The peanut allergy struggle during the holiday season

A food allergy can be no joke, especially to something as common as peanuts. The burden that most people carry with them of having a nut allergy is a daily struggle; however, it can feel even harder to cope with during the holiday season.

According to allergy and immunology specialist Dr. Ananth Thyagarajan. or “Dr. T”, there are about 1.3 million children and teenagers that suffer from a peanut allergy. What’s even scarier is that the symptoms of an allergic reaction can vary. They could be as little as itching in the mouth or facial hives, to throat swelling or other life threatening reactions.

Dr. T shares some tips for children and parents who want to feel safe this holiday season while dealing with a peanut allergy. Here is what he suggests:

For Holiday Guests

Let the host know about peanut allergies
Offer to bring allergen safe meal or dessert
Feed affected child before a gathering
Keep epinephrine pen available

For Holiday Hosts

Ask guests about potential food allergies
Keep a list of ingredients
Allow allergic guest to eat first

There is now an FDA-approved oral treatment that can help decrease a patient’s sensitivity to peanuts. This would mean that the affected patient would not feel their symptoms as badly as they normally would. However, you should always check with your doctor before taking anything new.

To learn more about this oral treatment, visit www.helpforpeanutallergies.com