Peanut and Tree Nut Anaphylaxis in Kids During Holidays

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Anaphylaxis cases in children have surged, particularly during Halloween and Easter, with increased risks for nut allergies. A study from 2011-2020 on 1390 pediatric cases revealed higher incidences of peanut and tree-nut reactions during these holidays. Parents are advised to have EpiPens ready to prevent emergency visits.

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https://petermcculloughmd.substack.com/p/peanut-and-tree-nut-anaphylaxis-in

Peanut and Tree Nut Anaphylaxis in Kids During Holidays Christmas Spares, but Easter and Halloween Pose Risk, Parents Should be Alert Wed, 25 Dec 2024 10:04:46 GMT https://petermcculloughmd.substack.com/p/peanut-and-tree-nut-anaphylaxis-in By Peter A. McCullough, MD, MPH

One of the observed changes in the health of our children over the decades has been skyrocketing numbers of serious, potentially fatal food allergies called anaphylaxis. These are so common now, peanuts cannot be brought to school or consumed on airplanes. I wondered with all the travel and gifted foods if the holidays posed increased risk for serious reactions in kids prompting emergency room visits with parents.

Leung et al collected data on confirmed pediatric cases of anaphylaxis presenting to emergency departments in 4 Canadian provinces as part of the Cross-Canada Anaphylaxis Registry.

Leung M, Clarke AE, Gabrielli S, Morris J, Gravel J, Lim R, Chan ES, Goldman RD, Enarson P, O'Keefe A, Gerdts J, Chu D, Upton J, Zhang X, Shand G, Ben-Shoshan M. Risk of peanut- and tree-nut-induced anaphylaxis during Halloween, Easter and other cultural holidays in Canadian children. CMAJ. 2020 Sep 21;192(38):E1084-E1092. doi: 10.1503/cmaj.200034. PMID: 32958573; PMCID: PMC7532006.

Data were collected for 1390 pediatric cases of anaphylaxis between 2011 and 2020. Their median age was 5.4 years, and 864 (62.2%) of the children were boys. During Halloween and Easter, there were higher rates of anaphylaxis to unknown nuts (IRR 1.66, 95% CI 1.13-2.43 and IRR 1.71, 95% CI 1.21-2.42, respectively) and peanuts (IRR 1.86, 95% CI 1.12-3.11 and IRR 1.57, 95% CI 0.94-2.63, respectively) compared to the rest of the year. No increased risk of peanut- or tree-nut-induced anaphylaxis was observed during Christmas, Diwali, Chinese New Year or Eid al-Adha.

Of interest, a minority had prior nut allergies or asthma. These data make the use case for parents to have the Kids Medical Emergency Kit with EpiPen from The Wellness Company on hand during the holidays. One application can more than pay for itself by avoiding an urgent care or emergency room visit during the middle of a holiday!

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Peter A. McCullough, MD, MPH

Chief Scientific Officer, The Wellness Company