Thanks ;)
I think the most frustrating thing is all the conflicting information....even just within our allergist's office!!! The doc told us to avoid all treenuts even though she didn't test for tree nuts. So I called today (after reading something about shea butter which we've used on dd since birth in all her skin care products) and I spoke to the NP in the office. She seriously asked me FIVE TIMES...so Dr. told you NO tree nuts??? As in, why??? And then when I proceeded to explain to her that her eczema had cleared up she was astonished...she was ready to schedule me for a dermatology appt and I had to tell her again...no the eczema is gone...no need for a dermatologist. And then she said I should probably have a f/u appt with the allergist to ask my questions....but I'm thinking...I paid HUNDREDS of dollars for that first appt...the least she should be able to do is answer a couple questions for me, right? I don't know...it's frustrating and I honestly wonder if the doctors even really know what the heck is going on....Sorry for the vent...just feeling very upset right now over the lack of confidence I have in the medical community....:(

Hi and welcome!
My DS is now 7 1/2 and we have now since he was 2 that he was allergic! I knew that he was allergic because I gave him some PB and he had a reaction... but it didn't hit me until a week later when we went tothe Dr and he was tested. I creid in the Dr office... I thought as I walked out the door with epi-pen persciption in hand... "How in the world will a keep my baby from dying?" I thought" we can never leave the house" It was so over whelming. But I got a grip after a week or so and let it digest and started thinking more rationally. Since then we have been on a cruise, we have been to Canada, Disney, another cruise to bahama's CA, Washington DC. we have been every where. It is manageable. It does take extra work, and I can't say that I don't get stressed out with all the planning and such for vacations... but we ARE managing it. you will too. Lots of info here

Mrsdocrse - that gives me a lot of hope. What's funny is...even though we stopped giving dd nuts back in January, I didn't feel so "gloom and doom" until we actually got the official diagnosis and epi in hand :( I mean seriously, nothing had really changed...she didn't have a reaction..she wasn't hospitalized...or even sick...the only thing that changed was that we were now prepared. And, we weren't as strict before about "may contains" and never asked questions at restaurants....thank goodness we never had a problem. We have a family get together in a couple weeks that I am stressing over as I know there will be tons of kids and food...I guess I'll just have to never let dd out of my sight. I've already e-mailed my cousin (who is hosting the party) to get a guage on the menu and to give her a heads up on our situation. Hopefully we'll be able to manage the food situation so it won't be so stressful.

Are you allergic to milk or casein? Casein is an ingredient in the first vaccination that is given to children. Peanut , soybean, and sesame oils are used in vaccine adjuvants.

It is scary at first. This is a great website for information! My twin daughters are almost 17 now and we have lived with it for 16 years! Look for a food allergy support group in your state. It is nice to get to know others who are dealing with the same things. Do you have specific questions that you would like to ask?
It is scary at first. I remember leaving the girls in Sunday School classes and all of the headaches of trying to get people to UNDERSTAND. After my children were older, I read on here to have a large button made that says, "I have a life threatening food allergy! DO NOT FEED ME!" If you leave your young child in a nursery or early childhood setting, always have it on. Repeat every time that you leave her, "She has a life threatening food allergy." Our girls were triggered multiple times when they were young, because people did not UNDERSTAND. Do not trust other people to read food labels! I cannot tell you how many times someone said they had read a food label and I would know it was not safe and right there in black and white it would have "made on shared equipment" or "cross contaminated" or "peanuts". Every single time the others would say, "I did not even see that." Feel free to ask questions.

It is scary at first. This is a great website for information! My twin daughters are almost 17 now and we have lived with it for 16 years! Look for a food allergy support group in your state. It is nice to get to know others who are dealing with the same things. Do you have specific questions that you would like to ask?
It is scary at first. I remember leaving the girls in Sunday School classes and all of the headaches of trying to get people to UNDERSTAND. After my children were older, I read on here to have a large button made that says, "I have a life threatening food allergy! DO NOT FEED ME!" If you leave your young child in a nursery or early childhood setting, always have it on. Repeat every time that you leave her, "She has a life threatening food allergy." Our girls were triggered multiple times when they were young, because people did not UNDERSTAND. Do not trust other people to read food labels! I cannot tell you how many times someone said they had read a food label and I would know it was not safe and right there in black and white it would have "made on shared equipment" or "cross contaminated" or "peanuts". Every single time the others would say, "I did not even see that." Feel free to ask questions.

Welcome to the site Lora! Your daughter is still very young, it's normal to feel a bit fearful and worried. As time goes on it does get easier.
As the previous poster said--read as much as you can and see if you can find a support group in your area. AAFA--the Asthma Allergy Foundation of America has many free support groups throughout the US.
Try not to think about the horror stories too much. We often post our bad experiences but not always the good ones.
My son is 7 and allergic to peanuts, tree nuts, egg, sesame and soy. He is allergic to all via ingestion and contact--if he touches it and touches his eyes, nose or mouth--he'll have a reaction.
He goes to public school we have accommodations in place to keep him safe and he's done very well as he's gotten older.
The key is to always keep your epi pen on hand and with your child, to keep your child away from her allergens, and to make sure you set good ground rules with her about what food she is allowed to eat, who she is allowed to take food from etc. Also, always mention your allergies when eating out and make sure the restaurant can accommodate you.
Hope that helps, any other questions feel free to ask. This is what the forum is for! :)
Ruth