Common Myths About Peanut Allergies
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Peanut allergies are extremely serious, and unfortunately more prevalent than once thought. They occur in many children, and many people unfamiliar with them do not realize the severity of them. They also do not realize the different ways that peanut allergic people can get a reaction or exactly how sensitive they are. The following are some common myths about peanut allergies.
You have to eat a peanut to have a reaction
False. For many people allergenic to peanuts, merely touching one can send them into a reaction bad enough to send them to the hospital. If it enters their system in any way, including just contact it can be a problem. Thus if you were eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and had a little residue on your hand, touching someone with a peanut allergy could be tragic.
You do not need to worry if there have only been mild reactions
False. Peanut allergies are very scary in that you can have had only mild reactions in the past and have a “mild” allergy, and yet you can suddenly have a reaction that is fatal. They have the potential to be that serious. That is why even those who are diagnosed with “mild” cases get assigned an epi-pen to use to combat a reaction because it could literally save their life.
An item is okay if it doesn’t have any peanuts that you can see or taste in it
FalseThere are many items that do not have peanuts in them that can be a problem. First, if there is even the tiniest amount such as trace amounts, then it can be a problem. It does not even have to be a whole peanut, half of one, or even a quarter of one before someone who is allergic has a problem. Next, even if they are not in the ingredient list at all, it can still be a problem if they are made on shared equipment. Many things will have allergy warnings near but not in the ingredient list to say that it was processed on shared equipment. This can cause the food item to get contaminated and it can be a problem. Remember if any of the ingredients in a meal is made with shared equipment, then the entire meal is no good. Many grocery stores will just say that their entire bakery and deli are not safe for those with peanut allergies. In addition, you cannot fix anything by cooking or washing it… it does not cook or wash away.
Peanut allergies can be very serious, and no matter whether you know someone with one, it is good to be aware of the myths and truths.
Updated On: 04/29/2010 Published On: 04/29/2010 Tips on selecting a sofa