There has been a lot of research over the years into food allergies. Why have they exponentially increased? What is causing them? Can we create a vaccine? A cure? I've followed the studies avidly. Just another 3 or 4 more years and "they" will have something. Maybe by the time she is 8. Or 10. Or 15. Or never. There's a lot of politics and money tied up in research. If a treatment ever becomes approved for the masses, I'm not sure it will be in my lifetime.
So exactly what the heck are we doing?!
Oral immunotherapy (OIT) is a treatment where nearly microscopic amounts of an allergen (peanut flour) is ingested in increasing doses over time. Like allergy shots, the idea is to desensitize a person by building up a tolerance. Sounds risky, eh? Well, it definitely has an element of risk. But so does living in a peanut obsessed world.
OIT is still being researched and has not been approved by the FDA for treatment of food allergy. Based on my research, there are a few reasons for this:
1. There is a desire to mass produce a specific protocol that can successfully be used on everyone. You have a peanut allergy? Ok, we're going to do X, Y, Z and viola! no more allergy. The problem with this is that allergies are individual. Protocols needs to be developed to suit the individual patient. But individualism can't be mass marketed.
2. There is concern over how long the effects of OIT will last if the allergen is not regularly consumed. Based on published papers, doctors are unwilling to release this treatment unless they can say that a patient must undergo therapy for 6 months, or 2 years, or 5 years AND THEN NEVER HAVE TO EAT ANOTHER PEANUT. For some reason they are really stuck on ending daily dosing and maintaining desensitization. It's already been proven that desensitization is maintained if a daily maintenance dose is taken.
3. Studies are run by doctors and scientists in large universities funded by even larger mega-billion dollar pharmaceutical companies. How much money is there in peanut flour and daily peanuts? Just sayin'.
Fortunately, I stumbled upon a Facebook group where Mom's, Dad's, and the allergic community were getting together to discuss an incredible discovery! There ARE doctors offering this treatment RIGHT NOW!
We were fortunate to find Dr. Scott Nash in Raleigh, NC. He originally worked on the Duke University study for years before leaving and opening up his private practice. His protocol is excruciatingly long (1 year of updosing followed by 1 year of maintenance dosing before being "challenged" and graduating). But we felt it was safest simply because it IS so long. Each updose is spaced 2 weeks apart and the increases are small each time. Going slow and being conservative should help reduce the risk and severity of reactions. We have lived with this allergy for 12 years. Taking 2 years to safely get rid of this &$%! allergy will be walk in the park.
Want to learn more?
http://www.oitcenter.com
http://www.webmd.com/allergies/news/20070226/progress-against-peanut-allergies
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/818558
http://www.dukehealth.org/health_library/news/studies_show_children_can_complete_treatment_for_peanut_allergies_and_achieve_long_term_tolerance
http://wondergressive.com/peanut-allergy-rise-cure-horizon/
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23062391/
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?term=Allergologia+et+Immunopathologia.+12%284%29%3A275-81%2C+1984+Jul-Aug
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