Can Kids Outgrow their Allergies?
All this vigilance begs the question of whether kids can eventually outgrow their allergies, and whether parents and school staff can ever breathe a sigh of relief. Lynda Schneider, M.D., director of the allergy program at Children’s Hospital Boston, says that kids who are allergic to foods such as milk, wheat, egg and soy are much more likely to outgrow them than kids with allergies to tree nuts, peanuts and shellfish. Even so, she cites at least one study that has shown about 20 percent of kids with mild peanut allergies outgrowing them in time. These kids typically had mild reactions to peanuts – not anaphylaxis, which prompts some of the more stringent allergy policies in schools. Signs to Watch For An anaphylactic reaction to an allergen is serious, frightening and can be life-threatening. Symptoms, which usually occur within minutes of being exposed to an allergen, include: • Hives and itching, flushed or pale skin; • Constricted airways and swelling of the tongue or throat, whic
