An Egg A Day to Keep the Allergies Away?
New studies presented at the American College of Allergy, Asthma and
Immunology (ACAAI) Annual Scientific Meeting found that 56 percent of allergic
children can tolerate baked hen’s egg, while 55 percent outgrow their egg allergy
entirely. You know what this means? This means that if your kids or grandchildren have egg
allergies, they may not have to avoid the sweet treats like cookies and other sweets that contain eggs!
Allergist Rushani Saltzman, M.D., lead study author and ACAAI member
said “More than half of egg allergic children can tolerate hen’s eggs when they
are baked at 350 degrees in products such as cakes and breads”. He also said that
baked egg dietary introduction by an allergist can broaden a child’s diet, improve
quality of life and likely accelerate the development of an egg tolerance.
2/5 baked hen’s egg was the median dose tolerated. All the tested products were
baked at 350 degrees for a minimum of 30 minutes.
Ruchi Gupta, M.D., lead study author and pediatrician, found out in a separate
study that children usually outgrew the egg allergy out of all the eight common
food allergens.
“Food tolerance was observed in one in four children, with 55 percent outgrowing
their egg allergy by age seven,” said Dr. Gupta. “Developing an egg tolerance is
the most common for children, followed by milk. A small proportion outgrew
shellfish and tree nut allergies.”
However, according to the researchers, if the child has suffered a severe allergic
reaction to eggs in the past, they are less likely to develop immunity to it.
Rapid swelling of the skin and tissue, difficulty breathing and life-threatening
anaphylaxis are the symptoms of severe allergic reaction.
Allergist Richard Weber, M.D., ACAAI president-elect, pointed out that while
their recent study showed positive findings for children who develop allergies
when they eat eggs or food that is made from and contains eggs like cookies,
parents must always be cautious. “Introducing an allergen back into a child’s
diet can have severe consequences, and only should be done under the care of a
board-certified allergist”, said Weber.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/11/121109083748.htm
Be Well!
Erai Beckmann
Founder – The Future of Health Now