Miracle Monday: Children’s Hospital of Georgia raises awareness for peanut allergies

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – September 13 is National Peanut Day, and we are raising awareness about children who have a peanut allergy.

The Children’s Hospital of Georgia has an allergy-immunology team working to care for kids suffering from allergies, asthma, or recurrent infections.

For 3-year-old Powell, he has become very familiar with the Children’s Hospital at an early age. Before he was even one year old, Powell was diagnosed with asthma and dealt with allergies and eczema.

At 11 months old, his parents found out he had a peanut allergy through blood work.

“We were very surprised,” said Powell’s mom, Wynn Almond. “My family has been in the peanut industry and peanut farming and business for four generations.”

For a family that has been around peanuts for years, Powell is the first to have a peanut allergy. His mom said it came with a lot of symptoms.

“Skin reactions, swelling around the eyes, watery eyes, asthma as well,” she said.

That’s when they turned to the Children’s Hospital of Georgia, where they were connected to Dr. Kathleen May, who said there’s been a gradual increase in peanut allergy.

“Years ago, we used to not recommend that parents introduce peanuts to their kids when they’re young. We have them avoid it if there was an allergic history,” said Division Chief of Allergy-Immunology and Pediatric Rheumatology Dr. Kathleen May. “Now we are promoting parents to try that typically when they’re 4 to 6 months of age.”

May said in cases where the child is high risk, such as Powell, they would want them to get some testing first before they are exposed to peanuts.

“Babies who have a history of egg allergy and babies who have a history of eczema and other allergic diseases already in their young life, those folks are higher risk, and families that have those issues are maybe higher risk for those families,” said May.

For Powell, he also has an egg allergy. His mom said they have to avoid products manufactured in a place that handles peanuts or eggs, as well as avoid a lot of baked goods.

May said raising awareness about the allergy is important.

“It’s the most fatal food allergy, so we find that of all the fatalities of food allergy, peanut is at the top of the list,” said May. “We tend to see that more in teenagers and young adults.”

Almond said she’s just happy there’s a hospital able to give her son the care he needs.

“We’ve just been so blessed by the hospital from everything from surgery to the ER,” she said. “We’re just so grateful to be close to the hospital and the care that he’s received here.”

May said it’s good to introduce babies who are not high risk to smooth peanut butter before they are one year old, and of course, there is a safe way to do that.

If you’re curious if your baby has a peanut allergy, testing can be done at an early age. About 2.5% of kids may have an allergy.

Watch a video HERE to learn how to introduce peanuts.

If you want to continue helping make miracles happen at the Children’s Hospital of Georgia, visit Augusta University Health.

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