Nut Allergies
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Nut Allergies
May 2008
Hi, I'm looking for restaurants in San Francisco able to accommodate a
toddler with a serious peanut allergy. My two-and-a-half year-old
niece will be visiting this summer with her family, and her well-being
is a primary concern. Your recommendations are greatly appreciated!
Auntie Elle
First of all, you are an exceptional aunt! My son is also
seriously allergic to peanut and he also has aunts and uncles who
look out for him all the time. I get tearful every time I think
about all of the things my friends and family did to accomodate
his condition. Do you know if your niece is also allergic to
tree nuts, soy and beans? Peanut is part of the beans family and
there is also a good chance your niece may be allergic to those
items as well.
Here are my general rules:
1. NO vegetarian restaurant as most of them load the dishes with
nuts, beans and or peanuts as a substitue for high quality
protein.
2. No South East Asian restaurants, especially Thai and
Cambodian. Vietnamese dishes use peanut as garnish very often.
3. Always tell the waiter your niece is severly allergic to
peanut. Make sure he writes in down on the order - NO PEANUT.
Most restaurants are very familiar with the allergy. This is
also important training for your niece. You are showing her how
to ask these questions and that it is important to ask. Our
allergist told us the most difficult time for kids with food
allergy is when they enter the teenage years. When peer
pressures kicks in, a lot of good judgements go away.
4. Stay away from the thick sauces and gravies. They may have
peanut butter in it as their ''secret'' ingredient.
5. In general, we find ordering from the grill at Japanese
restaurants the safest. A side order of grilled salmon or
chicken and a bowl of plain rice usually keep our son very happy.
6. ALWAYS bring the Epipen when going out with your niece.
Enjoy your time with your niece. She is lucky to have a caring
aunt.
annon
March 2008
We just found out last week that our 2-year-old son has peanut
and tree-nut allergies (particularly cashew and almond). This
was based on skin testing, and the biggest reaction was to
cashew. He is also allergic to fish and egg, which we had
observed already. So far all of his reactions have been hives
immediately after eating (sometimes while eating), but we've
never knowingly given him nuts so we don't know what his reaction
would be. We were prescribed 6 epi-pens and told to avoid all
nuts, and read labels for shared equipment with peanuts and tree
nuts.
How can we know whether he just has skin reactions or whether he
will some day go into anaphylactic shock from sitting next to a
kid with a PBJ sandwich? As much as I hate to become neurotic
about this, I do need to protect him, but it feels like going
overboard to ask his future preschool to go nut-free when we
don't know how severe his allergy is (and most allergies are not
life threatening). The allergist took it very seriously with all
the epi-pens, but also said there was no way to know about
severity of his reaction. He said nut-free policies don't really
work and we need to focus on making sure he doesn't come into
contact with other kids' food, and that children learn this
pretty quickly. I have purged nuts from our house and am reading
every label on everything I buy, and wondering how my some-day
teenage son will carry his epi-pen around without a purse... Any
advice from other families with nut-allergic kids? How do you
know how severely allergic your child is if they've never eaten nuts?
Going nuts
It is not unreasonable to have a pre-school go nut free. Dairy
is what will send our child to the hospital. There is a list
of other food items that will cause varying allergic
reactions. We have provided the staff at our pre-school with
Epi pens and instruction of how they are used. We have been
educating our child about allergies and what they need to avoid
and what a reaction feels like and how to let an adult know
that they may be having a reaction. Our child is three. I
know how scared you must feel but our babes are really
amazing. Teach your son and he will show you that everything
is going to be just fine.
It's all very overwhelming but we live in a good place as far
as allergy knowledge and tolerance.
emge
You are really lucky you found out without your child having
anaphylaxsis. Cashew allergies tend to be more severe than
peanut allergies and can be particularly life threatening. You
should absolutely follow your allergist's advice - to the
letter.
You may not know how bad your child's reaction is going to be,
but you don't really ever want to find out. You need to tell
the preschool, anyone who cares for your child, anyone who
prepares food for your child (friends, relatives, restaurants -
everyone). Even if you've told them before, remind them. If
you leave your child with someone explain the syptoms of a
reaction and tell them how to use the Epipen. Never hesitate
to use the Epipen. It is important to catch the reaction
before it cascades and your child is in real trouble. After
giving the Epipen, take them to the ER right away. They might
look OK, but they still need additional care. The Epipen buys
you time to get them to the doctor. Children's Hospital has a
great handout on food allergies. You might consider getting a
copy and giving it to the school and anyone who cares for your
child.
The precautions are a total pain, and you can feel like a pest
when you ask about nuts at restaurants, bakeries, friends,
everywhere, but you really have to do it. And, you have to ask
every time and read the labels everytime. Menus and recipes
change, friends forget.
My daughter also has a cashew allergy. I found out when she
was two, ate a piece of nut the size of a pinenut, and almost
died - 911, paramedics, ambulance, Children's Hospital. She
had never had any sign of being allergic before. At four, she
had a second anaphylactic reaction (less severe) after eating
at a friend's house. I wasn't sure if she was really having a
reaction and took her to the ER. The doctor looked at me like
I was an idiot for not giving her the Epipen. I felt like an
idiot then, but at the time I took her in, I thought it would
be overreacting. They really pounded it home - you need to
react quickly and agressively to stop the reaction early.
The Anaphylaxis Network has some kids' books and tapes about
food allergies. My daughter likes the ''Alexander the Elephant''
ones. Also, they have Epipen cases and carriers that don't look
like purses!
Dealing with Same Thing- Unfortunately
I understand what you are going through w/a food allergy
diagnosis. My son is anaphylactic to tree-nuts & gets hives or
wheezing & severe coughing from foods made on the same
equipment (it's NOT a law to include shared equipment info on
labels, so not every company does it).
The reason we know my son is anaphylactic is he had one bite of
cashew butter when he was 13 mos old & nearly died. You can't
be certain whether your child would experience anaphylaxis
unless he has an episode, however, judging from your child's
reaction to trace amounts, test results, & your doctor's
advice, I would consider it a strong possibility.
Never be w/out a set of epi-pens! You are NOT being neurotic!
Even hives can kill & nuts are like a lethal poison to your son
& the epi-pen is the only chance you have of reversing a
reaction in case of accidental ingestion. Also, while most food
allergies may not be life-threatening, nut allergies are the
most often fatal. On a positive note, current research may lead
to a treatment for our kids in the next 5-10 yrs.
Re: preschool, whether your child needs a nut-free one depends
1) on your child (will he eat ONLY his own food?) & 2) on the
school's ability to keep trace amounts of nut butters & foods
off the surfaces & toys, since it's possible he would react to
contact w/these trace amounts. My son (now almost 5) can not be
entirely trusted around food that is not safe/potentially not
safe for him--he is very smart & cerebral, but can be impulsive
at times & has picked up food off the floor at friends' homes &
popped it in his mouth before I could react. He once dove for
crushed peanuts & candy in a parking lot, & recently he
trustingly accepted unsafe food from a teacher (who forgot
about his food allergy), even after being reminded just before
to only accept food from Mommy or Daddy.
All that said, it is possible to keep your child safe w/
constant vigilance, lots of planning, educating anyone who
cares for your child about his condition & how & when to use an
epi-pen. It is also not too early to begin teaching your son
how to keep himself safe.
A great support organization is the Food Allergy and
Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) www.foodallergy.org. FAAN will have
a fundraising walk in SF in September & it would be a great
place for you to learn more.
Feel free to contact me if you wish. I wish you the best in
keeping your child safe!
hring
Our 36 month old has peanut allergy too, as well as a handful of
other allergies to random foods. Our son's reactions have always
been that he will get a handful of hives around his mouth after
eating the offending food. But that's it so far.
From what I understand, the latest research and thinking on food
allergies in kids is that almost all grow out of them, and that
contrary to earlier thinking, avoiding those foods does NOT
increase the chances that it will get worse. In fact, avoiding
may contribute to NOT growing out of it so easily. Already our
son has grown out of several. You should only avoid them when you
need to avoid the reaction it causes--like if it causes eczema
(because that is ongoing and can be painful) and if it's
potentially serious, like with peanut allergy. If the reaction is
something that comes and goes without really bothering the child,
don't worry about it.
The problem with peanut allergy (and a few other potentially
serious ones) is that it is one of the foods that can have a
potentially serious reaction. So because of that, you avoid it
like crazy and carry the epipen. That said, research now shows
that most kids do outgrow peanut allergies, and that most who are
allergic would likely have only mild reactions anyway. But you
do never know. AND, esp w/ peanut, you never can know if it is
truly mild or not. One time he may have a mild reaction to
peanut, but then the next time he might have an anaphylactic
reaction. You can't really know.
All that said, I think you just do the best you can--carry the
epipen, give one to the preschool and teach them how to use it,
and most of all, teach your son he can't have nuts, can't eat
other kids food, and needs to always ask grown ups if there's
nuts in stuff & tell them he is allergic. Our son seems to get
this already. He had lunch at a friend's the other day, and he
asked the mom. We are serious about it, but without trying to
scare him. And, we always take whatever opportunities we can to
tell him what other people are allergic to, too. We are comforted
by the knowledge that he will probably outgrow it, and that if he
does accidentally eat a peanut, it will probably not be a big
deal, anyway. Finding that balance--between caution and
comfort--is key, in my opinion.
I feel compelled to say, I am in no way a medical professional
and everything I said is just my own opinion, based on my
experiences...
Good luck!
another nutty mama
My son, who is now 2, has been diagnosed with peanuts and nuts
and also egg allergies. He had a pretty strong reaction one day
when he was one, with a peanut butter cookie, and that's why he
was tested for allergies. We found out that he was potentially
developing an allergy to eggs also, although he never showed a
reaction when eating eggs.
If your son has shown an allergy to some food already with a
visible reaction, chances are that he will react very strongly to
ingesting nuts or peanuts. Nuts and peanuts are strong allergens.
I too thought it was a bit much to demand that my daycare goes
totally nuts and peanuts free, but contrarily to your belief,
food allergies are often life-threatening. It is your son's life,
and you want to protect him from such an event.
The other reason to be strict with his diet right now is that he
may grow out of his allergies. Just this reason should be a great
motivation for you to really avoid any food he might be allergic
to for a couple of years, or until his skin test show better results.
I would recommend subscribing to the FAAN network,
http://www.foodallergy.org/, it is a great resource to learn
about allergies. They also have many educational tapes or DVDs
that you can use to educate yourself or the daycare providers.
If I were you, I would follow the allergist recommendation and be
patient.
Another mom
I'm sorry to hear about your son's nut allergy diagnosis. We
found our son is allergic to peanuts 3 years ago, although it was
the hard way -- he ended up having an anaphylactic reaction and
we had to rush him to ER. As dramatic as that sounds, we have
only had one incident since then and it was resolved without
having had to use the Epi-pen. A couple bits of advice:
- Your son is still too young for you to know how severe his nut
allergy is, especially if he has never eaten it. My son didn't
eat a peanut between age 1 and 4, and when he had that one
fateful bite, he had a full-blown anaphylactic reaction. So you
should assume that your son's reaction is severe if ingested, but
probably okay if he has been around peanuts without having a
reaction.
- I agree with your allergist that nut-free policies are very
hard to enforce -- a classmate's babysitter or grandparent might
make a PBJ sandwich by mistake, etc. My son's second reaction
stemmed from eating a candy bar that he had found, so it had
nothing to do with what other kids packed in their lunches. I
believe that educating your child and being very vocal in asking
the teachers and parents to create a community of support is more
effective. If all of the kids in his class learn that they cannot
share their lunches, he is more protected than going with the
assumption that all of the food in the classroom is ''safe.'' Your
son must also learn to ask about ingredients -- of course, you
will need to remind him constantly and be extra vigilant at
Halloween.
- Buy yourself some OTC Primatene mist inhalers. They are about
$18 a pop (a few $ less for Walgreen's generic brand) -- it
contains the same drug, epinephrine, as the Epi-pen but is an
inhalant and is thus less invasive to use. We used it to treat my
son's second reaction and it was very effective -- it prevented a
trip to the ER.
- We have four complete ''allergy kits'' that include one Epi-pen,
Primatene Mist and meltable Benedryl, which should be your first
line of defense, phone numbers and instructions. We keep one with
my son's teacher in the classroom, one with the school office,
one reserved for playdates and one for home.
So, welcome to your new reality. You will learn quickly how to
live with your son's allergy and you *will* get used to it.
Oddly, I think my son (who is now 7) enjoys the attention he gets
from announcing his peanut allergy -- I think it makes him feel
somehow special. Go figure.
Good luck!
I'm an adult with life threatening allergies to all tree nuts and
peanuts. I've had these allergies for ~40 years. When I was a
small child, I would wheeze and throw up. When I became older,
the allergy got worst. Unfortunately, I was never informed by
doctors to take Benadryl or carry an Epipen until I was 22. As a
teenager, I almost died 4-5 times from this allergy; but I did
not have Benadryl or Epipen on hand at these times. I did
realize I was sick enough to go to the ER which saved my life.
As an adult, I've been to the ER 3 times in the last 15 years.
My worst reactions occurred when I didn’t take Benadryl
immediately. Benadryl significantly reduces the severity of the
allergy for me. From the research I've done, ~9% of children
outgrow tree nut allergies. Even as an adult, if I accidentally
eat something with nuts, I don’t know how bad the reaction will
be. I have to wait an hour to find out. My worst reactions came
from eating foods where nuts were well hidden in the ingredients
and very hard to detect when I first put the food in my mouth;
foods with ground up nuts in breads, donuts, or sauces,
especially sauces used in Indian food.
So, here is my advice based on years of experience. If you go
out to eat, tell the waitress/waiter that your child is deathly
allergic to all nuts and to please ask the chef if there are any
nuts in the food. If you don't use the word ''deathly'' some
wait-staff don't pay attention.
If your child is having any type of reaction, give them chewable
Benadryl tablets and watch them carefully. If they are wheezing
and developing hives, or have any swelling anywhere on their
body, or if they begin to throw up, or become light-headed or
faint, use the Epipen. Only use one Epipen and bring them to the
ER. Make sure you tell the ER that you have used an Epipen. One
really good doctor I have, recently told me that if I’m having
mild reaction but if the Benadryl isn’t doing the trick, that I
should take Zantac. He reports that the Zantac gives you a
better bang for your buck and it’s a good second line of defense
after the Benadryl. But, this is only useful for an older child
or adult who is familiar with a severe allergy. If the Benadryl
doesn’t quickly alleviate the allergy, move to the Epipen.
Email me if you have any questions.
danisue
June 2007
Hi -- my wife and I are trying to decide how militant to be
about eating peanuts while breastfeeding. I lean towards ''skip
it -- not worth the risk,'' while she leans towards, ''you're so
overprotective!''
We have NO family history of peanut or nut allergies, although
there is a family history of hay fever, seasonal allergies,
asthma, and allergies to penicillin, sulfa drugs, and
cephilasporins... I've got all those things mentioned, except
asthma... by brother has it.
Anyone have any thoughts on this one?
Thanks!
kevin
I wouldn't risk it. I avoided peanuts w/my first pregnancy,
and my now 4 year old son has no known allergies. I was more
casual w/my second, and my now almost 2 year old son has a
variety of allergies, including dairy. We haven't even had him
tested for peanuts. From the day he was born he was reacting
to what I ate (horrible, bloody diarrhea and eczema). Like you
we have no family history of any allergies. I wish I had been
more careful!
c
well you're cautious, and maybe that's a good thing. I breastfed
four, ate peanuts and nary a one has an allergy to peanuts. It's
odd that growing up I didn't know a single kid with this allergy
and now it's seems like there are a couple in every class. Would
make an interesting research project.
mother of 4
I, like you, was very concerned about allergens while I was
breastfeeding my two sons, who are now 6 and 3. I did have
food allergies as a child and was vigilent about nuts and
shellfish during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Neither of my
boys has had any issues with either now, or any other
allergies. My two sisters-in-law both ate nuts and shellfish
and the three kids they have between them have allergies to
common allergens, including nuts, and severe and painful excema
as a result. I don't know whether it's related, but one of
them did tell me that she wishes she'd been more vigilent like
I was. In my younger son's preschool class, there is a severe
nut allergy (the boy has to have an epipen on site), and it's
kind of scary. I figured, why risk it, when it's not that long
of a deprivation and it can potentially help you avoid a
lifelong problem for your child. Good luck.
Kristin
My husband has athsma; I was diagnosed as a child with penicillin allergy (may or
may
not be accurate). I didn't know about the breastfeeding/peanuts thing, and so ate
quite a bit of peanut butter while breastfeeding. My child (now 6) has no food
allergies, indeed, is allergic to nothing that we've ever noticed. And he eats
everything
-- nuts, shellfish, soybeans -- you name the potential allergen, he's eaten it with
no
ill effects.
Just one data point
I ate peanut butter throughout breastfeeding with all three of my kids, and none of
them has peanut allergy. With my middle child, I took my midwife's advice and
avoided
dairy products while nursing (because my family has a history of multiple allergies
and
asthma). He is my only child that doesn't have allergies or asthma. Coincidence? Who
knows.
stilll eating pb
My husband and I have no peanut or nut allergies in our families
either, but our son is severely allergic to nuts. I have no idea
why he is the only one - our first child also has no food
allergies. Our doctors have told us that although allergies are
inherited from one or more of the parents, they tend to manifest
in different ways. So my allergy to pollen makes it more likely
that my kids will also have allergies, but their allergies are
likely to be to different things. I ate nuts when I was
pregnant and breastfeeding, but none of the doctors can say for
sure whether that is related to my son's allergies. With that
being said, in hindsight, I would have been happy to avoid nuts
if there was a chance that would have helped. But Asian
countries eat way more peanuts than we do, and they have a much
lower occurence of peanut allergies. Not sure how helpful this
is, but just wanted to share my thoughts...
Mom with no Nut Allergies Either
I have found several articles that indicate a lean towards
skipping the peanuts- an incresed risk of allergy for kids under
age 3 due to exposure.
a mom
I'm so glad you asked. I would recommend against eating peanuts
abd all tree nuts while breastfeeding.
My family, like yours, has no history of food allergies, but
many of us suffer from seasonal allergies, hay feaver and
asthma. I now can make a connection between coming from an
allergic family and eating peanuts and tree nuts while being
pregnant and breastfeeding. The results- my child is severely
allergic to it.
Doctors may not see a direct link between the two, but believe
me, it is worth it. Those allergies are severe and life-long.
I hope this helps.
A mom
I have had a pretty severe peanut allergy since I was a child--the only
one out of six
siblings to have it. Now I have two children of my own. I never, ever
ate peanut
products while pregnant or nursing, and neither one of my children has
ever ingested
peanuts. I had them tested for the peanut allergy just as a precaution,
and lo and
behold, one is allergic to peanuts and one isn't. So I think it just
goes to show that the
causes of food allegies are probably far more complicated than just what
a mother eats
while breastfeeding her child, or even what a child eats when they are
young. I think
genetics plays a huge role, and there are no guarantees that anything
you do or don't
do can change that.
anon
August 2005
We just found out that our 10-month old son has a peanut
allergy. I inadvertently gave him a few pieces of my daughter's
cereal, which contained peanut butter. We took him straight to
the emergency room, after he broke out in hives and vomited. We
felt very fortunate that it wasn't worse, but are frightened and
distraught over the prospect of another accident peanut
ingestion. I'm curious how other parents deal with their
children's peanut allergy. While we're aware that about 20% of
children outgrow their peanut allergy, we feel like our son has
been given a life sentence. Are there any helpful resources on
dealing with this? How do other parents ensure that other people
don't give your child food that may contain peanuts? Are there
any pediatric allergists that you recommend? Any tips on dealing
with this would be greatly appreciated.
Janice
My child also has a peanut allergy. You have to become a peanut-free home. You will also have to treat your older child like she has a peanut allergy to avoid exposing your son inadvertently. (I say this because I mix my kids up all the time
- sticking a pacifier into my preschooler's mouth, etc.) You will have to read labels and approve everything anyone else gives your child. You will have an epipen and will have to teach other caregivers to use it just in case. Benadryl makes chewable tablets and I recommend getting those to carry with you whereever you go. James Nickelsen is a wonderful doctor(allergist), you should definitely try to see him. I know it's hard, but you will get used to it and hopefully your son will outgrow the allergy.
BTW, sunflower butter is a very tasty substitute for peanut butter.
Erin Moore
Our daughter does not have the allergy, but she has been at school since kindergarten (she'll be a freshman in high school this year) with a boy who has a VERY serious case of it -- and I want to assure that all parents will take your son's condition seriously. You need to be up front about it. You need to be very clear about it. As long as it lasts, you need to tell teachers, playdate parents, etc., exactly how dangerous it can be and how they need to be careful giving him anything to eat.
I think the basic rule is -- if in doubt, don't! If it doesn't have a list of ingredients to make sure there are no peanut byproducts, don't! I am sure you will get other useful rules from parents with children who share the allergy. Good luck.
My 3.5 year old son has a ton of allergies, the most severe being peanuts and dairy. He was diagnosed when he was 1, and we had to be very diligent initially about controlling his environment. We didn't keep any food in the house with peanuts in it and make sure that his older sister knew that she should never give him any food without checking with us first. Same with any visitors that came to our house, or any houses we visited. If there were any foods he was allergic to sitting on a low table he could reach at friends' houses, we would ask to move it to a higher table or just keep a really close eye on him. It got much easier when he turned 2, because he knew not to eat anything he wasn't familiar with without asking us first.
Eating out at restaurants is more challenging - Asian restaurants often use peanuts or peanut oil in their dishes. We usually bring food for him when we go out, or order something relatively safe (like hamburgers and french fries, after making sure the fries aren't cooked in peanut oil). It was hard at first, and we felt the same way about the life sentence. But it just became second nature after awhile and has not really negatively impacted our life. It will be more of a challenge when he starts kindergarten, but I think the schools are more aware of the issue as so many kids now seem to have peanut allergies. In fact, the incoming kindergarten classes at my daughter's school was asked to not bring any peanut products into the classroom. Hang in there!
In the same situation
We found out our child had a peanut allergy around the same age (10 months). He's now 4.5 years old. While at first it seems so scarey, living with the allergy is very manageable but you do have to keep up your guard and teach your child how to manage it as well. Here's what we did.
We had him tested at an allergist. He tested negative but then we had him eat peanuts at the doctors office where he did have a reaction within an hour. They treated him right away and was told he might likely drop the allergy within a year or two. So we kept him away from peanuts. Don't keep peanuts in the house, tell all caregivers, friends, watch at parks and parties. Read all labels, make sure no one offers him any food (you do have to educate the public, especially well meaning people wanting to give your child cookies). And we travel with a bottle of Benedryl all the time. He's not so sensitive that we need an
epi- pin but I know others who do.
He still has his allergy as far as we know and will continue to have him checked every year or two. So we continue to keep peanuts away. He knows what happens when he eats peanuts so will not go near it. Halloween time he went house to house saying ''Trick or treat, I'm allergic to peanuts!'' He'll wait to dive into the candy after we've checked everything.
There's an organization called the Food Allergy network'' that is helpful. http://www.foodallergy.org/ Once you get used to it, it is not so scarey. Good luck.
Nina
Our daughter, now 3 1/2, also has a peanut allergy we found out about when she was around your son's age. It's been simple and fine, just don't let your child have peanuts or peanut products. Schools are used to kids with a peanut allergy. You can keep your supply kit of Children's Benadryl and an EpiPen (prescribed by your ped) in your car or with you at all times, just as you might a first aid kit. Since we found out, she's had accidental bites once or twice and the Benadryl cleared up her reaction. But recently we were recently at a party and let her pick her own dessert.....I didn't know there were peanuts in the cookie until she was choking & vomiting, then I smelled peanuts on her breath. We took her straight to the emergency room and they gave her the epipen there, since we had become careless and weren't carrying our ''peanut emergency supplies'' with us.
I felt bad for my daughter explaining she couldn't have peanuts when other kids were having them. But many of my daughter's friends have food restrictions-we know several vegetarian kids, one who is allergic to avocados, one who doesn't drink milk, etc. So our daughter discusses with us how she can't have peanuts, so- and-so can't have meat, her baby brother can't have honey, etc. And the parents of her friends have been very concientious when she's at their houses, we just constantly remind people when we drop her off so it's in their mind.
Karen
I have advice coming from the angle of a daycare position. I run a daycare center and we have several children that are peanut allergic. MAKE SURE... I repeat... MAKE SURE you have an
8 1/2 X 11 flyer with your child's photo on it stating the peanut allergy and INSIST that it hangs in a couple of different locations on site at your child's daycare/preschool/kindergarten classroom, etc.
For the most part our kids with allergies know what they can and cannot eat, but they are gradeschool ages and we still have those flyers hanging. Your young child will not know at this age.
Make sure an epipen is on site at all of the above sites. And make sure you teach a FEW of the teachers how to use it and what to look for. Maybe even add it to the flyer.
We serve snacks to the kids daily and we keep a seperate container of safe foods for our peanut allergic friends.
Some of our kids are so deathly allergic that they are seated with a teacher who can monitor others' food at lunch and snack times. Even the spreading of peanut butter on a table can inflict harm to some!
One year, the allergy was taken so seriously that I bought ONLY foods that did not contain nuts so that there were no mistakes.
You've got to make sure, too, that you and your teachers know that many, many, many foods are made in factories that make other foods with nuts, so those foods should be avoided, too.
You'd be amazed at how many processed foods have nuts, peanut oil, or are made in factories that make other foods with nuts.
Take, for example, MnMs. You think the plain ones are safe, but they are made in factories that make the MnMs with nuts.
Start to read labels... many, many crackers and cookies have peanut oils or something like it.
It may be that your child is not as allergic to those foods as other kids. Watch what he eats and see what is OK for him.
And, don't feel ashamed to ask for accomodations to keep your child alive!!
daycare director
we had a similar experience at 12 months with almonds. Get an appointment with an allergist as soon as possible. We went to Dr. James Nickelson. He was great, but it took 4 months to get an appointment.
The nurse gave us helpful info to get through the interim period. Our general practitioner was very unhelpful and advice swung from ''never give him almonds again'' to ''are you sure that it was the almonds, maybe he was choking?''. The allergist tested our child, intelligently assessed the allergy and give me solid, reasuring advice on how to deal with eating and all of the social implications of a nut allergy. We ask about food contents a lot, but still eat out where we like: the blessing of a more mild allergy (albeit still labeled potentially life threatening). We remind caregivers endlessly: yes, it is a drag to feel nuerotic. We bring the epipen everywhere. That is the extent of it and we keep our fingers crossed for the three year test! The food allergy network has a list of foods to avoid and those with ''hidden'' nuts. They have info online:
google it.
marjorie
I have a peanut allergic child too. We discovered his allergies when he was about 18 months - he's now in high school. Yes, it is scary but there are things you can do to help keep your child safe and yourself sane. One of the first things you should do is go to http://www.foodallergy.org and become a member. They are a tremendous resource for advice, educational materials, and general support. They even helped me whan a local day camp wanted me to sign a special waiver (written just for us) saying that my then 6 year old was entirely responsible for anything related to his allergies and they had no responsibility - I don't think so!
Education, both for yourself and those around your child is also critical. The good news is, it seems more people know people with serious food allergies so
getting folks to take it seriously is getting easier. Try to make easy for people
to support you. I know it's hard, but coming from a positive place (here's how we can keep him safe) instead of a fearful place (here's what will happpen if you screw up) can make things easier.
I may sound calm, but please don't think for one second I don't worry about my child or assume the universe will keep him safe. It's just that although I do worry about his safety, I want his world to be as big as possible. To facilitate this I've done trainings at every single school, summer program or sports program he's participated in. He's never missed an overnight school field trip.
Neither of us believe his allergies should rule his life. Also, since he's now a teenager spending more time away from me and out with his friends, I'm in the ''letting go'' phase of allergy management since the responsibility is resting much more on his shoulders than mine.
Good luck to you. It's hard now, but you'll manage this. Everyone has some challenge in life and this just happens to be ours.
Not Easy but Not Impossible
I just wanted to make a quick point about the epipen, as a friend who
occaisionally cares for a child with a life-threatening peanut allergy.
My friend has given me the epipen to have on hand and the briefest
instruction on how to use it, but I only recently found out that if the
person has a serious reaction, the epipen will not itself solve the
problem. Administering the epipen simply gives you enough time to get
the child to the ER. If you do give someone an epipen to administer in
an emergency, make sure they know how to use it and that they know to
call an ambulance or get the child to the ER too. Not to freak you out.
My friend's daughter has never had a problem in the 5 years she's been
coming over for playdates. But it does help to feel more prepared in
case of emergency.
I wish you all the best in dealing with this. I know it is stressful,
and an extra hassle. But it is manageable and most people are now aware
of this all too common problem and willing to make whatever
accomodations are necessary to keep your child safe.
--a sympathetic mom
May 2005
My child who will be entering kindergarten in the fall, has a
severe tree nut allergy. While we have managed just fine in the
fabulous cocoon of our very conscientious preschool, I'm wondering
if there are parents of children like mine, and seek your advice
as to how you cope with exposures. My child has severe reactions
if food with nuts touches other food he ingests. We suspect, but
aren't really certain if his sensitivity is increasing, so I'm
concerned/nervous about him entering grade school, where there is
more independence, as well as less monitoring. I make nearly
everything he eats, as in nothing is processed except in my home,
and he doesn't eat food from others, except when okayed, but
still I fret. We do plan to do education within his classroom and
school, but I'm looking for some wisdom from experience. Thanks.
anon
I don't have a child with a food allergy but two of my kids
have been in school or on teams with kids with very severe
peanut/nut allergies. Once the child's parents educated the
other parents - and their own child - there were no
problems. But it seemed that a big part of it was the child
him/herself learning to question what might be in the food
they were eating. Of course this was easier with a 12 yr old
than a 6 year old. Having teachers reiterate the message in
communications from school also helps - without naming
the child - especially when it comes to birthday treats.
One mom of such a child provided a list to the other parents
of what things her child shouldn't have that might not be
obvious. My own son began to check the labels for ''made in
a factory that processes peanuts'' to protect his teammate.
Good luck.
Another mom
Feb 2003
My second child has a strong peanut allergy. He is also going to
kindergarten in the fall. Now I know from the experiences of my
older child that there is far far less supervision at school,
particularly the lunch break, than there is in a preschool
environment. I have been lucky thus far in his preschools that I
have had some 'control' -- or at least a say -- in mentioning to
every student's parent that this allergy is a serious one for my
child. However, I am now realizing this will be nearly impossible
when my son goes to kindergarten.
So -- what have parents of allergic/asthmatic children done to not
worry so much when their child is in school? My son knows he has
an allergy, knows what peanuts and peanut butter looks like, and
we have/will write an information letter to parents. Short of
being present for each and every lunch time, what can be done? He
has an epi-pen for a serious emergency, but I am betting he can't
carry it around with him. I fret that he won't be able to find
help in time because there are so many other children around...and
not enough adult supervisors.
If there is a support group for allergic children in our area, I
would also like information on any such agency.
Thanks,
Caroline
At the public school where I teach peanut allergies are
taken very seriously. The epi-pen is kept in the school
office, and the secretary and teacher are trained to use
it. All parents in my class, and other classes where this
is an issue, are made aware of the allergy, and everyone is
very conscientious about birthday treats, etc. There is a
poster in the office of each child with a severe allergy,
with a picture of the child, an explanation of the allergy,
and information about precautions, indications of an
allergic reaction, and appropriate measures to take
(including a 911 call). I urge you to talk with the staff
at your child's school to find out what their procudure is
for dealing with this issue. Best of luck.
Judy
I have a daughter with a mild peanut allergy, so it is not as
scary but here are some things I suggest you do. 1)Meet with the
principal and your child's teacher, and bring lots of
information about peanut allergies, how serious they are, how
children don't grow out of them, etc. 2) Definitely send the
letter to the other parents in the class, ask that they not send
treats with peanuts to school for birthdays, etc. 3) The Oakland
schools have a form that allows you to send prescription
medication to school with your child. Get your pediatrician to
sign it and send an epi-pen to school -- the ''nurse'' (or whoever
functions as one) will have to hold on to it, but as my
daughter's allergist says, just sending the epi-pen emphasizes
the seriousness of the situation. 4) On Halloween, Valentine's
day and other ''party'' days, call the room parent and ask them to
tell parents bringing cookies or treats to not bring things with
peanuts in them. Better yet, sign up to be the room parent so
you can give the message yourself. Still better, be at the party
so you can check on what's there. 5) Give the teacher a stash of
cookies to give your child in case peanut treats are given out,
so your child is not left out and can get some kind of treat. 6)
Find out if the teacher uses peanuts or peanut candy as part of
a math game, science project or anything else. Offer to research
and buy an alternative item. Public school teachers are so
harried that offering to help find a solution to the problem
will go a long way.
There is no denying you have to be vigilant, and so will your
child. But it can be handled, and I think offering help and
generally being involved and around can help a lot. And educate
when you get the chance.
If you haven't already, check out the Food Allergy and
Anaphylaxis Network, they have information on dealing with
schools.
Alice
The ingestion of a small amount of peanut product can cause me
to go into severe anaphylactic shock. Back in elementary school
ingesting a pinhead amount was a very serious event for me! Now,
at the age of 44, I imagine if I ingested a 1/4 tsp. of peanut
butter, I could leave this mortal coil quite rapidly if my Epi-
Pen didn't work, and/or I was not able to get to the hospital in
time. I opened my post with this information so that you know
that I can relate to your concern 100%. I would have to say
that if you don't feel confident that the teachers at your son's
school would be attentive enough to your son's situation, then I
would consider choosing another school. But if you haven't done
so already, I would give them the chance to rise to the occasion
by seeing how they react to you asking them to pay special
attention to your son's situation. Perhaps having his meds
located in the classroom as well as a second set in the nurse's
office, and asking them to set aside some time to make his
classmates aware of what a severe food allergy is. An
intelligently run school will do this in a way that does not
make your son appear to be the odd man out, so to speak. If you
find that they do not seem to take you seriously, and they seem
uncooperative in any way, then I would look for elsewhere for
his education. The one good thing that your son has going for
him, that I didn't, is that when I was a child, food allergies
were not that well known. I am sure that my parents went through
…... when I was a child. Thankfully peanut allergy awareness is
much more commonplace now. My son is four and we have not tested
him yet, but so far he is not allergic to other legumes like I
am. I am hoping that he didn’t' get the peanut gene that both my
mother-in-law and I have. If you would like to discuss it
further please email me. If you care to respond, I would be
interested in knowing how you went about finding out that your
son had a peanut allergy? Good luck to you and your son.
marianne
I teach in a public school and have a child in my class with a
peanut allergy. The principal and lunchroom staff as well as I
have taken an active role to protect him from harm. Basically
as far as lunch goes, we make sure to read the menu for the
month and whenever peanut butter is on the menu for the day, he
gets to eat in the office with a friend who delivers his lunch
to him. (not PB!) We also have sent a letter to parents in
his class requesting no treats containing peanuts for
birthdays, etc. He basically doesn't eat any treats that are
suspect. He is the kind of allergy where smelling peanut can
cause a reaction. So far it has been ok! Just want you to
know it is possible for public school staff to support you!
Teacher
Jan 2003
I'm curious what the theory is regarding the seemingly growing
number of children who are allergic to peanuts.
Why the increase, why potentially fatal, anyway to reduce child's
chances of developing, anyway to test safely?
Thanks.
Concerned mom
My son is allergic to peanuts so I've done a fair amount of
research into the subject.
First, why the rise in allergies? No one really knows, but
pollution might be a contrbuting factor.
It is potentially fatal because tissues in the throat and mouth
area can swell up to the point where air can not enter the lungs--
anaphalatic shock. Your child's immune system will either identify
the proteins in peanuts as OK, or as not OK. It is not something
that develops with increased exposure. Also, it is a myth that you
can grow out of it. Fortunately most reactions are not severe.
With my son it has been stomach cramps and puking, and some facial
swelling.
As to testing, it is a simple allergy 'prick test'. I
think kids have to be six or so to be tested. I wouldn't test with
food if your child has EVER shown ANY type of response to peanut
products.
Helene
I read an article a while back that said that exposing kids to peanuts before
the age of 3 was more likely to cause an allergy, and the increase in
breastfeeding over the years has caused babies to be exposed from mom's
intake of nuts
Jill
In the last newsletter a parent wrote ''Your child's immune
system will either identify the proteins in peanuts as OK, or as
not OK. It is not something that develops with increased
exposure.'' That is contradictory to my personal experience as
well as what my allergist told me. I ate peanuts, peanut butter,
and other products containing peanut with no problems all
through childhood, adolesence and into my adult life. One day
when I was 24 I ate a handful of peanuts, sat down to watch TV,
fell asleep for about an hour, and woke up covered with hives
and breathing congestion. Because of the severity of my reaction
the allergist did not perform skin tests to confirm my allergy,
but did a blood test instead. It came back inconclusive. About
six months later I had an inadvertent bite of a food containing
peanuts and again experienced symptoms of congestion, this time
with in a half hour. The allergist told me quite specifically
that it was an allergy that had developed over time with me, and
that with repeated exposure to peanuts the reaction would get
worse and worse. I was also warned that my body could become
even more sensitive to these proteins resulting in the allergy
to crossover to other legumes. The rate of progression to life
threatening reactions is different for every person depending on
their own immune system.
As I have children I was quite worried about them also being
allergic to peanuts. What I have been told by several doctors is
that my allergy makes the potential of their developing
allergies in general more likely, but that doesn't mean that
they will necessarily develop one to peanuts/legumes or tree
nuts.
Rose
I wanted to let people know that there is an alternative for chocolates
available. I am not associated with this company at all. My son has allergies
and I ordered candy for him recently and wanted to pass the info along to others
who may have the same concerns. For those people with peanut and tree nut allergies
it is very difficult to find chocolates that are "safe". This company does
not use peanuts or tree nuts at all. Many companies use the same
manufacturing lines for candies with peanuts or tree nuts and for those that
do not contain these items. They "clean" the lines between manufacturing
runs, but they cannot guarantee their products will be free of the nuts.
For those of you with peanut or tree nut allergies and for all chocolate
lovers I would like to recommend the Vermont Nut Free Chocolate
Company. The chocolates are delicious and they have some very cute
novelty items like chocolate bunny or bear or T-Rex pops. They can be
reached at www.vermontnutfree.com or 1888-4-nut-free
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