A peanut allergy is one of the most common food allergies. About 1 in 50 children in the US have a peanut allergy. It is a food allergy that commonly causes anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis is a life-threatening symptom of an allergic reaction. There’s no cure for peanut allergies, although many children outgrow them.
A peanut allergy occurs when your body overreacts to peanuts. It occurs when your body mistakenly identifies peanuts as a harmful substance. A peanut allergy is one of the most common types of food allergies.
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Your immune system detects and fights harmful viruses or bacteria. When you have a peanut allergy, your immune system mistakenly identifies the proteins in peanuts as harmful. If you come in contact with peanuts, your body triggers an allergic reaction.
Peanut allergies are common. About 1 in 50 children in the U.S. S have a peanut allergy.
Researchers used to think peanut allergies were lifelong. They recently discovered that up to 1 in 5 children who have peanut allergies eventually outgrow them.
Food allergies can be genetic or run in the family. Infants have a higher risk of developing a peanut allergy if they have eczema or an egg allergy.
Usually, people with a peanut allergy experience symptoms within two hours of eating peanuts. Peanut allergy symptoms can range from mild to severe and commonly include:
A peanut allergy can cause anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis can make it hard or impossible to breathe. It sends your body into shock. If you don’t get treatment, anaphylaxis can be life-threatening.
If you suspect that you or your child has a peanut allergy, start tracking allergy symptoms. Keeping a record of allergic reactions can help your healthcare provider make an accurate diagnosis. Your provider may ask you:
Your healthcare provider may use a blood test to diagnose a peanut allergy. A blood test called an immunocap radioallergosorbent (RAST) checks the number of antibodies (immune response cells) in your blood. A higher number of certain types of antibodies can indicate an allergy.
Your healthcare provider may also use a skin test to identify or rule out multiple types of allergies. During a skin test, your provider:
Skin patches that become red and itchy indicate an allergic response. Your provider can use this information to diagnose allergies.
You may also have an oral food challenge. During an oral food challenge, you eat tiny, increasing amounts of a peanut-based product in your healthcare provider’s office. Your healthcare provider has emergency medication and equipment on hand in case you have an allergic reaction.
If you have a peanut allergy, you need to pay close attention to what you eat. Food manufacturers must clearly state on their ingredient label whether a food contains peanuts.
Prepackaged foods that don’t contain peanuts can be contaminated during the manufacturing process. Watch for phrases like “may contain peanuts” and “made in a factory on machinery that also may have been used to process peanut products.”
When you go out to eat, ask questions about ingredients. For example, peanut butter may be in certain marinades or sauces. Ice cream or yogurt shops could be places of accidental exposure because peanuts are common ice cream toppings.
If you have a peanut allergy, your healthcare provider may prescribe medications to reduce the symptoms of an allergic reaction. You may take:
Feeding infants small amounts of peanut-containing foods can lessen the chances that they will develop an allergy. One study found that 17% of babies who did not eat peanuts developed an allergy by age 5. In contrast, only 3% of those who ate peanuts developed a peanut allergy by age 5.
Always ask your child’s healthcare provider for recommendations about feeding your child peanuts. The timing of introducing your child to peanuts varies, depending on if your child has:
There is no cure for peanut allergies. But children can outgrow peanut allergies. As children get older, an allergist (allergy doctor) may perform another blood or skin test to measure a child’s sensitivity to peanuts. If a peanut allergy appears to be decreasing, allergists may recommend an oral food test.
There are new treatments available called Oral Immunotherapy (OIT) and early OIT. This is where carefully selected patients undergo therapy to help develop a tolerance to the food they have an allergy to. Palforzia®, a treatment for peanut allergies, is the first FDA approved treatment for food allergies. Although it doesn't cure peanut allergies, it can make it possible for people to tolerate accidental peanut exposure without having a reaction.
If your child has a peanut allergy, it's important to not give your child peanuts unless an allergist has directed you to do so.
As an adult, you can manage a peanut allergy by carefully avoiding peanuts. You may need to carry epinephrine if you have severe allergies that could lead to anaphylaxis.
Call 911 or go immediately to your nearest emergency department if you experience:
A peanut allergy is one of the most common food allergies. About 1 in 50 children in the United States have a peanut allergy. However, about 1 in 5 will outgrow the allergy by adulthood. Peanut allergies can lead to anaphylaxis, a life-threatening symptom of an allergic reaction. If you have a peanut allergy, you need to strictly avoid peanuts. You may also need to carry emergency medication in case of a severe allergic reaction.
Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 04/19/2021.
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Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy