New! Sign up for our free email newsletter.
Science News
from research organizations

Advisory about not feeding peanuts to infants and young children at risk for peanut allergy

Date:
March 3, 2015
Source:
American College of Surgeons (ACS)
Summary:
Pediatric otolaryngologists and surgeons are concerned with parents getting the wrong message regarding the safety/desirability of letting babies and young children eat peanuts to prevent them from developing peanut allergies.
Share:
FULL STORY

Pediatric otolaryngologists and surgeons are concerned with parents getting the wrong message regarding the safety/desirability of letting babies and young children eat peanuts to prevent them from developing peanut allergies. Last week's news coverage of a scientific article published February 26, 2015, in the New England Journal of Medicine, (reference below)  "Randomized Trial of Peanut Consumption in Infants at Risk for Peanut Allergy," has prompted the American College of Surgeons (ACS) to release infant and child safety comments on the issue of feeding infants and young children peanuts.

"Recent news coverage concerning exposing babies to peanuts to avoid a food allergy into adulthood sounds positive, but it could have unintended disastrous outcomes," the Advisory states. "It is important that parents and caregivers are aware of the risks of giving nuts to babies and infants. The scientific paper published in the New England Journal of Medicine responsibly addressed this worry but much of the news coverage of this research has not highlighted the dangers inherent with not proceeding with caution."

The Advisory points out that peanuts place infants and young children at risk for dangerous aspiration episodes, provides commentary on the right setting for peanut exposure in infants and children at risk for allergy, and supports Choking Guidelines set forth by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

The entire Advisory can be found online at: https://www.facs.org/peanutadvisory

The document was developed by the ACS Advisory Council for Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, and the ACS Advisory Council for Pediatric Surgery.


Story Source:

Materials provided by American College of Surgeons (ACS). Note: Content may be edited for style and length.


Journal Reference:

  1. George Du Toit, Graham Roberts, Peter H. Sayre, Henry T. Bahnson, Suzana Radulovic, Alexandra F. Santos, Helen A. Brough, Deborah Phippard, Monica Basting, Mary Feeney, Victor Turcanu, Michelle L. Sever, Margarita Gomez Lorenzo, Marshall Plaut, Gideon Lack. Randomized Trial of Peanut Consumption in Infants at Risk for Peanut Allergy. New England Journal of Medicine, 2015; 372 (9): 803 DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa1414850

Cite This Page:

American College of Surgeons (ACS). "Advisory about not feeding peanuts to infants and young children at risk for peanut allergy." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 3 March 2015. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/03/150303123656.htm>.
American College of Surgeons (ACS). (2015, March 3). Advisory about not feeding peanuts to infants and young children at risk for peanut allergy. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 18, 2024 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/03/150303123656.htm
American College of Surgeons (ACS). "Advisory about not feeding peanuts to infants and young children at risk for peanut allergy." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/03/150303123656.htm (accessed March 18, 2024).

Explore More

from ScienceDaily

RELATED STORIES