Merewether's Isaac Allen is a shining example of the promise of an emerging treatment to overcome life-threatening allergies. Login or signup to continue reading Issac, now 12, made headlines in 2019 when his family moved to Utah for nine months to try him on oral immunotherapy (OIT). His mum Liesel Allen said OIT was "the best thing we've ever done".
"It totally changed our life. Isaac has a life of complete freedom now," Mrs Allen said. "Before we lived a life of fear.
Isaac had six anaphylactic reactions by the time he was six." A free OIT program is now available at John Hunter Children's Hospital for children under 12 months diagnosed with peanut allergy. The program, named ADAPT, is run by the National Allergy Centre of Excellence for children receiving care by allergists at 10 paediatric hospitals across Australia.
Participants will follow a daily dosing schedule of peanut powder, taken at home over two years. Dr Rani Bhatia, a paediatric allergy and immunology specialist at John Hunter Children's Hospital, said "Australia has one of the highest rates of childhood food allergy in the world". "There is no cure and up until now we've had no routinely available treatment," Dr Bhatia said.
Dr Bhatia said OIT was a treatment that could "change the trajectory of that". "We are excited and happy to be involved in this program." Peanut allergy affects 3.
1 per cent of 12 month olds in Australia. "More than two thirds of children with a peanut allergy will remain allergic by the.