In case of a small allergic reaction to peanut, which can cause itching and tingling in the skin or reddish eyes and scratching nose it is recommended to take an antihistamine such as Loratadine for example, but always under medical guidance.
When there is an intense allergic reaction and the person has swollen lips or begins to have difficulty breathing should go to the emergency room as soon as possible, without taking any medication before. In this case the reaction can be so severe that it prevents the passage of air, it is necessary to put a tube in the throat to be able to breathe, and this can only be done by the rescuer or doctor in the hospital.
Symptoms of Peanut Allergy
Peanut allergy is usually discovered in childhood, and especially affects infants and children who have other allergies such as asthma, rhinitis or sinusitis, for example.
Signs and symptoms of peanut allergy can appear for as long as 2 hours or so after consuming peanut itself, a sweet as peanut, or even small traces of peanuts that may be present in a cookie jar. The symptoms can be:
Mild or moderate allergy | Severe allergy |
Itching, tingling, redness and heat in the skin | Swelling of the lips, tongue, ears, or eyes |
Stuffy, runny nose, itchy nose | Feeling of throat discomfort |
Reddish and itchy eyes | Shortness of breath and difficulty breathing, chest tightness, high-pitched sounds when breathing |
Abdominal pain and excess gas | Cardiac arrhythmia, palpitations, dizziness, chest pain |
Generally the severe allergic reactions that cause anaphylaxis and inability to breathe arise within 20 minutes after consuming peanuts and prevent future allergy crises is the key to living with severe peanut allergy.
How to know if you are allergic to peanuts
The best way to know if your baby has peanut allergy is by offering a minimum amount of peanut powder for him to taste. This can be done with infants 6 months of age or according to the advice of the pediatrician, but it is important to be alert to the first signs of allergy such as irritability, itchy mouth or swollen lips, for example.
For babies who are at high risk of allergy to peanuts because they have been proven to be allergic to eggs or because they have frequent skin allergies, the pediatrician can advise that the first test be done in the office or hospital to ensure the safety of the baby .
If these symptoms are present, the baby should be taken to the pediatrician because blood tests can be performed to prove the allergy. However, anyone who has ever tasted the peanut will have an examination without any change, so it is always necessary to expose the child to the peanut before taking the exam.
How to Live with Peanut Allergy
The allergist doctor can indicate what it will take to control the peanut allergy, avoiding its consumption or even consume small doses daily on a constant basis so that the immune system gets used to the presence of peanuts and does not react exaggeratedly.
Thus, consuming 1/2 peanuts per day is more useful to prevent an overreacing of the body when consuming peanuts than simply excluding the peanut from the feed. In most cases with the complete exclusion of food peanuts when consuming even small amounts the body reacts very intensely, which is serious and can cause death by suffocation.
Food Containing Peanut
In addition to the peanut itself, those who are allergic to this food also need to avoid the consumption of anything that can have peanuts, such as:
- Salty cracker;
- Peanut candy;
- Creamy Paçoquita;
- Torrone;
- Foot of youth;
- Peanut butter;
- Morning cereals or granola;
- Cereal bar;
- Chocolate;
- M & Ms;
- Cocktail of nuts.
For those who are going through the adaptation period, to avoid anaphylactic reaction, small quantities of peanuts should be consumed daily, so the label of all processed foods should be read to identify if there are peanuts or traces of peanuts to better control the amount of grain you consume per day.