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What Your Family Should Be Aware of with a Peanut Allergy
A Peanut Allergy is a kind of food allergy that can vary in severity. A peanut allergy is different from other nut allergies. It is an over sensitivity to the dietary substances that are found in peanuts. A food allergy results from an overreaction of the immune system, and this can lead to severe physical symptoms. It is thought that a peanut allergy affects millions of people, and it is estimated that about 1% of the population suffers from a peanut allergy. The prevalence is about the same in adults and children, although about one quarter of children with a peanut allergy will eventually outgrow it.
There is no cure for a peanut allergy; the only way to treat it is with a diet of exclusion. For those who have a peanut allergy, being vigilant with avoiding foods that may be contaminated with peanuts, peanut oils, or peanut particles is critical. Many foods are processed in a factory that also makes products that contain peanuts; this is an important piece of information for peanut allergy sufferers, and this is listed on food labels.
The most severe cases of a peanut allergy can result in anaphylaxis, which is a severe, acute reaction to peanuts. Anaphylaxis is an emergency situation that requires immediate attention, and usually needs epinephrine as a treatment. Unfortunately for many people who have a peanut allergy, contact with anything that has to do with peanuts can prove to be even fatal.
Symptoms of a peanut allergy are triggered when the body releases histamine to combat the ingredients in peanuts. The body overreacts and attacks the substances. With a peanut allergy, histamine can induce constriction of the bronchioles in the lungs, which is also known as bronchospasm, or constriction of the airways. Some of the most common symptoms of a peanut allergy include vomiting and nausea, diarrhea, swelling of the lips, face, neck, and throat, hives, and difficulty breathing. Other symptoms of a peanut allergy can include acute abdominal pain, anaphylactic shock, and sudden exacerbation of atopic eczema.
When someone goes into anaphylactic shock from a peanut allergy, death can result because of obstruction to the upper or lower airway and heart failure. This can happen within minutes or hours after eating peanuts, and the very first signs are usually sneezing, tingling in the lips, tongue, and throat, followed by a general feeling of dizziness and feeling unwell. Therefore it is critical that anyone with a peanut allergy be very careful to avoid anything that has to do with peanuts at all costs. If contact should occur with someone who has a peanut allergy, they should be taken to the ER or 911 should be called because time is critical.
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