Kids’ egg allergy? Let them eat cake!!

In order to “treat” egg allergies in kids, Greek physicians have turned to eggs themselves as the solution. Heat modifies certain egg allergens and, in turn, allows some children with egg allergies to tolerate ever increasing amounts of egg baked in a cake, according to Dr. George N. Konstantinou, at the University of Athens.

In their study, they wanted to see if this method could develop increased tolerance to hen’s eggs. 94 boys and girls, aged 12 to 48 months, were referred to the food allergy department at the university and, after 6 months of desensitization, 90 percent of them could tolerate egg baked in a cake.

This is a new way of handling allergies and shouldn’t be “tried at home” without the supervision of a physician.

Basically, these findings suggest that consuming small quantities of baked egg might alter the natural course of egg allergy, the investigators note. They are currently conducting a study to compare this egg allergy desensitization approach in allergic children who will receive desensitization treatment and those who with receive a “placebo.”

Over 6 months, almost all the children no longer suffered from itching, eczema, or more severe reactions to the initial baked egg challenge. The investigators then gave a whole egg to the 87 children who did not react to baked eggs and only 4 reacted with itching or eczema.

SOURCE: Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Article in Press, July 15, 2008