Peanut Allergy: Can We Do a Better Job of Preventing It?
Editor's Note:
The landmark Learning Early About Peanut Allergy (LEAP) trial, published in February 2015, is revolutionizing the care of children at high risk for peanut allergy. In Part 1 of this expert interview, Medscape spoke with Matthew J. Greenhawt, MD, MBA, MSc, a pediatric allergist at the University of Michigan Medical Center, about the LEAP study and the implications of its findings in the care of children at high risk for peanut allergy.
In Part 2, Dr Greenhawt discusses the recommendations in the consensus communication on early peanut introduction and the prevention of peanut allergy in high-risk infants. Dr Greenhawt was a member of the consensus committee and is also a member of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)-appointed expert panel guideline committee that met in summer 2015 to develop updated recommendations regarding primary prevention of food allergy.
A 4-month-old infant, well known to you, presents today with her mother for a well-child exam. Her mother reports that her daughter is exclusively breastfed and nursing well but "is always hungry," and she is anxious to begin introducing solid foods. The baby is thriving, and her exam is normal. The mother reports that she herself is allergic to peanuts and asks whether she should avoid this food in her daughter.
Can Peanut Allergy Be Prevented?
Editor's Note:
The landmark Learning Early About Peanut Allergy (LEAP) trial, published in February 2015, is revolutionizing the care of children at high risk for peanut allergy. In Part 1 of this expert interview, Medscape spoke with Matthew J. Greenhawt, MD, MBA, MSc, a pediatric allergist at the University of Michigan Medical Center, about the LEAP study and the implications of its findings in the care of children at high risk for peanut allergy.
In Part 2, Dr Greenhawt discusses the recommendations in the consensus communication on early peanut introduction and the prevention of peanut allergy in high-risk infants. Dr Greenhawt was a member of the consensus committee and is also a member of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)-appointed expert panel guideline committee that met in summer 2015 to develop updated recommendations regarding primary prevention of food allergy.
What Would You Do?
A 4-month-old infant, well known to you, presents today with her mother for a well-child exam. Her mother reports that her daughter is exclusively breastfed and nursing well but "is always hungry," and she is anxious to begin introducing solid foods. The baby is thriving, and her exam is normal. The mother reports that she herself is allergic to peanuts and asks whether she should avoid this food in her daughter.
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