• Have something to say? Register Now! and be posting in minutes!

Food Allergies

MHSL82

Well-Known Member
16,720
881
113
Joined
Aug 6, 2011
Hoopla Cash
$ 500.92
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
Do any of you or your loved ones or friends have any food allergies?

My daughter completed her Oral Immunotherapy (OIT) treatment for her peanut allergy in January 2016. She went from being anaphylactic to contact to eating 24 peanuts a day in 6 months. (She's not required to eat that much but we wanted to help drive down numbers faster.)

Just wanted to let you know about the treatment if any of you knew someone. They have it for peanuts, tree nuts, soy, milk, egg, fruits, fish, and some shellfish. 100+ doctors around the country do it.

A few points for those who might look into it:

1. It's not experimental therapy; it's in private practice covered by most insurances.

2. The FDA regulates products like the peanut patch, the coming peanut pill, and the like. It does not regulate processes of food they have already approved, like peanuts. The FDA doesn't review, approve, or disapprove of OIT.

3. Any severity level can be treated, from mild hives to anaphylaxis from contact (airborne). Asthma or GI issues make it longer from start to finish, but can still be treated slowly.

4. It is designed to avoid reactions, not get used to them. The amounts are customized from micrograms of the allergen, very slowly increasing over time. Avoiding the allergen altogether was riskier, had multiple reactions, and provided no protection while being excluded and having to ask for accommodations. Treatment allowed safety, inclusion, and not having to ask for people to keep my daughter safe.

5. This is different than a Food Challenge. Food challenges are done in one day and are more risky due to amount given in one four-hour period. OIT instead is done slowly from 4 months to 1 year in most cases.

A good website to look into is www.OIT101.org and joining OIT 101 on Facebook. If you have any questions, feel free to comment or private message me.
 
Top