Hi Everyone,
My daugther has the peanut allergy with the anaphylaixs (SP?) shock reaction. I just found this site and she has had the allergy almost a year. Her day care gave her a peanut cookie and called in a panic when she had a reaction and that was how we found out she had a peanut allergy. The Allergist confirmed the problem.
We decided to handle the allergy by telling her peanuts give her boo-boos. She seems to accept this answer. I have my own food allergies so we are always discussing which food gives who a boo-boo.
My main concerns are about shared equipment issues and medic allert bracelts. I posted a question in Labeling about the shared equipment. I've read the medic allert posts.
How many people actually out grow this peanut allergy? Do many parents have frequent reactions with their toddlers? How do you handle baby-sitting? Some parents seem to understand the allergy and some are just not concerned enough and make me nervous.
Any thoughts?
Hi Hapi2bgf
The most important thing you can do for your daughter is to make sure she realizes how serious this allergy is. Make sure you get her a Medic Alert Bracelet or necklace. Just incase you are not there, the medics will know all her medical information.
You also have to do alot of label reading!!! Every time you buy something you have to read the label. Even if it is something you have purchased before. Manufacturers are constantly changing their processing plants and a great many of them share lines with various allergens especially nuts!! I recently had a run in with Pilsbury because their ready to bake sugar cookies used to be safe but suddenly they changed the recipe to include peanut, walnut and macadamia nut flour. The week before that they were fine. Thank goodness I read the label or my son would have gone into anaphalactic shock at his preschool where they were making cookie treats for thier moms. When I called Pillsbury I got the run around. Just make sure you READ THE LABELS!!!
You can keep your child safe but it is hard. Alot of products are processed in a plant or on the same equiptment as peanuts and tree nuts. These products are not in my comfort zone so we steer clear of them. I dont let my son have chocolate bars of any kind because I dont want to confuse him..he is only 4. There are plenty of treats you can give your child ...one that I just discovered is Philly Swirl Swirlwiches and Ice stix. They are manufactured in a peanut tree nut environment. You can read about them in the peanut free businesses section of this site. They are wonderful and safe.
As for other parents not understanding your dilemma with your child, I totally understand!! I have alot of problems with the parents in my sons preschool. You will run into that alot and it is frustrating to say the least. Make sure that you have your child carry the epi-pen everywhere and that whomever is watching or babysitting knows how to administer it. You can even show her how to use it with one of the practice pens that come in the double pen pack. I just tell my son the truth that he can get very sick from all nuts and that he has to only take food that mom and dad have OK'd. If we are not there I send a snack for him. He is under no circumstances to take food from anyone. If I feel the parents are not taking this allergy seriously he doesnt go there. The playdate can be at my house then. I may sound extreme but I would rather be over cautious then sorry. When he gets older and he can read the labels himself it will be "easier".
I hope this helped you in some way. It is not easy and it can be overwhelming but you can keep her safe.
Best of luck
Julie
I made a mistake on my last post ...the PhillySwirl Swirlwiches and Ice Styx are made in a peanut/tree nut FREE environment. I forgot the word free. They are safe!! Sorry for the misprint!!
Julie
Hi! My dd's allergist gave her a 1 in 10 chance of outgrowing her P.A. but that was before we found out she's contact reactive. After how bad her reaction was from just a contact he said the chances of her outgrowing it is much much worse and we shouldn't even plan on being P.A. free.
My dd has had her P.A. for almost 7months and has already had 3 reactions.
The 1st when my mother gave her peanut butter and we rushed her to the ER because she went into anaphylaxis shock (bright red all over, hives, swelled 3x bigger then normal, breathing hard....etc.).
The 2nd time was because someone that handled peanut products touched her ear and w/in seconds her ear had doubled in size, turned bright red, and had hives on it.....because I was right there to wash it off w/ soap/water and give her benedryl we were able to stop the reaction.
The 3rd time was a crosscontamination reaction.....a dinner we had that was not labeled with and peanut warnings but obviously was processed or packaged around peanuts. As to wether this many reactions are normal???? no clue.
You will run into ALOT of parents/people that do not understand or just don't care to learn. Sad but true. That is apart of the P.A. life.
As to babysitters.....We have one 17yr old that babysits at our house only and that is only if my mother is not available. We do not leave her with anyone else. I think everyone's comfort levels are different with their P.A. children.
Hugs~Cindy
HI hapi2bgf
I have a son 17 years old with PA. We found out at 10 months old the hard way as well. He has never out grown the allergy and is still just as severe. I will not lie and tell you it will get easier as they get older because it doesn't get any better. The only thing is we just hope everything we have taught them they will use when they need to.
My son is in 11th grade and had a reaction just a few weeks ago to a boy eating PB in class. The teacher was a sub and had no clue as to what was going on. the reaction being smell was ok but still kills me everytime I think about me not being there to protect him.
As far as sitters go I never had to worry about that because i never had to leave him.
If my Dh and i went out it was very odd and he would stay with my parents or my family because they understood.
To this day there are people that just don't get it. Things go very well for my son and he is wonderful kid.
Just remeber to be very firm on the issues with nuts.
good luck Claire
Hi Hapi2bgf,
My son is 3 and wasn't diagnosed properly until a year ago. His first reaction was when he was 14 months and accidently got ahold of a peanut butter cup and took a bite. His first rxn was vomitting. His doctor at the time told me not to worry that he wasn't allergic. A year later he came into contact again with peanut butter and had the full analphalatic sp? shock. I learned then to advocate for my son, b/c no one else would. I knew after the first time that he was allergic. I should have then found a doctor willing to listen. I read all labels. I'm willing to tell anyone that if you give him this he could die. It's scary. Even family isn't always willing to hear it and we've been fighting the battle to educate. I do it all for him. My husband has PA also and he has never out grown it. I'm fortunate to have family that do understand about PA and I always have them babysit. My son has started preschool and they have been extremely accomidating to his needs. He isn't the only one in class with PA. It took me a while to find the one I felt most comfortable with. Hang in there.
Juju
Thanks for all the advice. So far we have not had a second reaction, so I am hopefull of outgrowing this. But I know the odds do not favor it.
I have Celiacs so label reading is just part of daily life around my house. I'm gluten free, she is peanut and nut free, hubby on a diet- it's fun!
Do any of you allow your PA child to have cupcakes/birthday cakes from Publix, Kroger, Wal-mart? All of the bakeries at these grocery stores have the shared line disclaimer on the products.
Thanks!
hello again
I do not let Max eat any bakery goods from anywhere. I make my birthday cakes and cupcakes from scratch. This way there is no chance of cross contamination or accidental exposure. I bring a cupcake to all birthday parties so that he does not eat the cake. I tell him its his special treat and so far that is good enough!! Hope this helps!! Julie
We do not bring into the house or give Sariah anything from any bakery or deli. There are meats out there that have peanut oil in them too and the delis don't wash their machines down in between slicing. (Just an FYI) As for cupcakes/cakes for birthdays: If it is Sariah's or a family members it's made from scratch. When it comes to having her go to a birthday party...we just can't take her. My dd is severely contact reactive. We found out the hard way on that too.
Cindy