Food allergies among children have increased 50 percent since the late 1990s, and peanut allergies have tripled during the same time.
Not only is peanut allergy among the most common food allergies, it can cause a severe allergic reaction that can be fatal, called anaphylaxis. In the past, pediatricians recommended that children, especially those at high risk for food allergies, wait until 2 to 3 years old to consume potentially risky foods such as peanuts.