On this Ask the Mayo Mom edition of the Q&A podcast, host Dr. Angela Mattke is joined by Dr. Martha Hartz.  Dr. Hartz is a Pediatric Allergist-Immunologist at Mayo Clinic Children's Center and is also an Assistant Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics. Recently, new treatment options have become available to those living with severe peanut allergies.  We will be exploring what's new in this area and who could potentially benefit. They will also discuss what is on the horizon in the world of allergy treatment.

The post Ask the Mayo Mom: Peanut allergies appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

On the next Mayo Clinic Radio program, Dr. Martha Hartz, the division chair of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology in the Mayo Clinic Children's Center, will discuss treatment of pediatric asthma and allergies. Also on the program, Dr. Rachel Lynch, a pediatrician at Mayo Clinic, will discuss attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children. And Dr. Craig Sawchuk, a psychologist at Mayo Clinic, will explain why hoarding disorder is difficult to treat.

Here's your Mayo Clinic Radio podcast.

The post Pediatric asthma and allergies / ADHD / hoarding disorder: Mayo Clinic Radio appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

On the next Mayo Clinic Radio program, Dr. Martha Hartz, the division chair of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology in the Mayo Clinic Children's Center, will discuss treatment of pediatric asthma and allergies. Also on the program, Dr. Rachel Lynch, a pediatrician at Mayo Clinic, will discuss attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children. And Dr. Craig Sawchuk, a psychologist at Mayo Clinic, will explain why hoarding disorder is difficult to treat.

To hear the program, find an affiliate in your area.

Follow #MayoClinicRadio, and tweet your questions.

Mayo Clinic Radio is on iHeartRadio.

Mayo Clinic Radio produces a weekly one-hour radio program highlighting health and medical information from Mayo Clinic.

Access archived shows.

The post Mayo Clinic Radio: Pediatric asthma and allergies appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

On the next Mayo Clinic Radio program, Dr. Martha Hartz, the division chair of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology in the Mayo Clinic Children's Center, will discuss treatment of pediatric asthma and allergies. Also on the program, Dr. Rachel Lynch, a pediatrician at Mayo Clinic, will discuss attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children. And Dr. Craig Sawchuk, a psychologist at Mayo Clinic, will explain why hoarding disorder is difficult to treat.

Here's your Mayo Clinic Radio podcast.

To hear the program, find an affiliate in your area.

Follow #MayoClinicRadio, and tweet your questions.

Mayo Clinic Radio is on iHeartRadio.

Mayo Clinic Radio produces a weekly one-hour radio program highlighting health and medical information from Mayo Clinic.

Access archived shows.

The post Mayo Clinic Radio: Pediatric asthma and allergies / ADHD / hoarding disorder appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

There’s been a major shift in strategy for preventing potentially deadly peanut allergies. After a decade and a half of being told to keep peanuts away from small children, parents now are being told the opposite. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, a division within the National Institutes of Health, now recommends exposing infants to peanut protein as young as 4 to 6 months old.

Research shows the prevalence of peanut allergies among U.S. children multiplied roughly four-fold in the 10 years following a 2000 recommendation of peanut avoidance for infants and toddlers. Two percent of U.S children now are believed to be allergic to peanuts.

“I think the initial guidelines back in 2000 were based on people thinking, ‘well, let’s try this,’ without a lot of scientific evidence to support it,” says Martha Hartz, M.D. , the division chair of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology in the Mayo Clinic Children's Center. The latest revisions to the guidelines were influenced by the 2015 Learning Early About Peanut Allergy study, which concluded that regular peanut exposure before age 5 reduced the threat of developing an allergy by more than 80 percent in high risk infants.

Dr. Hartz praises the new recommendations for offering very specific instructions for safely introducing peanut exposure, depending on a child’s degree of allergy risk. “Any parent with a child that already has a food allergy, if they can prevent it in their other children, they’re going to be interested.” 

If your child tests positive for a peanut allergy, Dr. Hartz says to ask for a referral to see an allergist. She says she's hopeful the revised guidelines will lead to a dramatic reduction in peanut allergies in the years to come. Dennis Douda reports.

WATCH: The Mayo Clinic Minute

Journalists: A broadcast-quality video pkg (0:59) is in the downloads. Read the script.

The post Mayo Clinic Minute: Peanut allergy prevention appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

ANSWER: You’re correct that the number of children with peanut allergies has increased significantly over the last several decades. Although researchers have several theories, at this time there’s no definitive explanation for the increase. A variety of studies are currently underway to better understand peanut allergies and to help find more effective ways of treating them.

Over the last several decades, the prevalence of peanut allergies in children in the United States has more than tripled. The reasons behind this dramatic increase are unclear. Lifestyle, diet choices and genetics all seem to play a role.

For example, one theory, called the hygiene hypothesis, highlights how the way people who live in developed countries may have an impact on childhood allergies, including peanut allergies. Babies born in developing countries have lower incidence of allergies than those in developed countries. But if a family moves to a more developed country, their children’s incidence of childhood allergies increases. So simply being in the environment of a developed country seems to change things.

The hygiene hypothesis suggests that children who have more exposure to germs and certain infections at a very early age develop immune systems that are better suited to differentiating harmless substances from harmful substances. In this theory, exposure to certain germs teaches the immune system not to overreact. It would also explain why children who grow up on farms or those who have certain types of pets are less likely to develop allergies than other children. But much more research is needed to understand exactly how childhood germ exposure might help prevent allergies.

In about 20 percent of people who develop a peanut allergy when they are young, the allergy eventually goes away over time. The remaining 80 percent have some sensitivity to peanuts throughout their lives, although the severity of symptoms varies widely from one person to another.

Of note, peanuts are actually legumes and not related to other nuts, known as tree nuts. Unfortunately, many children with peanut allergy go on to develop tree nut allergy. In addition, tree nuts can be cross-contaminated or confused with peanuts, so for these reasons, we often ask children with peanut allergy to avoid tree nuts as well.

A variety of research studies are looking at possible ways to treat peanut allergies. A number of them involve giving a small amount of peanut protein to children with peanut allergies, and then increasing the amount over time. In some of these studies, children eat the peanut proteins, while in others a patch on the skin is used to deliver them. The goal is to make children less sensitive to peanuts so if they have a small exposure, it won’t result in anaphylaxis — a potentially life-threatening allergic reaction that causes blood pressure to drop and airways to narrow and restrict breathing.

There has been some success with these studies. They do come with risks, however. In addition to the possibility of anaphylaxis, some participants in these studies have developed a condition called eosinophilic esophagitis. It is the result of certain white blood cells called eosinophils building up in the lining of the esophagus, damaging the esophageal tissue and making it hard to swallow. Because of these risks, children in these studies need to be carefully monitored.

At this time, the most effective way to manage a peanut allergy is to strictly avoid peanuts and to always carry an injectable dose of the medication epinephrine to use for emergency treatment in the event of accidental peanut exposure.

If you have a child who is allergic to peanuts, or you suspect a peanut allergy in your infant or toddler, consult with a pediatric allergist. These specialists can provide a thorough evaluation and offer comprehensive education on how to best deal with a peanut allergy. — Martha Hartz, M.D., Pediatric Allergy and Immunology , Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.

The post Mayo Clinic Q and A: Number of children with peanut allergies has increased significantly appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

Here's the podcast:  MayoClinicRadioPODCASTMay232015

The post Osteoporosis/Teeth Whiteners/Food Allergies and Asthma: Mayo Clinic Radio appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

As we age, our bones may lose mass and become brittle. These are the signs and symptoms of osteoporosis. According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, osteoporosis is responsible for 2 million broken bones each year in the U.S. Mayo Clinic endocrinologist Dr. Bart Clarke discusses osteoporosis and how to reduce its impact on your health. Also on the program, we explore the world of teeth whiteners ... what works and what doesn't ... with Mayo Clinic dentist Dr. Phillip Sheridan. And pediatric allergy expert Dr. Martha Hartz will join us to discuss food allergies and asthma in children.

Myth or Matter-of-Fact: Men are less likely than women to develop osteoporosis.

Mayo Clinic Radio is available on iHeart Radio.

Click here to listen to the program on Saturday, May 23, at 9:05 a.m., and follow #MayoClinicRadio.

To find and listen to archived shows, click here.

Mayo Clinic Radio is a weekly one-hour radio program highlighting health and medical information from Mayo Clinic. The show is taped for rebroadcast by some affiliates.

The post MAYO CLINIC RADIO appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

Dr. Hartz says, in general, children with asthma are more likely to be allergic to peanuts, as well as other foods. New research presented at the American Thoracic Society 2015 International Conference found that half of families whose children have asthma were unaware their child also had a peanut sensitivity. She says it's an issue to be taken seriously. "Peanut allergy is the most common cause of fatal food anaphylaxis in the country," Dr. Hartz says. "So, parents are appropriately concerned about peanut allergy."

Children with asthma who have shown a history of food allergy may benefit from allergy testing. However, she says, screening broadly across the population is likely to cause more problems than it solves, with too many false positive results. For those children with known peanut allergies, Dr. Hartz urges careful avoidance of any foods that may contain peanut products and to always carry an epinephrin injector pen in case of emergency. Click on the video to hear more of Dr. Hartz's advice, including how exposing children to peanut butter at a very young age may prevent peanut allergies.

To read more about the latest research linking asthma and peanut allergies, click here.

Journalists, broadcast quality sound bites from Dr. Hartz are available in the downloads. To read a transcript of her comments, click here.

The post Peanut Allergies: A Bigger Threat to Kids with Asthma appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.

Myth or Matter-of-Fact: Men are less likely than women to develop osteoporosis.

Miss the program?  Here's the podcast:MayoClinicRadioPODCASTMay232015

Follow #MayoClinicRadio and tweet your questions.

Mayo Clinic Radio is available on iHeartRadio.

Mayo Clinic Radio is a weekly one-hour radio program highlighting health and medical information from Mayo Clinic.

To find and listen to archived shows, click here.

The post Mayo Clinic Radio: Osteoporosis/Teeth Whiteners/Food Allergies and Asthma appeared first on Mayo Clinic News Network.