A double-blind, placebo-controlled study was published in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (Volume 127, Issue 3 , Pages 640-646.e1, March 2011) that look at a possible way to desensitize children with peanut allergies. The subjects of the study were 18 children between the ages of one and 11 with a known peanut allergy. They were randomly divided into two groups and received either a placebo or a very small amount of the allergen extract. The group receiving  the dose of peanut extract were given gradually increased doses every two weeks for a period of six months. After each increase in dosage, the treatment group continued with that dose each day. The dose of peanut extract given to the treatment group was maintained for an additional six months once a maximum of 2,000 mcg (2 milligrams) of peanut protein was reached.

After one year (six months of receiving the maximum dose of 2 milligrams of peanut protein), the subjects were challenged with peanut flour mixed in with their food. The subjects were tested with allergy skin prick tests and blood samples were taken at various points during the study.

The subjects who were given the sublingual peanut extract were able to safely consume 20 times more peanut protein than those in the placebo group. Skin tests also showed that the treatment group had a decreased reaction to the peanuts. The amount of peanut tolerated by the treatment group, 1710 milligrams (compared to 85 milligrams for the control group), may be enough to protect from accidental ingestion of peanut (a single peanut weighs about 100 milligrams). This is a small study and the results are encouraging, but not conclusive. More studies need to be performed.