A questioner on the AAAAI (American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology) site asked whether, if her daughter has a peanut allergy, there is an increased risk of her younger son developing one as well.

The response was that a study on the genetics of peanut allergy found that if a child has a peanut allergy, the chance that a sibling will also be allergic to peanuts is approximately 7%. This risk is compared with a 1-2% risk in a child from a family without a history of any allergies.

Because of this increased risk, they suggest that your allergist/immunologist may recommend testing younger siblings for a peanut allergy before they ingest peanut. You should discuss with your allergist/immunologist at what point to undertake such testing.

For the AAAAI's patients and consumers page.

First published in 2010

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