Mothers with children who have peanut allergies can find hope for relief in recent allergy studies. In a study recently published in the Lancet, Dr. Andrew Clark and his team conducted clinical trials testing immunotherapy treatments for children with peanut allergies. A treatment group of children with this allergy were fed small yet increasing amounts of peanut flour for a 6 month period. After the treatment, over 80% of the children were able to safely eat the equivalent of 5 peanuts a day, which is at least 25 times the quantity of peanut protein they could tolerate before the experiment. ‘As kids take an increasing amount, their immune systems start to change,’ said Dr. Clark. ‘They can tolerate peanuts more robustly.’

Immunotherapy has been a successful form of allergy relief for wasp-sting allergies and grass pollen. At its core, immunotherapy is a long, slow process of reintroducing tiny amounts of a particular allergen to patients. Over time, the amounts of the substance patients ingest or are exposed to increases with that hope of leading to a higher, long term tolerance of the allergen. With regard to peanut allergies, this has been the most successful study so far, and gives hope to parents who are constantly on the lookout for even trace amounts of peanuts that can send the severely allergic into anaphylactic shock. In the future this type of treatment could relieve much of the worry associated with trace amounts of allergens causing severe reactions and help lift many of the precautionary diet restrictions those with food allergies often have to impose.

While we wait for more research, long term test results, and potential FDA approval for this treatment, avoidance remains one of the best options for those dealing with food allergies. Though peanut butter might not be one the menu just yet, here are some Peanut/ nut substitute suggestions without the risk of allergic reactions.

• Sunflower seed butter
• Soy nut butter
• Hummus

All of these substitutes are easily found in local grocery stores, generally near the peanut butters. If any of you readers have suggestions on sunflower seed butter or soy nut butter brands, let me know, I