Nut-sniffing dogs and other developments ease peanut allergies
By KATHLEEN GREEN / Special Contributor to The Dallas Morning News
For years, parents have struggled to keep even trace amounts of peanuts away from their allergic children. They read labels, plan peanut-free parties and generally alter their lives to avoid contact that could turn deadly.
Farley inspects food for nuts at a restaurant for Jett McConnell as grandmother Teresa Lawler waits for the verdict. Nearly 1.8 million Americans are allergic to peanuts, and 400,000 of those are school-age children, according to the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network. Only 20 percent of children outgrow it.
It is the most common food allergy. And, of all the food allergies, peanuts and tree nuts are the most likely to cause severe reactions, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Sufferers can spend years trying to avoid the offending legume. But avoidance isn't foolproof. Reactions can include hives, stomach cramps, vomiting and shortness of breath, according to the Mayo Clinic.
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