You may have heard that there is finally hope out there for those of you who are allergic to peanuts and fearful each day you or your children consume anything. The name of that hope comes in the form of treatment in peanut oral immunotherapy (Peanut OIT). It is a new treatment option for people with peanut allergies. The goal of therapy is to raise the threshold that may trigger a reaction and provide the allergic individual protection against accidental ingestion of peanuts. In other words, this treatment is specifically designed to reduce the frequency and severity of allergic reactions to accidental peanut exposure.

While not all food allergies have this treatment option, we are excited to announce that the FDA has approved peanut OIT under the product Palforzia. Allergy & Asthma Specialists is one of the few offices offering this treatment option.

What is OIT?

Oral immunotherapy (OIT) refers to a medically supervised feeding of an increasing amount of an allergen with the goal of increasing the threshold that triggers a reaction in our office.

Before any treatment can begin, it is important that you are an ideal candidate for this break through therapy. Along with your complete history and physical, our specialists may suggest allergy tests or an oral food challenge to accurately diagnose or rule out a true peanut allergy. Once it has been determined you truly are allergic to peanuts, our allergy specialists will work with you to set up a treatment plan with a very specific protocol. It is important that you are committed to the treatment in order to make it successful.

How long does this take and what can you expect? 

Peanut OIT consists of a patient ingesting small, increasing amounts of peanut over a 6-9 month period under close supervision of allergy professionals. Over time, the patient’s immune system becomes desensitized to peanut allergen and therefore able to tolerate accidental exposure to peanuts.

The first day of treatment is a build up day where we will start you with a minute amount of allergen and slowly working our way up throughout the day with a few doses spaced out. After each dose there is a 1-2 hour observation period with no core body temperature elevation while the body digests and metabolizes the peanut. We will slowly be building your immunity against peanuts and actively observing you frequently. On later days, there will be more subsequent doses given followed by observation, but you can expect shorter visits to our office then. It is important to give regular dosages to ensure your body stays desensitized and you get visible proof of protection every time you easily ingest the allergen.  After the dose escalation period ends, the patient continues to take a daily therapeutic dose to maintain desensitization at home.

We are proud to be a part of this breakthrough treatment, especially if it helps you stay a little less worried and stressed about accidental ingestion. If Peanut OIT interests you, set up an appointment to come see us at Allergy & Asthma Specialists. We have allergy specialists who are specifically trained to help you diagnose and treat your symptoms. So call us at 219-513-8923 and begin your journey to living your best life.