Peanut allergies are among the most common food allergies, and those impacted are told to avoid peanuts altogether, but a new study found for some kids, eating peanut butter - under medical supervision - can help overcome the allergy.
CBS News New York health reporter Jenna DeAngelis spoke with the man leading the study - Dr. Scott Sicherer, chief of the Division of Allergy and Immunology at the Mount Sinai Department of Pediatrics.
It's estimated that about 1-2% of people have a peanut allergy, according to Sicherer.
Until now, he says research has been focused on those with severe peanut allergies, and the treatment has simply been for patients to avoid peanuts.
"We've kind of ignored the fact that not everybody's exquisitely allergic to peanut, or any food for that matter, and so there's really a spectrum of individuals. Some might have one peanut or five peanuts before they start to react," Sicherer said.
The trial at Mount Sinai includes 73 children, ages 4-14 years old, who can tolerate at least half a peanut. They were split into two groups, at random.
One group continued avoiding peanuts.
The other tested the new treatment strategy: gradually increasing doses of store-bought peanut butter, for about 18 months, under medical supervision.
"I was a bit shocked at how well this worked. Essentially, everyone who was assigned to the treatment group was able to tolerate a peanut butter sandwich worth of peanuts, so like 35 peanuts worth of peanut, and the people who were in the avoidance group didn't change their threshold, so there was a really big difference," Sicherer said.
According to Mount Sinai researchers, there are an estimated 800,000 children in the U.S. with high threshold peanut allergies who might benefit from this treatment strategy.
The doctor stresses, do not do this at home. If you want to try this approach, consult with an allergist.
Sicherer says he hopes this study will help encourage additional research that includes this approach for more foods to help more people.
The trial was sponsored and funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
The Esteves family of Bayville jumped at the opportunity to take part in the study.
Ten-year-old Jackson Esteves was diagnosed with allergies to eggs, sesame, tree nuts, peanuts and dairy products when he was just 11 months old, his mother says.
"It can be very hard," Jackson said.
"A food allergy parent I think lives in this sort of hypervigilant state all the time," mom Holly Esteves said.
But now, years after the trial, he's still safely eating plenty of peanut butter.
"Getting over the peanut allergy was incredible," Esteves said.