If treated early enough, young children may be able to overcome their peanut allergies, according to researchers. .

In a new study published Thursday in the journal The Lancet, a clinical trial funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that giving peanut oral immunotherapy to children ages 1 to 3 years old who are highly peanut-allergic induced remission of that allergy in one-fifth. .

The authors gave toddlers daily increasing amounts of peanut protein powder to a group of toddlers for 2.5 years. .

Only children who had an allergic reaction after eating half a gram of peanut protein or less were eligible to join the study.

The children gradually ate escalating doses of up to 2 grams of peanut protein over a 30-week period.

Following that, the children received gradually increasing doses of peanut protein up to a cumulative maximum of 5 grams, before halting treatment and avoiding peanuts for half a year.

Lastly, the children had a repeat "food challenge" with 5 grams of peanut protein.

Remission was defined as those who were able to eat 5 grams of peanut protein without having an allergic reaction six months following immunotherapy treatment.

Most of the children had a reaction during treatment, mostly mild to moderate.