The ability of children and families with and without nut allergy to correctly identify nuts

Peanut (PN) and tree nut (TN) allergies are common, and severe allergic reactions may occur. Current management of PN and TN allergy is patient and family education on strict avoidance measures and the use of medication to treat accidental exposures, and in some cases oral immunotherapy. Historically, nut-allergic patients were advised to avoid all nuts. While this may have simplified family treatment plans, it imposed unnecessary dietary restrictions. In current practice, allergists recommend the introduction of nuts they deem safe to the child's ‘in-home’ diet, but practice varies internationally.1 This presents an important safety issue for patients and their families. Safe introduction of nuts at home should involve children and their guardians carefully reading labels on packages. An ability to recognise individual nuts by sight would further increase a child's safety.