chelle180 ... I can tell you that you will probably find it more and more confusing for the immediate future.
There are people who are very severely "airborne-allergic" (can cause anaphylaxis); there are some who just suffer "discomfort". I am not, to my knowledge, airborne-allergic, but I do start to "worry" a bit when I am around nuts ... but I am sure there have been occasions when I have just not known about their presence. There was a dish of dry-roasted peanuts at a family party at Christmas (they forgot to remove them) so I just kept away from them, not wanting to make a fuss. Everything was OK, but I did start to worry a bit!! [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/biggrin.gif[/img] I didn't let anyone else touch my food, either!!!
It seems that we are maybe talking about "may contain" traces of nuts in the Dairy Milk (sounds like you are in the UK)... I have eaten "may contains" before and not had a reaction. I have, however, had a minor reaction from a "may contain traces of..." product, so it is impossible and not wise to generalise.
When I developed the allergy, I made the decision to stay away from all nuts and "may contains". I use my "gut feeling" now to assess whether to use "not suitable for" products, depending on how *I* judge the risk of cross-contamination.
It is a very complex area; we all have different "comfort zones" - it is something you will have to talk through with your mum to see how SHE feels with regard to having nuts or "may contain" products around her.
What I *can* say is that, for the allergic person - well, for me anyway - it is very frightening. I can't comment on how it feels for someone who is dealing with the allergic person .. I guess it's also very scary.
Hang around on this community, read what you can, ask questions. Don't be afraid that you may look silly or ask questions which have been asked before : we've all done it; we'll all do it again, too.
There is a whole WORLD of advice & information here to be tapped... it's good to see that you have made a start! [img]http://uumor.pair.com/nutalle2/peanutallergy/biggrin.gif[/img]
Nick

thanks nick for your help i will take your advice and keep in touch with the group xx

Well, he could very well have been eating 'may contains' that didn't contain any peanuts but you never know when they might. So it is safest to remove any may contains at this point. You'll develop your own confort zone.
As far as outgrowing it, I don't think there is any definitive evidence as to what helps. Nor can you predict future allergies. Some kids outgrow, some kids get more.
Get used to being confused but reading is your best tool, even if you do have to wade through a lot of conflicting information. There is a really good link to information on peanut allergy but I have it at work. It might already be posted here somewhere or someone else might chime in with it (if anyone knows what I'm talking about, it's the outline that's updated somewhat regularly).

Hi, there,
I was in your shoes nearly two years ago, when my then 3-year-old had his first taste of peanutbutter (a cookie), and then a subsequent reaction which led to his PA diagnosis a few weeks later. I am happy to report there has been no other reaction, and he is a happy, healthy, social, active soon-to-be 5-year-old. He has a wide variety of foods from which to choose, although we are extremely selective about where those foods can come from.
To answer some of the questions you posed:
1.) Every parent has his/her own comfort zone, and that should be respected. I will tell you that my and my husband's comfort zone is very tight. We do not allow our son (or his 2-year-old brother with NKA so far) to eat any nuts of any kind even though my PA son tested negative to tree nuts. Often, tree nuts are processed on shared equipment with peanuts, and therefor run the risk of being cross-cont. Also, it is much easier to tell your child: "No Nuts, period." Children have too hard a time distinguishing a peanut from tree nuts, and it's not really worth the worry anyway. So, no "may contains," no "made in the same facility," etc. Also, though we were told regular peanut oil (not cold pressed or gourmet) was safe, we avoid peanut oil as well -- anything with the word peanut, or nut for that matter, is a no in our home and for my son's diet in general.
2.) I understand your thinking in that up until now, your son has been fine with everything in your kitchen. However, it is my understanding that a reaction can occur at any time, from even a trace amount of peanut protein. Now that he's had his first official reaction, he may be more triggered to react. My son, prior to his diagnosis, ate regular M&Ms (these are a "may contain"). Though he never had any trouble, we discontinued allowing them in our home. In my humble opinion, it would be wise to read all labels currently in your home and get rid of any potential peanut culprits. You'll be pleasantly surprised at how much actually is safe!
3.) Along these same lines, and to answer another one of your questions, I was told by my allergist that complete and total avoidance of all things peanut may up the odds of a child outgrowing his allergy. Perhaps something to do with the body having a chance to "reprogram," and normalize it's reaction to such proteins. As for avoiding other nuts, I would for reasons mentioned above. As for avoiding soy, I would follow whatever advice was given by your allergist for your particular situation. Personally, we do not avoid soy, and were told by our own allergist that unless and until my son ever showed any indication that soy was a problem, we did not need to worry about this. Again, I would ask your doctor.
4.) While it's certainly possible to develop a food (or any other) allergy later on, I wouldn't be overly consumed with worry about this. Perfectly healthy adults can develop a peanut allergy in their 50's, while children who have suffered through multiple food allergies for years can outgrow them. At least you are now educated, and will have Epi Pens with you at all times anyway, though again, I would focus on the peanut issue now until you have a reason to do otherwise.
I hope the above helped with some of your questions. As I said, I felt completely overwhelmed in the beginning, and now, "managing" his allergy has become a way of life, and not at all a difficult one. It becomes second-nature. May I suggest:
1.) Reading Food Allergies For Dummies by Dr. Robert Wood. He is a food allergy expert, and has peanut allergy himself. This book is straight-forward, and I found it a lot less alarmist than other peanut allergy info. books. It is very matter-of-fact with lots of great info.
2.) Carrying Epi Pens (we carry two sets, along with single-dose Benedryl) at all times, whether you will be actually eating or not. You can never be too prepared.
3.) Browsing this site for support and advice. Also, it's a great resource when you are curious about specific food manufacturers. Type in key words in the search engine to the right, and you will find countless reference and advice on good/bad products, manufacturers, etc.
4.) Calling ahead to restaurants, and once there, explaining that your son has a life threatening peanut allergy. You will find that restaurants are usually very accommodating, and well- equipped to handle such specifications. Also. invest in allergy cards specific to peanuts. We ordered several from the FAAN website, and keep them in our wallet. They are the size of a credit card, and list all foods to avoid, as well as code names for peanut that you may not be aware of, but that are sometimes used in ingredients labels. Also, we gave one to each grandparent to educate and serve as a quick reference. FAAN is a great resource in general, and you should definitely visit their site.
4.) Bring Wet Ones or other wipies with you as part of your "peanut prevention" pack (along with Benedryl and Epis). Great for wiping down hands and eating surfaces when out and about.
5.) Call manufacturers anytime you are not absolutely certain about the allergy policy of a particular company. I have called several -- from Pepridge Farms to Betty Crocker -- and all reps have been friendly and helpful. While it is law that companies must clearly label for peanut (and the other 7 top allergens), they do not have to label for "may contains," though many do. BTW Betty Crocker and Peppridge Farms have gotten the "all clear" from me, and we use their products frequently. I even called Ocean Spray, as my son loves their Craisins. I noticed they make a trail-mix version with peanuts and got to worrying about cross-cont. Turns out, upon calling them, I learned that their Craisins are sent out to a separate facility that adds the other trail mix ingredients. Craisins are safe, too. But, I do recommend thinking like this. It may seem daunting at first, but it gives you a sense of control being proactive about this allergy.
6.) Ask ahead of time what will be served at birthday parties, family gatherings, etc. And always have your own homemade treat to bring for your son. If a mom is making chocolate cupcakes for her kid's birthday treat, then I bake chocolate cupcakes so my son has the same treat to bring for himself.
7.) Remember: Many, many, many children are faced with food allergies. My son is one of three in his preschool class (of 14) with a PA. Several neighbors' kids have the allergy, as does a cousin's son, a good friend's son, etc. There is a ton of awareness, growing sensitivty, and many future peers of your son's who will be in the same boat. I always tell my son (who, by the way, is very okay with the way we have to manage his meals), that it's only food, and when in doubt, we'll just eat when we get home. He still does birthday parties, playdates, preschool, soccer, Bible study, etc. and has yet to be the "only one" with this allergy.
I hope all of this helps. You will feel more and more confident every day. God bless. There will probably be a cure soon too, so HANG IN THERE.
Lauren

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Hey. My 18month old PA son has had peas since he was 8 months old with no issues, as for other beans I don't believe I have given him any other than green beans. I would definitely hold off giving him anything new until you see the allergist if it is a concern for you. At this point its not worth the stress on you. you have enough on your plate. I believe I am going through the same as you and have over a month until we see the allergist. His one time and only exposure was the worst day of my life. To see 4 doctors and nurses pinning him down to administer epi and IV's without even knowing his name was just awful!
The reason my Dr. Told me to stay away from tree nuts wasn't because she was afraid he was allergic to them as well, she stated most tree nuts are processed in the same manufacturing plants as peanuts and they can easily cause cross contamination. It's not worth the risk. I have been writing down all my questions to take with me to the allergist so I don't forget anything.
Good website I found for snacks http://snacksafely.com/safe-snack-guide/
Good luck and I hope your little one is doing better!

oh I would have never thought about that reason for not eating tree nuts, thanks for that info. I think I'm going to start writing down questions also. There is just so much I don't know about this. I bet that was very scary for you the day he had a reaction. Glad he was ok ;) Thanks so much for responding.... I thought I had put it in wrong or something because nobody had responded. I'm new to this site so I don't know the in's and out's yet. Thank you, Thank you for the website for snacks....lol. I have been wondering what in this world am I going to be able to give him. Good luck to you too, hope your visit goes great!!!!

I have 2 PA children. Both tested negative to soy and have no reactions to it. Have your allergist test for the main allergens: Milk, soy, wheat, egg, peanut (you've already tested positive). We also had our daughter do a peanut component test, which breaks down the proteins in the peanut to tell you if the child is allergic to the proteins linked to severe reactions. Insurance doesn't pay and it was 300.00. But now we know she is at risk for severe reactions. Also, the FDA requires any foods with peanuts in them to be listed as an allergen (per my Allergist). With french fries being a favorite for many kids, don't forget to ask if they were cooked in peanut oil, as we have also made the decision to avoid this. It's a life changing event but does get better with time. Still doesn't take the fear away, but the anxiety goes a little more each day. Stick to chain restaurants too. We love the Olive Garden b/c they have allergen menus and have always been very cautious when we tell them of the kids allergies. Hope this helps. :)

Have them take blood and test his blood. One, they can test for nearly anything, two it is less stressful on the child, and they can quantify better. You will get more detailed results
As for many of other questions the hardest part is there really are no two kids exactly alike. So I could tell you all day long about my child and her list of allegyns but at the end of the day it's not your son.
If you're appointment is within the next say 30 days then just read about everything you think of and start a list of the things you want him tested for as well as your questions. Go to the appointment as prepared as you can.
My daughter was about the same age when we learned she should not eat peanuts. We learned the worse possible way..... She nearly died that day. She was not tested until age 5 and we did a skin test, we were nearly in the emergency room for that too. She was tested again after puberty and this time we did the blood test. She did not test positive for soy but in this last year we learned she has an intolerance for it. No reaction but her body can not process it.
So you see there are so many variables.
Keep asking and keep your head up. This is really not the end of the world it just makes it a bit more of an adventure.