Signs & Symptoms of Peanut Allergies in Babies

An allergy to peanuts is not at all uncommon. Peanut allergies usually develop during a baby's first year. Although children often outgrow other types of food allergies, most will have to deal with peanut allergies all of their lives. A peanut allergy reaction can be minor to life threatening. In severe cases, peanut allergies can result in anaphylaxis. Even if your baby has a mild reaction, she will be at a higher risk of having a more severe reaction in the future. Monitor you baby carefully for signs and symptoms of peanut allergies.

  1. Reactions

    • If your baby is allergic to peanuts, the reactions can be very mild to highly dangerous. Most babies will experience a rash, diarrhea, wheezing or other mild or moderate reaction before developing a more severe reaction. Often, a child with peanut allergies will become sensitized to peanuts the first time that they eat them. A more severe reaction to peanuts may follow the next time that your child is exposed.

    Contributing Factors

    • If your baby has a family history of hay fever, asthma, food allergies or eczema, she is at a higher risk to have peanut allergies. Severe allergic reactions to peanuts are not uncommon. However, very few children die from these reactions. It is also important to keep in mind that peanuts are not actually nuts. Therefore, even if your child is not allergic to pecan, walnuts or other types of nuts, she still may be allergic to peanuts.

    Life Threatening Reactions

    • A life threatening reaction to peanuts can be fatal to an infant in one of two ways. A peanut allergy can cause a laryngospasm. This occurs when peanuts cause swelling the instant they are eaten. This will cause the vocal cords to swell rapidly and the baby will not be able to breathe. A severe peanut allergy can also cause anaphylactic shock. Anaphylactic can occur as long as two hours after the peanuts are digested.

    Diagnosis

    • If you believe that your baby is allergic to peanuts or if your baby has a family history of severe allergies, she should be seen by an allergist. An allergist will be able to run tests that will determine any allergies that your baby may have.

    Treatment

    • If your baby is allergic to peanuts, she will have to avoid eating peanuts in any form. You will have to take great care when feeding your baby because the presence of peanuts in food is not always obvious. Peanuts can be hidden in cakes, candy, muffins and even soup. Regardless of how careful you are, it is practically inevitable that your child will end up eating peanuts or peanut butter. You must be prepared in advance to deal with this. Learn CPR as soon as possible. Ask your doctor about injectable epinephrine kits and learn how to use them. Be sure you are comfortable using the kit before your baby has a reaction.

    2. Previous:

    Next:

    • Breast Milk vs Formula
      Breast Milk vs FormulaOne of the very first decisions new parents make, even before the baby is born, is how to feed their infant. Many health experts agree that breastfeeding is the ideal way, for optimum nutrition. Specifically, the American Dietet
    • How to Make Baby Cereal
      The first food your baby will eat is baby cereal. Cereals are traditionally a fine powder that you mix with breast milk or formula to make a pleasing texture your baby will enjoy. You can use a food processor or coffee grinder to make your own cereal
    • What are the pros of artificial infant milk feeding?
      Its important to note that the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of a babys life, with continued breastfeeding alongside complementary foods until at least two years of age. This is because br