Fiona Stanley Hospital offers world-first treatment model for children with peanut allergies

Fiona Stanley Hospital is one of 10 paediatric hospitals in Australia that will be the first globally to introduce a nation-wide peanut oral immunotherapy program (OIT).

The ten hospitals have partnered with the National Allergy Centre of Excellence, hosted at Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, to introduce the program into mainstream care. Fiona Stanly Hospital and Perth Childrens Hospital are only hospitals in Western Australia to offer the program.

The ADAPT-OIT program will aim to help children safely build a tolerance to peanuts and hopefully achieve remission.

The program will be available to children under 12 months, diagnosed with a peanut allergy, who are receiving care by an allergist at FSH or the other participating hospitals.  

Eligible children will follow a daily dosing schedule of peanut powder, taken at home, over two years. At the end of the treatment, children will be given a food allergy test to determine if remission was achieved and will be followed in routine clinical care for at least 12 months to evaluate safety and effectiveness, quality of life, and long-term outcomes.

Allergist and Program Lead at Fiona Stanley Hospital and Perth Children’s Hospital, Dr Michael O’Sullivan, said families who suspect their child has a peanut allergy should first see their GP.

“If you think your baby has had an allergic reaction to peanut, avoid that food and talk to your GP, who may refer your child to an allergist at one of the participating hospitals.”

For more information, visit the National Allergy Centre of Excellence (external link).

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