One of the main triggers of eczema is through exposure to food allergens. Peanuts are one of the most common food allergies, especially for newborns and young children. In the past, parents have been directed to steer clear of any potential foods or products that have traces of peanuts in order to protect their children from having a reaction. But as of recently, many have been consulted to begin exposure therapy. Parents are actually now recommended to introduce peanuts into their children’s diet between the ages of 4 and 11 months, following evaluation by their doctor.
The fact of the matter is, food allergy is more common in people with eczema. Among children under 5 who have eczema, about 30% may also have food allergy. Food allergies don’t cause eczema, however food allergy may worsen an existing skin issue such as eczema.
It is important for parents to know that by avoiding certain foods in an attempt to resolve eczema is not always very effective. Numerous scientific studies have suggested that avoiding giving babies certain foods may put them at higher risk for developing allergies to those foods later on in life.
Immunotherapy is a relatively new practice that tries to “cure” a food allergy by giving the patient small but increasingly larger doses of the allergen in order to desensitize them. This is done in a medical setting and needs to be closely watched by doctors to monitor safety. Although this practice can be very effective, it does come with several problems due to the unpredictability of allergic reactions and the lack of knowledge about long-term effects.
If your child suffers from eczema, and test positive for food allergy. It is a good idea to talk to your child’s immunologist, and find out the best solution, and assess if immunotherapy could truly benefit allergy and eczema sufferers.