Science Questions

My husband developed an allergy to nuts at 32 years old. Is it common to get allergies as you get older or is this more of a childhood phenomenon? Hazel in Norfolk

Children certainly do get allergy and allergy to nuts and some of the allergies go away with time. Unfortunately nut allergy tends not to. 85% of children with nut allergy will have it for life, but it's not impossible to develop an allergy later in life, and I often get patients who say 'why me and why now? I'm nearly thirty!' and I'm afraid it just happens. It certainly isn't an exclusion, so if you start to develop serious symptoms of an allergy in later life, get it sorted out because it can be an allergy.

July 2006