Ask About My Peanut Allergy

By request we have re-activated Bo's blog to update everyone about his progress since completing his peanut oral immunotherapy at age 10. It's April 2020 and Bo is now 18, preparing to graduate high school and enroll in college and Army ROTC. He is still living a normal, active life with no dietary or activity restrictions at all. We have NOT been making any special accommodations for peanuts for over 8 years now! We are so proud that Bo's participation in his pioneering OIT study has led to the widespread availability of these lifesaving food allergy desensitization treatments around the world and the recent FDA approved drug treatment for peanut allergy!

Amazing how far peanut allergy oral immunotherapy and other severe food allergy treatments have come in the 13 years since Bo was first diagnosed with a severe peanut allergy and was enrolled in a groundbreaking treatment and study program at Arkansas Children's hospital as patient #2!

Bo has lived a normal life since completing his oral immunotherapy program at age 10 by successfully passing a food challenge. In fact, in the last year of the 5 year study he was eating 34 peanut butter M&Ms everyday to build and maintain his desensitization to peanuts.

Sounds cool to eat candy to cure a deadly peanut allergy but not an easy thing to do to eat that much every day for such a long period of time. But in the end all the time and effort were worth his life changing success!

FDA Approves First Drug for Treatment of Peanut Allergy for Children

Today the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Palforzia [Peanut (Arachis hypogaea) Allergen Powder-dnfp] to mitigate allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, that may occur with accidental exposure to peanuts. Treatment with Palforzia may be initiated in individuals ages 4 through 17 years with a confirmed diagnosis of peanut allergy and may be continued in individuals 4 years of age and older. Those who take Palforzia must continue to avoid peanuts in their diets.

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