Concerned Your Newborn Will Share A Peanut Allergy With Their Older Sibling? Here's What You Need To Know

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If you are the parent of a child who has a severe peanut allergy and you are expecting a new bundle of joy into your family, you may be concerned about your newborn's susceptibility to having the same allergic reaction to peanuts. However, according to research published by the National Institutes of Health, only 3.7% of siblings in a study were sensitized and clinically reactive to peanuts when they had a sibling with a peanut allergy. 

But that doesn't mean your little one will be in the clear. The study also found that the younger siblings with asthma, eczema, or skin infection had a significantly increased risk of developing sensitization to a food allergen. Here's why and what you can do. 

Atopic March Is a Progression of Allergic Reactions

Atopic march is the natural progression of various allergic reactions, which includes infantile eczema, asthma, and food allergies. The reason for the connection is a substance called TSLP (thymic stromal lymphopoietin), which is released throughout the body when the skin is damaged due to infantile eczema. TSLP is responsible for the triggering of the immune system to react to allergens, leading to asthma and food allergies. Therefore, if your newborn develops infantile eczema, it is crucial that you try to prevent the skin from being damaged so that TSLP is not released. 

Minimize the Risks of Infantile Eczema & Skin Infections 

Wash every clothing your infant wears with a mild detergent that is formulated specifically for baby's tender skin. Use baby soaps and shampoos and avoid skin care products that contain alcohol. If your baby develops infantile eczema, your pediatrician can prescribe an alcohol-free medicated moisturizer and a prescription strength steroid cream. Keep your baby's fingernails trimmed and filed so he or she will not be able to scratch themselves and damage their skin. 

Test Your Baby for Food Allergies If They Develop Infantile Eczema

Since infantile eczema can lead to food allergies and your baby already has a slight chance of having a food allergy because an older sibling is allergic to peanuts, it's a good idea to have your baby tested for food allergies because your baby would be considered high risk. Ask your pediatrician to refer your baby to a pediatric allergy doctor who can perform safe allergy tests in their office. 

If your baby does not develop severe infantile eczema yet you are still concerned about their susceptibility to reacting to peanuts, it's a good idea to introduce your baby to peanut in an allergy doctor's office. That way, if they do have a reaction, the doctor and medical team can treat your baby promptly. For more information, contact a company like Port City Pediatrics.

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8 May 2018

learning how to tend to sick and injured kids

My name is Dan and this is my blog. I am a recently singled father of three that is learning everything about caring for my kids as I go along. Before my wife passed, she was the one that took care of the kids when they were sick or injured, so I had a lot of learning to do and I had to do it as quickly as possible. I got together with some of the parents from my kids' school and they helped out quite a bit. I created my blog for two reasons - to keep my facts straight and to help other parents learn what I have struggled to learn.