Ten Must Know Facts About Peanut Allergies

1. When ordering at a restaurant, advise the waiter that you are allergic to peanuts, before your meal is prepared.

2. Pay close attention to the labels on ALL food items, and even many non-food items such as shampoos, and skin conditioners.

3. If you suffer from very severe reactions to peanuts, ask your doctor if you can be prescribed an emergency self injection. You may need to carry injectable epinephrine or antihistamines. This is so that you can get immediate medical care whilst waiting for the emergency workers to arrive.

4. Always remind a doctor or nurse of your peanut allergy, before you are given any sort of medication

5. The best and most effective treatment for a peanut allergy, is to avoid peanuts altogether.

6. Estimates reveal that approximately 1.1% of the U.S population suffers from a serious allergy to peanuts.

7. That means that there are over 3,000,000 Americans who suffer from an adverse allergic reaction to peanuts.

8. Out of all the food allergies, peanuts are the leading cause for severe food allergy reactions.

9. Be aware of cross contamination when eating food that may have been prepared near peanut products. A case occurred in Ontario, where a teenager at a summer camp died after eating a grilled cheese sandwich made with butter that had also been used to make a peanut butter sandwich.

10. Having a peanut allergy does not mean that you will have that allergy for life. New research estimates that up to 20% of people who suffer from an allergy to peanuts will outgrow it by the time they reach school age.

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What is an allergy?

A major defence mounted by the body's immune system against normally harmless substances, or allergens, such as chemicals in pollen, food, bee stings, animal dander, or dust. An allergic reaction is the body's strong reaction to these substances in a person who is sensitive to them. Reactions range from mild to severe, and may include sneezing, a rash, or difficulty breathing (which can be fatal). Allergens trigger allergic reactions in people with allergies.
A condition in which the body has an exaggerated response to a substance (eg food or drug). Also known as hypersensitivity.
When a person is very sensitive to certain foods, liquids, pollen, or animals. The allergy can make the person ill, including sneezing, itching, and rashes. Severe allergies can even be fatal (cause death). Some organisms which cause uncomfortable allergies with people include Ragweed (pollen), Poison Ivy (oil), and Honey Bees (venom).