Peanut Allergies

Peanut allergies make up the largest percentage of food allergies in the world today. Food allergies are a common phenomenon among children at a young age. Most of these children overgrow their allergic reactions to certain foods. However, in the case of peanuts  the research has indicated that peanut allergies persist throughout the life of an individual. These allergies can be dangerous and life-threatening as medical statistics indicates (Al-Muhsen, Clarke, & Kagan, 2003). Many children lose their lives through anaphylaxis even before their parents know that they are allergic. As such, the issue of peanut allergy became a topical problem throughout the world with researchers trying to find out the main causes and possible solutions to this world epidemic. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to analyze and discuss various issues pertaining to peanut allergies, especially those touching on the causes and possible solutions to problem (Fraser, 2011).

The issue of peanut allergy was not common until recently. This raises concerns  whether peanuts did not exist until recently, but the answer to that question or rather concern is obvious. The commonality of peanut allergies can be attributed to the changing diets in the current world as well as the nature of the peanuts produced today. Additionally, people have become so knowledgeable being able to notice even the slightest food reaction. In the past, some of these mild allergic reactions would go unnoticed. The changing perceptions about food in the present world have also contributed to the commonality of peanut reactions today (Young, 2013). Eating healthy meals is a very common song that keeps ringing in the ears of people from every media. Peanuts are some of the most recommended healthy products especially for young people and children. As such, many food production companies have invested in manufacturing of peanut products. Their overproduction has raised the number of allergic situations among people in the present world. This also has made it somewhat difficult for people allergic to peanuts to take care of themselves, especially for those who react by merely coming to contact with the product. Today, parents with peanut allergic children have to read the description of all products they buy from a store. Not many people are good at it, especially parents who have a lot to do during the day (Fraser, 2011).

Children are among the most affected by this allergic situation, therefore, the institutions that deal with children, especially grade schools, have come up with the policies on how to manage the wellbeing of peanut allergic students. Some schools got as far as banning the consumption and carrying of peanut products at school. However, it is not an ideal course of action because schools should be comfortable for all children. Peanut presents a dangerous condition to both children and mature people who have that health condition, but that does not mean that peanuts should not be eaten in public places. Some parents prefer their children having peanuts for school lunch; therefore, banning the consumption of peanuts in schools will affect the wellbeing of some students. There are better ways that schools can establish to help manage the issue of peanuts in schools (Young, 2013). For instance, parents with peanut allergic children can be encouraged to communicate their children’s conditions to the teachers so that the child can be looked after at all times. The school administration can establish a protocol where students are not allowed to share foods and at the same time are encouraged to wash their hands after meals to prevent the peanut contact with other children. The allergic children will learn to survive in the world better if they can manage their conditions in schools where students are allowed to eat the foods of their choice (Al-Muhsen et al, 2003).

The causes of peanut allergies in terms of medical field have not been discovered yet. However, a medical explanation of the situation is that peanut allergy is a reaction of immunoglobulin that acts in the body to produce histamine. The histamine produced together with other substances affects the lungs and the breathing system of an individual. The medical approach to peanut allergy just like to any other allergic condition is the introduction of an antihistamine in the system. People with the condition are given antidotes to use when they encounter a reaction (Al-Muhsen et al., 2003). The medical approach to peanut allergies is the approach that schools and other institutions should embrace because one cannot control other people’s diet. There are many food allergies besides peanuts including eggs, milk, and fats just to mention a few. If a school chooses to ban the consumption of peanuts within the school compounds, parents with children allergic to eggs and other food products can demand the same measures to be taken against the foods that affect their children. Children can be cruel at times, and cases have been reported where they used peanuts on peanut allergic peers as a prank. However, even banning peanuts in schools will not prevent such issues because they can be easily sneaked in when needed. Therefore, teachers and school administrators must make the consequences of peanut allergies known to all the children and uphold high discipline measures to ensure the safety of allergic students.

Other than schools, working places are the ones where the prevalence of peanut allergic reactions is too high. Some modifications can be established at workplaces to ensure that people with such conditions are safe and free from unnecessary anaphylaxis. Due to the weight that has been placed on peanut allergies, a company can have different offices for allergic people. These could include separate eating places, washrooms and other facilities that are commonly used by the entire organization (Al-Muhsen et al., 2003). This is because mature people cannot easily be controlled like the children in schools; therefore, separate public utilities for the allergic group can be an effective solution.

The peanut allergy reveals a few social aspects concerning the present generation. First, the world eating habits have changed greatly fueled by people’s desire to eat healthily. This has led to overproduction of peanut products, which are considered healthy products. Secondly, people eat anywhere today, thus causing many accidental peanut contacts in public places (Young, 2013). Thirdly, the social aspect of life has been greatly affected by economic life and parents do not have enough time to spend and care for their children due to work.

In conclusion, the case of peanut allergy has become a worldly pandemic, and there is a need for a better medical solution for the same course. The efficient solution can only be achieved once the roots of the case are clearly established. Therefore, governments need to fund researches that focus on peanut allergic causes to help find an efficient solution to this menace.