(WXYZ) — A new study is sounding the alarm about the dangers of cashews which are now triggering more life-threatening reactions in kids than any other tree nut. And often, families don’t even know the danger until it’s too late.
Watch Keenan's full report in the video player below
Today, 8- year-old Nia Bouser is all smiles, showing off her custom-made jacket promoting food allergy awareness. But that smile can fade at birthday parties where cake and other treats and snacks can be a source of stress.
"It's tough, because I can't have cake at birthday parties, and sometimes I feel left out," Nia said.
But Nia’s not alone. She and her older sister Lena both have severe food allergies. Between them, they’ve learned to watch what they eat because one bite of the wrong food can be life-threatening.
They are among the 1 in 13 children who have a food allergy, and more than 40 percent have experienced a severe reaction. Lena’s first close call as a toddler.
"Her face was swollen, and she was just rubbing her face very hard, and I just picked her up and rushed her to the ER," said Marshella Bouser, an author and the mother of Lena and Nia.
"What were you feeling in that moment?" I asked.
"Scared, had no idea what was going on," Marshella replied.
The culprit? Undiagnosed food allergies.
The Bousers are among the growing number of American families managing pediatric food allergies, which have doubled from 2007 to 2021. And now a major new study published in the European Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology says cashews are the number one cause of tree nut-induced anaphylaxis in children.
And shockingly, 77% of those kids had no idea they were even allergic.
I asked Dr. Garen Wolff, an Allergist and Immunologist with DMC Harper University Hospital, if the rise in cashew allergies surprised him.
"Not at all," Dr. Wolff said. "Cashews, number one, are being consumed more."
Cashews can be more difficult for our bodies to break down.
"So you have more of the allergen in your system. So it's more potent," Dr. Wolff said. "And more likely to cause your body to undergo a life-threatening anaphylactic reaction."
Anaphylaxis can include hives, swelling of the face, throat or tongue, dizziness and difficulty breathing. It's your body's attempt to rid itself of a wrongly-perceived harm.
"And it's also warning you that this is going to cause, this is causing something in your body," Dr. Wolff said.
To spread awareness, about the rising dangers of cashew and other food allergies, Marshella wrote the children’s book, 'My Nutty Summer', starring little Nia.
The book explains food allergies and equips kids to advocate for themselves. And hopefully cause adults to stop and think.
Marshella also creates custom allergy hair bows that speak even if her daughters don't.
"I just always let them know where my EpiPen is and I let them about my allergies. 'Hey, I'm allergic to this. I can't have it,' Lena said.
That's an important safety step, especially when dangers like cashews and other allergens may remain unseen in a growing number of foods.
Especially in vegan snacks, trail mixes, and pesto where cashews are used as a substitute for more expensive pine nuts.
And experts warn: you don’t have to be born with a cashew allergy to have one—adults are developing them too.
You can find more info on food allergy safety at this link and this link.
