The biggest mistake we made was not using the epi pen when we should have. We were just sitting down in a restaurant, when my son (PA/TNA) who was only 2 at the time, grabbed a piece of flatbread out of a bread basket on the table and put it in his mouth. Within 10 seconds he started vomiting - lots.
My husband and I strugged to get him out of his high chair, while trying to figure out if he was choking or having a reaction. When he finally stopped throwing up, we realized he was trying to get air in, not the bread out or down, and that he had just had a reaction. Once he got it out of his system, he seemed fine. No hives or swelling.
We cleaned up and went home - very upset. In retrospect, I know that we should have used the epi pen and called 911. We were so shaken we didn't even think to take him to an ER to have him checked out.
I wouldn't hesistate to use the epi pen now. Our GP explained that it wouldn't have worsened the situation (if he'd been choking) - which I was worried about.
Good topic!

Another "mistake" I made was assuming that the school would take appropriate action(s)after I educated them about our child's PA. It took me a L-O-N-G time to accept that the only person who would make sure that my dd was safe at school was me... even with an excellent and cooperative staff and a written IHP in place. It's exhausting and I still get frustrated, but overall I've accepted this as the reality of my situation and my role in it.
Gail

Hi Cindy! I appreciated your response.
Yes, there WILL always be things that come up at school, and OFTEN it seems! It was a dilemna for me for years because I, on the one hand, had a great deal of respect for the school staff and knew they were good, smart, and honorable in wanting to do "the right thing". They were generous with their time with me, did lots of staff training, etc. etc. But I felt I was going crazy and often angry that they wouldn't catch things. I was constantly reacting to the multiple things that were falling through the cracks. Our IHP helped by proactively addressing many of the issues, but the bottom line is that it is really up to the parent to know what is going on at school at all times. I guess I believed that at some point I wouldn't need to be very involved at school, that a 504/IHP or someone would somehow take the burden off of me...rescue me. Know what I me? But it was hard for me to learn that this is my absolute job, my duty as the parent, and that it is without respite.
I know that probably sounds depressing, but my acceptance of this actually makes it feel less so. Acceptance does lessen the stress.
Gail [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/smile.gif[/img]

This sounds incredibly irresponsible and boneheaded now, but I began using soybean butter at home last spring as a PB substitute for my PA son. I then packed it in his school lunch a few times when we were low on groceries. Everyone in this class knows about his PA and he explained to them about the soybean butter. So far, so good, right?
But weeks later a classmate put his peanut butter sandwich in my son's lunchbox when he wasn't looking as a "joke". My son thought it was his soybean butter sandwich and nearly ate it. Crisis was averted this time (narrowly), but I will NEVER pack anything in his lunch box again that could be confused with peanut butter or peanuts. I never dreamed this scenario would happen!

My big mistake was believing that imitation (soy) ice cream that did not state was on shared equipment with peanuts was not a "may contain". I have since checked on all the imitation ice creams (Rice Dream, Toffuti Cuties, etc.), and they are ALL on shared equipment with peanuts. So without knowing it, I was giving my daughter may contains for years. I would warn everyone not to give their pa child any store bought real or imitation ice cream without checking with the company to see if it is on shared equipment. If it is, it is really a may contain and not stated. The soy ice cream I gave was also on shared equipment with milk and not stated. Hard to see the logic in that since most people are buying it because of milk allergy.
[This message has been edited by Carefulmom (edited July 17, 2002).]

So far, my biggest mistake, which I much regret, was not believing he was allergic.... Way back when he was about 18 months old I gave him a bite of a peanut butter cup.. he threw up and went purple, and had a horse throat for the rest of the night but otherwise was ok... Not even thinking it could be a PA, I continued eating peanut butter, and peanuts around him... I never gave him anymore peanut products, cause it was always in the back of my mind, but my wife and I continued having peanut butter every morning etc... Man are we lucky.... Now were are strict and don't even allow "may contain traces" products in the house, nor to be eaten by us out of the house...

*ALWAYS listen to that inner voice (not to well meaning family members who say... "oh, he's fine")!.
*NEVER hesitate to give the epi-pen
*ALWAYS call an 911, never try to drive to hospital yourself!
Katiee