Cookie leads to death: Peanut allergy

[jedi]

Allergic Teen Dies After Eating Cookie - Yahoo!

This statement has me thinking

At least three million American children suffer from a food or digestive allergy, and the problem is growing, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Between 1997 and 2007, the figure rose 18 percent.
Severe food allergies stem from a combination of genes, environment and possibly diet, said Dr. Kari Nadeau, associate professor of allergies and immunology at the Stanford University School of Medicine.

So we have not always had this problem?
Or have we and just did not track it correclty?
Or perhaps those with nut allergies just died back in the olden days of eating nuts and no one thought anything of it?

Seem to me growing up in the 70s/80s that I never heard of a kid with penut allegeries yet now-a-days lots of kids have this issue?

Why?

Is it that we as a society are finding ways to avoid what mother-nature is trying to fix? By this I mean (and sorry for the crude text not sure how to word it) but mother nature is doing evolution yet we are saving those that should perhaps not be saved so our species can continue. (ie. nut allegeries, mental deformation, etc...)

Is it that people in the olden days just did not know of nut allegeires and someone died they thought it was of something else?

Is it the processed food we now eat as oppose to the natural food they ate before?

 

[PX4me]

This whole peanut thing is nuts.

You're right though, nobody talked about it or knew about it back in my childhood. We ate everything and never had any trouble. Now it's like some kids need to be in a plastic bubble with all of their allergies.

Heck we used do drink right out of the hose when I was a kid. There was no bottled water.

As a matter of fact, last summer my son and I were outside. It was 100 degrees and we were thirsty. So I turn on the hose and we quench our thirsts. Just as my son is finishing up my wife comes outside and about has a coronary. "He can't drink out of that! Are you crazy!"

 

[88GT]

Natural selection in reverse is my default answer.

And the story fails to mention that peanuts are not tree nuts. Either the kid had an allergy to both or there's something missing.

 

[DialTone301]

My 11 yr old daughter is severely allergic to peanuts. As soon as something with peanuts in it touches her lips she begins having a reaction.

As was mentioned peanuts aren't tree nuts....she can eat tree nuts fine.

 

[chef larry]

In the last five years there was a story where a young lady around 13 to 15 year old died of a peanut allergy after she had kissed her boyfriend, who had eaten a peanutbutter sandwich early in the day.

 

[jedi]

Natural selection in reverse is my default answer.

not sure i understand?
Are you trying to say that mankind is stopping what natural selection intended to do and thus we see these results?

 

[hoosierdoc]

She had no idea it could kill him? Seriously? She'd been buying epi-pens for 11 years and seeing allergists and didn't know???

He hasn't been knock-on-wood safe for years, the story related two severe reactions. What the...

Why on earth would 911 say don't use an expired EpiPen? I hate lawsuits, but that advice may have allowed the kid to die. Sad.

 

[Bunnykid68]

not sure i understand?
Are you trying to say that mankind is stopping what natural selection intended to do and thus we see these results?

That is the way I took it. We have been keeping the weak alive for years when they would have otherwise died

 

[hoosierdoc]

"Let some come out first in case someone touched it with their nuts". That's the kind of stuff your wife says when your kid has an allergy and you're at a dessert buffet. Always have to be vigilant

 

[Wild Deuce]

Vaccinations ...

 

[eldirector]

That is the way I took it. We have been keeping the weak alive for years when they would have otherwise died

I'll put on my strict biologist hat for a moment.

This is correct. We are most certainly seeing an increase in the frequency of "harmful" traits simply because modern medicine allows these genes to be passed on. There is no way to sugar-coat it. I suspect it will only get worse, until we have the technology to actually FIX this issues at the genetic level. Then, things will either get better.... or be a disaster.

 

[Hornett]

Look, I know it's real.
I know people die from it.
But, to me, the basic question from the OP has still not been answered.
There couldn't be this many cases of peanut allergy all at once just because we can identify it better now.
Can there?

Vaccinations ...

More like that.
It's probably not really that but some contributing cause other than early identification.
I just love to tease my wife about vaccinations because they are so publicized that the .gov has to have an ulterior motive.
She doesn't think it's funny.

Anyway...
We have a rule in Lawrence County that there can be NO nut based foods of any kind on school grounds.
Not even almond butter.
No more PB&J's for our kids.

 

[eldirector]

More info:
Expert sees peanut allergy solution within 5 years | Reuters

Leading hypotheses for the increase:
1) Lack of exposure to allergens as a child may lead to immune disorders later
2) Ingestion of peanuts by pregnant women may lead to allergies in their children

I'm also wondering if our consumption of peanuts has increased dramatically in the last several decades, and therefor the number of diagnosis has increased (while the overall population of folks with allergies has remained constant). Were peanuts (and peanut butter) common among Europeans prior to the early 1900's? How about African's (who are 80% more likely to have the allergy than Caucasians)?

 

[Sfrandolph]

BAN PEANUTS!!!!! Do it for the kids..... Stupid right?

 

[88GT]

That is the way I took it. We have been keeping the weak alive for years when they would have otherwise died

They have to pass on their bad genes in order for this to be a problem, but yes, that's the general idea.

 

[Sfrandolph]

They have to pass on their bad genes in order for this to be a problem, but yes, that's the general idea.

This is why we have such trouble with liberals and politicians. They are allowed to procreate.

 

[88GT]

More info:
Expert sees peanut allergy solution within 5 years | Reuters

Leading hypotheses for the increase:
1) Lack of exposure to allergens as a child may lead to immune disorders later
2) Ingestion of peanuts by pregnant women may lead to allergies in their children

I'm also wondering if our consumption of peanuts has increased dramatically in the last several decades, and therefor the number of diagnosis has increased (while the overall population of folks with allergies has remained constant). Were peanuts (and peanut butter) common among Europeans prior to the early 1900's? How about African's (who are 80% more likely to have the allergy than Caucasians)?

I think fetal exposure is where some of the answers will be found. I am convinced some ASD symptomatic kids have gastrointestinal roots for their behavioral issues. You see it all the time with gluten and dairy sensitivities, same with food dyes. I also think some of those sensitivities are primed in the womb.

Of course, it ultimately all has a genetic basis at some point. Why did my near daily consumption of peanut products during two pregnancies not produce children with peanut sensitivities/allergies?

 

[patience0830]

This is why we have such trouble with liberals and politicians. They are allowed to procreate.

A good use for eugenics?

 

[ArmedProgrammer]

"Let some come out first in case someone touched it with their nuts". That's the kind of stuff your wife says when your kid has an allergy and you're at a dessert buffet. Always have to be vigilant

There's some sig line material in there - but I personally don't have the guts to do it...

I'll leave it for braver souls than myself.



Re: Liberals and Politiicians

A good use for eugenics?

When they said "don't screw with politicians and liberals" - that's EXACTLY what they meant...

 

[Bunnykid68]

I think fetal exposure is where some of the answers will be found. I am convinced some ASD symptomatic kids have gastrointestinal roots for their behavioral issues. You see it all the time with gluten and dairy sensitivities, same with food dyes. I also think some of those sensitivities are primed in the womb.

Of course, it ultimately all has a genetic basis at some point. Why did my near daily consumption of peanut products during two pregnancies not produce children with peanut sensitivities/allergies?

Because you are a superior genetic specimen