Which childhood food allergies are outgrown? ^{CEFR B2}

Childhood food allergies raise key questions for families and clinicians because some allergies resolve while others remain lifelong. Milk and egg allergies are the most likely to be outgrown; many children first tolerate these foods when they are baked and later reintroduce less processed forms. Studies report that up to 90–95% of children eventually outgrow milk and egg allergies. By contrast, allergens such as peanuts, tree nuts, sesame and shellfish are more persistent: "Fewer than 20% of children will outgrow their peanut allergy," says Kirsi Järvinen‑Seppo, chief of pediatric allergy and immunology at University of Rochester Medicine Golisano Children’s Hospital. That persistence explains why peanut allergy remains highly researched and carefully managed in pediatrics.

Clinicians consider several predictors of tolerance. IgE is the antibody that drives immediate allergic reactions; lower starting and peak IgE levels for a specific food tend to signal a greater chance of outgrowing the allergy, while high IgE levels suggest a longer course. The severity and number of food allergies matter as well: milder or fewer allergies generally resolve sooner, whereas multiple or severe allergies are more persistent. Genetics and environment both play roles — genes that affect skin barrier function, such as filaggrin, are linked to eczema and to peanut allergy — but no genetic test can reliably predict outcomes.

There is no simple home remedy to speed tolerance. Many clinics now offer oral immunotherapy (OIT), which introduces small, controlled amounts of an allergenic food to build tolerance. OIT for peanut may use an FDA‑approved peanut product or measured peanut powder, and typical treatment involves about 10 to 14 office visits over several months. Younger children often have the best long‑term results. OIT usually raises the reaction threshold and reduces caregiver anxiety, but it does not guarantee permanent tolerance. Prevention efforts focus on early introduction of allergenic foods — for example, introducing peanut between four to six months of age lowers the risk of developing peanut allergy, with similar findings for early egg introduction — and on early eczema management and daily moisturizers for high‑risk infants to reduce eczema severity and possibly the chance of food allergy. Source: University of Rochester.