Approximately 9% of children with an allergy to tree nuts will outgrow their allergy, including children who have previously experienced a severe allergic reaction, according to a study in the November 2005 Journal of Allergy & Clinical Immunology (JACI).
The JACI is the peer-reviewed, scientific journal of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI).
Up to this point, researchers thought that allergies to tree nuts, which include cashews, almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans pistachios, and pine nuts, lasted a life time. It is estimated that 1%-2% of the United States population is allergic to peanuts, tree nuts or both. Previous research has shown that children allergic to peanuts have a 20% chance of outgrowing their allergy.
A research team led by Robert A. Wood from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, evaluated 278 children (Ages 3-21 years) to determine the percentage of those who will outgrow their allergy. Researchers also sought to determine what level of tree nut specific-IgE in the blood would be a safe level before testing the child through an oral food challenge, which is currently the best way to prove that a child has outgrown their food allergy.
The study found: