Is it time for tree nuts?

DD is TNA too, so I can't really share our experience, but just a friendly reminder that tree nuts are in different familys. You can be allergic to some but not all (although once you are diagnosed avoiding all is reccomended).

So even if your child has eaten and is not allergic to certain types of tree nuts, others might be a problem. A friend of mine just discovered she is allergic it cashews and pistachios, the hard way with a pretty bad reaction, while she has eaten other tree nuts before. RAST tests can check for the variety of tree nuts.

I'm in a similair boat here. Allergist said that peanut free tree nuts were ok - but he had never eaten them before so we haven't started. I am pretty new to this - he was only diagnosed in Jan.

My thought in reading your post is that you should wait until you see the doc. I would want a skin test done myself before reintroducing those nuts. He/she may have a certain protocal that they will want you to follow to do this. I think it would help also to get you off on the right foot with the doc - although I wouldn't do it for that reason alone.

Good luck! Please let us know what happens and what the doc says. [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/smile.gif[/img]

Gosh, that's a toughie.

My son developed new food allergies after his doctor said he wouldn't (around age 4 or 5). Given that, we waited until around age 8 to introduce tree nuts. We're also [i]extremely[/i] careful - we generally shell nuts ourselves (or, at the very least, wash them thoroughly to make sure we get the peanut dust that may be on them from traveling in the same truck).

It's tricky because nuts can be a life-long, life-threatening allergy. At the same time, they're an awesome source of protein and they've helped us fatten our kid up a little! Making baklava from scratch is my personal labour of love for my child...)

I think you have to talk with your doctor since there are so many variables.

The doctors differ on this. I would get the Rast test for all tree nuts asap before giving him a nut. I brought this issue up and was provided with some convincing info -- 30-40 percent of PA will sesnsitze to treenuts.

Thank you for your thoughtful replies. This is a tricky conundrum, isn't it?

I had no idea that nut allergies could run in "nut families". So I am very much appreciative of that information. Makes sense, though.

It would be nice to be able to eat tree nuts. Of course, we are doing just fine without them! And it would be good for us and my son to know if and which ones he's allergic to. Since we avoid all of them anyway, I haven't been worried. But as we are reaching this next step, I'm kind of kicking myself for not having had him tested before now.

I think that we might use this as a reason to set up an appointment with this new allergist. I'd like to go ahead and get established with this practice anyway, especially before my daughter reaches the age of 3, when we'll have another big decision to make!

Thanks again,

~Jenn in Georgia
DS (5) PA, DD (2) NKA