ADAPT OIT Program
- Project status: Active
Research area: Population Health > Population Allergy
ADAPT is an oral immunotherapy program offered at participating hospitals to eligible babies with peanut allergy.
Overview
Peanut is the most common cause of childhood food allergy, affecting 3.1 per cent of one-year-olds in Australia.
Oral immunotherapy (OIT) is an emerging treatment option that aims to gradually build up a tolerance to an allergen with small daily doses over several months.
To learn more about OIT, the National Allergy Centre of Excellence (NACE), hosted at Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI), has partnered with 10 paediatric hospitals across Australia to launch the ADAPT OIT Program.
As part of a new model of care, the hospitals will offer the free, standardised, peanut OIT program to eligible children under 12 months diagnosed with peanut allergy.
About the ADAPT OIT Program
If families suspect their infant has a peanut allergy, the first step is to visit their GP. The doctor may then refer the family to an allergist at one of the ADAPT OIT Program participating hospitals where they can have their allergy confirmed. Then, if eligible, the infant may be introduced to the treatment program.
Over the next two years, the hospital ADAPT teams will carefully guide the children to have small and increasing amounts of a peanut powder every day at home. The families will also have regular check-ups with their ADAPT team in the clinic or via telehealth.
At the end of the program, a food challenge and follow up assessment will test whether they have developed a tolerance to peanut (remission).
ADAPT OIT Program participating hospitals
- The Royal Children’s Hospital (VIC)
- Queensland Children’s Hospital (QLD)
- Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick (NSW)
- The Children’s Hospital at Westmead (NSW)
- John Hunter Children’s Hospital Newcastle (NSW)
- Campbelltown Hospital (NSW)
- Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (NSW)
- Perth Children’s Hospital (WA)
- Fiona Stanley Hospital (WA)
- Women’s and Children’s Health Network (SA)
For more information, visit the National Allergy Centre of Excellence.
Information for families
The NACE, hosted at MCRI, will play a critical role in evaluating the ADAPT OIT Program. Our researchers will look at the program’s safety, effectiveness and acceptability to families, plus changes in quality of life. This will help identify ways to make sure children with peanut allergy have access to the most effective and safe care.
Following the NACE Evaluation Study, it is hoped more hospitals and private allergy clinics across Australia will introduce the program as a standard model of care for treatment of peanut allergy in young children.
What is OIT?
- OIT is a treatment for food allergies
- OIT is not a cure, but following treatment it may improve the chance of being able to eat a specific food allergen, such as peanut, milk or egg
- Small doses of the allergen are given every day over several months, until a food allergy test is done to see whether the treatment has worked
- Like all treatments, OIT may not be suitable for everyone
Is peanut OIT safe for children?
- Children on OIT can experience some side effects
- Stomach pain or mild to moderate allergic reactions are the most common side effects
- A small number of children might experience an allergic reaction or anaphylaxis and need to use an adrenaline injector (EpiPen Jr® or Anapen Jr®)
- During OIT, it’s important to follow your child’s ASCIA Anaphylaxis Action Plan and carry an adrenaline injector
Research team
Lead researcher
- Professor Kirsten Perrett, ADAPT OIT Program Head and NACE Director
Project members
- Dr Tim Brettig, Medical Lead
- Danielle West, Clinical Trial Coordinator
- Helen Czech, Clinical Nurse
- Dr Angela Young, Projects and Partnerships Manager
- Harriet Edmund, Communications Manager
Funding and collaborators
Funding
The National Allergy Centre of Excellence is supported by funding from the Australian Government.
Collaborators
- National Allergy Centre of Excellence (NACE)
- The Royal Children’s Hospital (VIC)
- Queensland Children’s Hospital (QLD)
- Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick (NSW)
- The Children’s Hospital at Westmead (NSW)
- John Hunter Children’s Hospital, Newcastle (NSW)
- Campbelltown Hospital (NSW)
- Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (NSW)
- Perth Children’s Hospital (WA)
- Fiona Stanley Hospital (WA)
- Women’s and Children’s Health Network (SA)
Contact us
ADAPT OIT Program
National Allergy Centre of Excellence (NACE)
Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI)
The Royal Children’s Hospital
50 Flemington Road, Parkville, VIC 3052
Email:
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