Study Reveals Asthmatic Children Could Be Allergic To Peanuts (Photo : REUTERS/DANIEL MUNOZ)
Scientists in the United States have conducted a study which reveals that youngsters with asthma can potentially be prone to peanut allergies as the symptoms are similar and can go unnoticed.
Scientists who carried out the study at the Mercy Children's Hospital in Ohio claimed that symptoms of asthma and peanut allergies which included wheezing, shortness of breath and coughing were the same conditions observed in both cases.
With symptoms of both conditions being similar researchers believed those with peanut allergies could go undiagnosed.
Dr. Robert Cohn at the Mercy Children's Hospital and his team who conducted the study told TIME that it was unlikely that children with peanut allergies can be misdiagnosed for asthma.
He said rather it was likely that children with asthma would go undiagnosed as having an allergy towards peanuts.
Further he told the publication, that parents needed to be cautious as some medication for asthmatic conditions in children were not recommended for those with sensitivities towards peanuts.
The study analyzed the reports of over a 1,000 children who were being cared for at the pediatric respiratory clinic and discovered that one in 10 were found to exhibit peanut allergies, according to the Guardian.
Of those children who were found to displays allergic reactions to peanuts more than 50 percent of the families were unaware their children had any issues of sensitivity towards peanuts.
Dr Cohn told the British publication, the study indicated that children with asthma would benefit from testing for peanut allergies.
He added that especially in conditions when symptoms such as coughing and wheezing were difficult to bring under control, testing for peanut allergies can prove beneficial.
