j.jaci.2015.01.002.
8. Turner, P.J. and Campbell, D.E. (2017) ‘Implementing primary prevention for peanut allergy at a population level’, Journal of the American Medical Association, Published online February 13, 2017. doi:10.1001/jama.2017.0922.

Disclaimer: The information shared in this podcast and on this website is not intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your doctor or a qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have about a medical condition. Please don't ignore or delay seeking medical advice based on content from this podcast or website.

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