Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2020

Class Instructor(s)

Jacob Adkison, MSN, DNP & Charity Keplinger, DHSc, MPAS, PA-C

Abstract

Food allergies can have a severe and drastic effect on a person’s lifestyle, while prevention of allergic disease can help to ensure others do not have to live with this burden. There are a variety of differing hypotheses that offer explanations for the early development of food allergies, particularly peanut allergies. Two of the foremost hypotheses are the Hygiene Hypothesis and the Dual-Allergen Hypothesis. The Hygiene Hypothesis claims that the diversity of a child’s microbiota creates a beneficial balance of microorganisms which can help prevent the development of allergic disease. Alternatively, the Dual-Allergen Hypothesis states that early environmental exposure to an allergen through the skin can create sensitivity within an infant, thus leading to a food allergy. There has not been previous research comparing these hypotheses or methods of food allergy prevention. This paper offers a new standardized practice for prophylaxis of peanut allergen sensitivity based on these two hypotheses.

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