Queensland babies are being offered a new model of care, that could transform peanut allergy for young children.
Peanut allergy affects around three per cent of one-year olds in Australia and over two thirds of children with a peanut allergy remain allergic by age 10.
The Queensland Children’s Hospital (QCH) is one of ten paediatric hospitals in Australia, partnering with the National Allergy Centre of Excellence (NACE), hosted at the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI), to introduce a nation-wide peanut oral immunotherapy (OIT) program.
As part of the program, children will follow a carefully planned daily dosing schedule of peanut powder, taken at home, over two years.
Dr Jane Peake, head of the Queensland Paediatric Immunology and Allergy Service (QPIAS) at QCH said the ADAPT OIT Program is a new way of treating the most common food allergy among Australian infants.
“From strictly avoiding peanut in diets to safely building a tolerance to the allergen and hopefully achieving remission,” she said.
“The ultimate goal is to change the trajectory for these children with allergies, so they can go to school and live life without the risk of a life-threatening allergic reaction.”
“Families of children with allergies are incredibly fearful of accidental exposure to peanuts. This program has the potential to remove that fear and ease the burden of the child’s allergies on the entire family.”
The ADAPT OIT program is only available to children under 12 months, diagnosed with peanut allergy, and who are already receiving care by an allergist at the QCH, or one of the participating hospitals elsewhere in Australia.
All children who are on the program are provided an anaphylaxis action plan and adrenaline injector. Families will also receive a comprehensive education pack and be well-supported by nurses with medical assistance, for the duration of the program.
The NACE, funded by the Federal Government, will lead an evaluation study to analyse the program’s results. If successful, it’s hoped more hospitals and private allergy clinics will adopt the program, increasing access to children living in regional and remote areas.
Read full media release: Babies offered peanut allergy treatment program under world first national model