A WebMD Health News article reported a new experimental therapy might be able to eliminate allergies to certain foods, by giving children miniscule portions of the food they are allergic to.
The therapy, conducted by the Duke University Medical Center, was tested on nine children allergic to peanut products. The children were given small doses of peanut protein over two and a half years. Five of the nine children developed immunities to the protein, essentially eliminating their allergies.
About 12 million Americans have food allergies, with peanut allergies being the most common. Often, allergic reactions can be lethal even with the smallest trace of peanuts. Wesley Burks, the doctor in charge of the study, reflected on the results of the study: "At the start of the study, these participants couldn't tolerate one-sixth of a peanut," Burks told WebMD. "Six months into it, they were ingesting 13 to 15 peanuts before they had a reaction."
This is a good way to treat children with food allergies that are difficult to live with. Peanuts are an especially hard food allergy for kids because of school environments; PB&J is a lunch room favorite!
I can see how giving your body small increments of something you may be allergic too your body adjusting to it because of the antibodies. I find this a very helpful research to know that they are trying to find ways to cure food allergies me being one myself....
I am glad they are doing this. With every new test, or medicine there will be sideffects...I think that if side effects outway the actual illness its not worth it
Duke hospital is on cutting edge of medicine and this could be a real big potential break through. So many people suffer from peanut allergies that this could have signifcant effect on a large sum of people!
