Kids with sensitive skin may be allergic to oats

Kids with sensitive skin may be allergic to oats
A farmer carries a sheaf of newly harvested oats October 3, 2007. Children with skin allergies may be allergic to oat proteins commonly found in skin products, study findings suggest. (Stringer/Reuters)NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Children with skin allergiesmay be allergic to oat proteins commonly found in skinproducts, study findings suggest.
Of 302 children seen at a pediatric dermatology unit inBordeaux, France, nearly one third had a positive skin reactionto oats, report Dr. Franck Boralevi, at the HopitalPelligrin-Enfants, and colleagues.
The researchers used skin patch tests and skin prick teststo determine the sensitivity to oat proteins among children,ages 4 months to 15 years old, with eczema. Also referred to asatopic dermatitis, eczema is a chronic skin disorder thatcauses scaly and itchy rashes.
Overall, 32.5 percent of the children were sensitive tooats, study investigators report in the medical journalAllergy. Skin patch tests showed oat sensitivity among 14.6percent, while skin prick tests identified oat sensitivityamong 19.2 percent of those tested.
Hospital-based oral food challenges, completed by 32 of the98 children who tested positive for oat sensitivity, furtheridentified 16 percent with sensitivity to oat meal.
None of the parents of these children suspected an oatallergy in their child. Previous history taking and clinicalexaminations also had not identified these allergies, theresearchers note.
Of the children who were tested with oat protein allergy byrepeatedly applying oat cream to a skin area previouslyunaffected by atopic dermatitis, 28 percent developed eczema orother skin eruptions.
Three quarters of all of the children had been previouslytreated with oat-containing emollients. Thirty-two percent ofthese children who used skin produces containing oat previouslytested positive on the skin patch tests.
The investigators suspect the repeated application ofoat-containing skin products appears to be associated with oatsensitization in this study population, the investigatorsreport.
Boralevi and colleagues also found that the percentage ofchildren with positive skin patch reactions decreased with age,a finding that is in accordance with previous studies, theynote.
The researchers suggest that oat-containing skin productsbe avoided in children younger than two years old.
SOURCE: Allergy, November 2007.