What's the deal with peanut allergies?

[Duchie]

I've seen a lot of kids dx as ADD who were simply the products of bad parenting and teachers who had no idea of how to keep kids interested in the course materials.

My SIL has been a teacher for about 15 years. She always says, "Those kids aren't A.D.D., they're just B.A.D."

 

[Christine]

I just wanted to add that I think all allergies are on the rise. As a child, I swear I was just about the only one in my class suffering with hay fever allergies (this was the 60s through the 80s). I specifically remember being in high school with my eyes swollen shut and thinking "Am I the only one?????" No one in my family had it, none of my parents or my 21 cousins. I was the odd one.

Now, it seems, EVERYONE around me is hacking, wheezing, and sneezing in some from from the various pollens here in the DC area. In fact, it is unusual to find someone who doesn't have hayfever.

So what's up with that? Maybe our immune systems are just changing. It could be, on a larger scheme, due to the lack of serious illnesses that we no longer have to deal with. I refuse it's due to washing our hands or cleaning the floors.

 

[Freyja]

I have no idea why but I´d love to know the answer. I also wonder whether it´s a regional thing. Allergies are getting a lot more common around here as well but still I don´t know anyone with a peanut allergy. I have 4 kids and as far as I know, nobody in their classes has a peanut allergy.

 

[momof2inPA]

I consumed peanut butter like crazy when I was pregnant with DS#1, and he has a peanut allergy. I avoided peanuts/peanut butter/ nuts/ legumes like the plague when I was pregnant with and breast feeding DS#2, and he has a peanut allergy. I breast fed both kids for 2 1/2 years and 2 years respectively, and my mom breastfed me. My house is tidy, but I don't sanitize or clean obsessively and never have, and I used to avoid using anti-bacterial products.

My allergist says that allergies are on the rise in all age groups. Teenagers are showing up at her office who have never had allergies before, but have develped them across the board. They are having trouble finding foods they can eat. Cells showing signs of allergic reactions are showing up in the body in places they haven't ever been seen before. She thinks it has something to do with what we're putting in our foods, the additives, the processing, the pesticides, whatever China decides to add to stuff they send to the U.S. Some countries have also linked the increase in allergies to immunizations. Genetics of course play a part.

More research needs to be done and more money needs to be devoted to research, but sadly, pharmaceutical companies don't see food allergy treatments as potential big money makers. Maybe if the allergies become even more prevalent, there will be more of an effort to find a cure.

 

[Maleficent13]

I blame Bill Clinton.

 

[daisax]

Return to breastfeeding our kids.

I think a hell of a lot more people have breast fed in the past 30 years than did from 1955-75.

Soy allergies are definitely on the rise -- my sister is a school cafeteria manager and soy allergies are second only to peanut allergies. Soy is in EVERYTHING now -- it's the next high-fructose corn syrup in terms of being put into every conceivable foodstuff.

As for asthma and other respiratory "allergies" -- it's sick building syndrome. Old fashioned buildings breathed -- now windows are sealed so tightly (and in most offices and schools don't open, PERIOD) that kids in school and adults at work are trapped in constantly recirculating air. How often do we really think those air ducts are cleaned? Ever?

Even the new windows people have in their homes, so good for fuel savings and keeping outside noise at a minimum contribute in the wintertime to respiratory problems.

 

[coliebird]

I ate peanut butter during both of my pregnancies. My oldest has no allergies, my youngest has a peanut allergy. I also do not use the antibacterial products or sanitze everything to death so I don't know if that is true.

I believe that it is genetics. My husband had severe eczema as a child and has bad seasonal and cat allergies. My youngest had severe eczema and is allergic to peanuts, egg whites and cats. I blame my husband LOL. I have no allergies at all and neither does my oldest.

My daughter's allergist subscribes to a couple of theories. One links peanut allergies to soy formula. I don't know if it is really true, but my peanut allergic daughter was on soy for the whole year b/c of her eczema. Another is the theory that parents are waiting so long to introduce these foods that the child doesn't build up an immunity to them. I don't know if I believe this. My oldest daughter had peanut butter for the 1st time when she was 14 months, she is fine. I thought that there would be no harm in giving it to my youngest around the same age since nobody in our family has peanut allergies. I gave it to her at 17 months and she immediately broke out in hives. Whatever the case, there is a chance she will outgrow it and I hope she does.

Anyway, I don't know if there is one answer for why this is on the rise, but it definitely is.

 

[Imzadi]

Peanut Allergies, Diabetes, ADD, ADHD, among other things are becoming epidemic and are really tramatizing our children. You didn't hear children with these things until recently. What can we do to changes this?

Obesity & Adult-onset Diabetes are the fastest growing epidemics here in AMERICA - not around the world. So it is a lifestyle / eating thing - NOT genetics.

Since the Industrial Revolution created machinery to pulverize wheat & grains so that they are not even recognised nutrients, but process in the body as pure sugar (carbs), yes, we in America have a growing problem when so many people eat them as the largest portion of their diet.

If you look at recent threads on the Budget Board about feeding their families for the lowest cost possible, their lists of what they eat are mostly carbs & processed sugars.

If you break down a peanut butter sandwich: 2 bread slices (carbs) + jelly (sugar) + peanut butter (sugar + hydrogenated fats) it breaks down to about 89% sugar. NOT a healthy meal even for people who are not allergic to peanuts.

People feed their kids sugar loaded cereals for breakfast. After not eating anything for 7-8 hours during sleep, breaking someone's FAST with predominantly sugar is about one of the most unhealthy a person can do. What people are doing to their pancreases - responsible for producing insulin - overloading their system every few hours with massive amounts of sugar, then the sudden glycemic drop, which the body is also trying to recover from & regulate, no wonder why the pancreas gets blown and we have so many diabetics.

 

[Hannathy]

I'm actually not sure that allergies are any more prevelent now than when we were kids, but I do think a lot of moms are a lot more paranoid. Their kid breaks out in a small rash once that might be attributed to eating peanut butter and suddenly their kid is hyper-allergic to peanuts and must never be around them.

As far as ADHD, it was definitely around 40 years ago--but those kids were just labeled troublemakers, put on a vo-tech path, and that was the end of it. Personally I think that ADD is probably the most misdiagnosed and over medicated thing going. I've seen a lot of kids dx as ADD who were simply the products of bad parenting and teachers who had no idea of how to keep kids interested in the course materials. I personally know at least three families who were treating their kids with Ritalin--those kids were normal, active kids who were about as ADD as the family dog--but the minute the teacher mentioned the kid was having trouble concentrating in class just before lunch time (duh--they were hungry!) the parent rushed them off to the doctor, who just like over prescribing antibiotics because that's what the paretns demanded, they prescribed Ritalin for ADD. It's pretty sad.

Anne

ITA. I think there aren't that many more kids but my goodness the parents so over react now. Many kids are allergic to ingesting peanuts and they want the whole school to be peanut free for 1 kid who just needs to not eat any, and we willingly go along with it. Same with airplanes.

I also think the over sanitizing everything and the over protectiveness today doesn't help. the kids immune systems never have a chance to be built up.

I also agree with the ADD diagnosis. Saw it happen to 2 kids in my DS's kindergarten class. One was spirited but could have been dealt with, the other was just a spoiled brat.

 

[Christine]

Since the Industrial Revolution created machinery to pulverize wheat & grains so that they are not even recognised nutrients, but process in the body as pure sugar (carbs), yes, we in America have a growing problem when so many people eat them as the largest portion of their diet.

.

I am currently reading The Omnivore's Dilemma. I am only in the early chapters of the "Corn" section and I'm absolutely disgusted with the "industrial" food supply in America. Thoroughly depressing.

 

[Fitswimmer]

I was diagnosed at 18 months with my allergy and that was over 40 years ago. I felt like the only kid in the universe with an allergy and there were no accomodations made for me in school-we wouldn't have even thought to ask. If accomodations were to be made, I was responsible for making them.

And yes, it IS life threatening. I carry an epi-pen that will keep me breathing long enough to get to a hospital. Of course, I'm very careful about ingesting them so I don't ever get to that point.

I did have an asthma attack last week in my new office because folks were shelling and eating peanuts. Inhalation isn't life threatening, but it does make me feel kind of icky. I couldn't see over the wall to know what was going on, I just paid for it. At baseball games I have to take a walk when people eat them.

 

[Tiffer]

I
I suspect as soy becomes more a mainstay in the U.S. diet, we will see these allergies rise also.

Doesn't soy contain a high % of estrogen?

 

[momof2inPA]

ITA. I think there aren't that many more kids but my goodness the parents so over react now. Many kids are allergic to ingesting peanuts and they want the whole school to be peanut free for 1 kid who just needs to not eat any, and we willingly go along with it. Same with airplanes.

I also think the over sanitizing everything and the over protectiveness today doesn't help. the kids immune systems never have a chance to be built up.

I also agree with the ADD diagnosis. Saw it happen to 2 kids in my DS's kindergarten class. One was spirited but could have been dealt with, the other was just a spoiled brat.

There are a few arguments for making schools peanut free. Peanut protein is a hearty protein. It survives for long periods of time on surfaces (tables, handrails, kick balls). Peanut butter is also sticky and can be easily spread to surfaces such as handrails, tables, desks, and kick balls. Peanut allergies and seafood allergies are the deadliest food allergies around, and reactions can be caused by contact. Obviously, the peanut protein would need the ability to enter the body to cause a systemic reaction, which would be through a mucous gland or orally. So, if a kid rubbed his eye or picked his nose after touching a kick ball, this could cause an allergic reaction. Then, there's always the teasing factor. The other kids might tease the peanut allergic kid with a peanut butter sandwich and throw it at him or something. ...and it's a liability issue for the school.

I'm not an expert on, nor have I had any experience with ADD, so I'll let some other parent who actually knows something about it address that issue.

 

[Dakota_Lynn]

Lots of diseases have been on the rise in the last 25+ years; allergies, Alzheimer’s, MS, lupus and other autoimmune diseases, autism, childhood behavioral disorders, fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome just to name a few are happening at staggering rates. Everybody wonders why so many kids have autism and why so many old people are getting neurological disorders. Why are so many women getting autoimmune disease? Well, something else emerged in the early 80s besides an increase in diseases; aspartame. Many Americans (and I was once on of them) consume diet sodas by the bucket-loads. I know that a lot of people will think I’m a whack-job, but I really believe aspartame is behind a lot of the illnesses in the USA today. And yes, I do realize that the scientific “evidence” doesn’t back this up. But I also know that many, if not most doctors feel that aspartame at best “causes problems for some people” and at worst is “a national health crisis.” There is tons of anecdotal evidence; evidence that most doctors I’ve seen believe points to aspartame as being a cause for the increase in certain health problems. But the government studies show otherwise. Some people argue this is because aspartame is a huge business in the USA. I hate conspiracy theories myself, but I have to question those studies because I know my own personal experience leaves me with no doubt whatsoever that aspartame made me very sick.

Just something to think about! People are looking for causes for today’s increase in certain health issues. It could be a big coincidence, but aspartame came out in the very early 80s, and that is also when all these allergies, behavior problems, neurological and autoimmune disorders began to increase. As for peanut allergies, there could be lots of reasons for it. But aspartame usage could be a factor.

 

[momof2inPA]

I did have an asthma attack last week in my new office because folks were shelling and eating peanuts. Inhalation isn't life threatening, but it does make me feel kind of icky. I couldn't see over the wall to know what was going on, I just paid for it. At baseball games I have to take a walk when people eat them.

Inhalation isn't deadly for you. The lady down the street used to work at our local major league park and said a guy had to have a tracheotomy from an inhalation reaction.

 

[Imzadi]

I also agree with the ADD diagnosis. Saw it happen to 2 kids in my DS's kindergarten class. One was spirited but could have been dealt with, the other was just a spoiled brat.

I agree. I grew up with a kid, who in 6th grade was tested as having a genius/college level I.Q. The teacher even told him that, hoping it would straighten him up, as he was the rebellious, mouthy troublemaker in school. He was clearly more intelligent than even the teachers! I saw that in 6th grade.

He was simply bored with school & needed more stimulation & info than what was being taught & how it was taught. What they should have done was take him aside, get him a private tutor or advance him a couple of grades to keep him challenged. There's more ways to learn than just reading & writing. Instead, as soon as he could, he dropped out of school at the legal age of 16. It's a shame, had he been harnessed & directed properly, being such the rock & roll type rebel he was, he could have been the current Bono of today, LEADING the world against injustices to other children around the world.

 

[Christine]

Doesn't soy contain a high % of estrogen?

No, but it has compounds that can mimic estrogen properties which is why it is sometimes prescribed for menopausal symptoms. Although, I think they have pretty much discovered that it doesn't really work.

 

[Christine]

I'm not an expert on, nor have I had any experience with ADD, so I'll let some other parent who actually knows something about it address that issue.

You mean you don't want to be an "armchair psychiatrist" and give out your anecdotal evidence about how the ADHD kids are just ill-behaved?

 

[LadyJeanPirateQueen]

Soy allergies are definitely on the rise -- my sister is a school cafeteria manager and soy allergies are second only to peanut allergies. Soy is in EVERYTHING now -- it's the next high-fructose corn syrup in terms of being put into every conceivable foodstuff.

I totally agree with that. DS is allergic to soybean oil, but only in the liquid form (as in ketchup, mayo or other condiment sauce). He doesn't seem to have a problem that we've noticed with soybean oil being in baked goods or other foods however.

Ladyjean

 

[momof2inPA]

You mean you don't want to be an "armchair psychiatrist" and give out your anecdotal evidence about how the ADHD kids are just ill-behaved?

Not today, I'll let Dr. Hannathy do that for me.