Babies across Australia diagnosed with peanut allergies now have the opportunity to participate in a groundbreaking treatment program. Ten pediatric hospitals in five states are leading the way by offering a nationwide peanut oral immunotherapy program. This initiative, spearheaded by the government-funded National Allergy Centre of Excellence (NACE), aims to help babies develop a tolerance to peanuts rather than completely avoiding them. The program will assess remission by conducting a food allergy test post-treatment.
Children under 12 months with a peanut allergy, under the care of an allergist at one of the participating hospitals, are eligible for the free program. They will receive an anaphylaxis action plan, an adrenaline injector, educational resources, and access to on-call allergists. Parents can consult their GPs for referrals to allergists at the designated hospitals.
Statistics show that peanut allergies affect 3.1% of 12-month-olds in Australia, and the majority of children with this allergy remain allergic even by age 10. The program, supported by Assistant Health Minister Ged Kearney, could revolutionize the fight against the most common food allergy in Australian schoolchildren. Participating hospitals span Victoria, Western Australia, South Australia, Queensland, and New South Wales.