NEW research has revealed how and when children with peanut allergies are likely to grow out of them, thanks to changes in antibody levels over time.
According to the study led by the Murdoch Children's Research Institute (MCRI), a third of kids with peanut allergies will outgrow them by the age of 10, although most will do so by the age of six.
This is the first time antibodies were used as biomarkers to help identify peanut allergies.
Armed with the new information, clinicians will be able to identify the kids likely to experience an ongoing peanut allergy, ensuring they receive appropriate care.
"Children allergic to peanuts who have decreasing antibody markers may benefit from additional visits with their allergist to determine the right time for follow-up food challenges to confirm if their peanut allergy has resolved," said MCRI researcher Kayla Parker.
"Those with high or increasing levels of these biomarkers are less likely to spontaneously outgrow their peanut allergy and could be prioritised for potential early treatment options if available."
MCRI also recently released another survey which found 40% of primary school-aged children are affected by allergies - and a third have multiple allergies.
"Understanding how allergy prevalence varies across the school years has important implications on informing the burden of disease, allocating healthcare resources and improving school and workforce planning," said MCRI A/Prof Rachel Peters.
It also revealed that 45% of infants with food allergies will scontinue experiencing symptoms to age 10.
Between the ages of six and 10, 13% have asthma, although eczema rates have decreased from 15 to 13%, meanwhile, hayfever cases rose from 15 to 25%. JHM
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