I don't want to be a FOOD ALLERGY mom

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

:grouphug::grouphug:It is hard and I have shed tears over ds's allergies in the past. It does get easier and just becomes a way of life for us. We try to put a positive spin on it in the sense that we are still very lucky.

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

Does a peanut allergy mean nothing cooked in peanut oil? Because I can't imagine trying to navigate that in Asia. I mean, one time in China, I wanted to buy a small thing of cooking oil (peanut, because there wasn't anything else) at the store and the smallest they had was like a gallon jug.

 

Some doctors say you can have peanut oil but we have never risked it since I think there might be some risk. I would definitely research it and ask a doctor before consuming. We do not eat Chinese or Asian food anymore with ds since the last time we went he got an itchy tongue despite us asking carefully about ingredients. We rarely eat out period but at least it saves us money:) If we go some where like a party, then we plan ahead and bring appropriate food or snack for ds or eat beforehand. We do not eat others homemade food due to the large learning curve for preventing cross contamination and checking ingredients on every single food item or ingredient. We also do not eat foods with the "made in a facility with" and similar statements as well.

[Harriet Vane]

OP, welcome to the allergy mom club. When you get accustomed to the new routine, there will be less mental energy spent thinking about this, but it takes a while for some things to become automatic. And yet, the worry never goes away.

 

My peanut-allergic ds9 is now allergic to tree nuts also, though he was avoiding them anyway (why, WHY did I feel the need to buy giant Nutella at Costco - I crave everything he can't have). Sesame seeds is a new one, and just as irritating, because I have to read labels much closer. He was finally willing to eat hamburgers, and now I have to be very careful about the buns :glare:. Generally though, he has had a rough year as he is much more aware of what he cannot have than in years past. A little outing to the ice cream parlor with his cousins ends with him empty-handed and in tears, etc.

 

 

 

I've been meaning to ask on the board about reshaping the cornea with gas permeable lenses. My dd11 had several prescription changes in a year, and the optometrist recommended the GP lenses (dd wanted to start wearing contact lenses anyway). She sleeps in the lenses, removes them in the morning, and can see all day. The idea is so cool.

 

But, we just started this, and there have been a lot of appointments - what a hassle - and dd complains that things hurt her eyes sometimes, etc. The kicker was the other night, over the long weekend, when she ended up losing the lens during the night (she had a tough time sleeping). So, the lens must be ordered, and it took a few days for her corneas to get bad enough that she could wear her glasses again. I don't like all this time with unclear vision when she can't just put on her glasses which would be too strong, and I'm so ticked about buying another lens ($185). I told her that if it happens again, she'll have to go with regular ones instead. (Sorry, this has been quite a week already and I need to vent :tongue_smilie:) It's funny - I was the one trying to convince her to try these, and now she's the one who appreciates the benefit of not having to deal with lenses during the day, and wants to keep going with them even though I'm frustrated.

 

That has not been my experience. I wear my lenses during the day and take them out at night. I see an eye doctor once a year.

 

If she continues to have problems with the lenses at night, you might try having her go to gas perms during the day. (I don't know if it's a different kind than what I have or not, so check with her doctor.) However, the idea of correcting enough to have perfect vision during the day is incredible. That means the eye is actually getting stronger. In your shoes, I would keep on with the gas perms at night because I would think the long term benefit of naturally strong eyes would outweigh the current inconvenience. I see it as similar to braces--my dd has lots of ortho appts for her braces, but it's for a season and the long term benefit will outweigh the inconvenience we experience at this season.

[wapiti]

That has not been my experience. I wear my lenses during the day and take them out at night. I see an eye doctor once a year.

 

If she continues to have problems with the lenses at night, you might try having her go to gas perms during the day. (I don't know if it's a different kind than what I have or not, so check with her doctor.) However, the idea of correcting enough to have perfect vision during the day is incredible. That means the eye is actually getting stronger. In your shoes, I would keep on with the gas perms at night because I would think the long term benefit of naturally strong eyes would outweigh the current inconvenience. I see it as similar to braces--my dd has lots of ortho appts for her braces, but it's for a season and the long term benefit will outweigh the inconvenience we experience at this season.

 

Thanks for the encouragement. There are so many reasons why they're a good idea for dd, but it's a problem if you lose the lense or forget to put them in, because then the eyes are better than normal but not at full strength. These lenses reshape the cornea - cornea refractive therapy (CRT).

[Mom-ninja.]

Oh boy. You should have seen me when I found out that I have celiac. Then found out that ds #2 has it. Then found out that ds #1 while not celiac has an allergy to no less than 23 items including wheat, peanuts, and oats.

 

I wanted to punch in a wall.

[myfunnybunch]

But first I need to learn how to say "Does this have peanuts in it?" in Malay, Tamil, and Mandarin.

 

I am so sorry, Heather. That was my first thought when you posted the first time, wondering if a peanut allergy was a possiblity. I can't imagine the challenge you will face trying to avoid peanuts in Asia. You will figure it out, just be prepared for a huge learning curve/adjustment period.

 

:grouphug::grouphug::grouphug:

 

Cat

[myfunnybunch]

Some doctors say you can have peanut oil but we have never risked it since I think there might be some risk.

 

:iagree: The oil has to be processed properly to remove all traces of peanut protein, and we have no way of knowing for sure.

 

Cat

[goldberry]

OP, my horrible confession...DD has always had "tummy troubles". Upset stomach, off and on nausea. We did all the things you usually try, including blood tests, eliminating diary, natural remedies, etc.

 

I have not tried eliminating gluten. Because I don't WANT her to have a gluten allergy. We eat pasta and grains at every meal and I am horribly intimidated and afraid of having to go gluten free. She LOVES pasta and grains as well. I don't want her to be "that kid" and me to be "that mom".

 

So because of that I haven't even tried something that might make my daughter feel better. I've been pretending to myself we just haven't got around to trying it yet. The above is my real reason.

 

*sigh* So at least you are a better mom than I am. :sad:

 

You are not alone in your feelings.

[Mom-ninja.]

OP, my horrible confession...DD has always had "tummy troubles". Upset stomach, off and on nausea. We did all the things you usually try, including blood tests, eliminating diary, natural remedies, etc.

 

I have not tried eliminating gluten. Because I don't WANT her to have a gluten allergy. We eat pasta and grains at every meal and I am horribly intimidated and afraid of having to go gluten free. She LOVES pasta and grains as well. I don't want her to be "that kid" and me to be "that mom".

 

So because of that I haven't even tried something that might make my daughter feel better. I've been pretending to myself we just haven't got around to trying it yet. The above is my real reason.

 

*sigh* So at least you are a better mom than I am. :sad:

 

You are not alone in your feelings.

 

Don't eliminate gluten. Have her tested for celiac first. For what it's worth celiac is not an allergy and if she has it and keeps eating gluten it is causing a lot of internal damage to her organs, and she may end up malnourished. If you suspect celiac then you can't ignore it. It can lead to cancer among other things. I don't want to scare you or make you feel bad. I've been there in your shoes. My ds had stomach aches for about a year before I took him for testing. I just figured (hoped) it would resolve itself with time. I did the same with myself. I waited two years before admitting that I needed to find out why I was getting sick. So, I do know and understand the avoidance and secret hope that it's nothing. But celiac you don't want to mess around with just like you wouldn't mess around if you suspected your dd had diabetes.

 

If you have had her tested then you can at least feel better knowing that the gluten is not causing internal damage. Hugs.

[dangermom]

Yeah, no peanut oil. It's dangerous. We just avoid Asian food altogether unless I have cooked it myself (my peanut-allergic kid is also allergic to all nuts, sesame, and all legumes including soy).

 

:grouphug: I would not want to be adjusting to this new reality while living in an Asian country that uses peanuts as a staple. It's quite hard enough here! But you will do it.

 

You must learn that unless you KNOW something is safe, then it isn't. You have to be paranoid about food. After a while it's just life, and a lot easier.

[amyable]

Coming in late, and sending many hugs -- welcome to the club that no one wants to join! We're a great bunch of moms, though. :grouphug::grouphug: We've been at it for 14+ years here. Multiple kids, multiple allergies (some overlapping). Have nothing to add that someone hasn't said, but wanted to send you :grouphug::grouphug::grouphug: and prayers and sympathy.

[amyable]

OP, my horrible confession...DD has always had "tummy troubles". Upset stomach, off and on nausea. We did all the things you usually try, including blood tests, eliminating diary, natural remedies, etc.

 

I have not tried eliminating gluten. Because I don't WANT her to have a gluten allergy. We eat pasta and grains at every meal and I am horribly intimidated and afraid of having to go gluten free. She LOVES pasta and grains as well. I don't want her to be "that kid" and me to be "that mom".

 

So because of that I haven't even tried something that might make my daughter feel better. I've been pretending to myself we just haven't got around to trying it yet. The above is my real reason.

 

*sigh* So at least you are a better mom than I am. :sad:

 

You are not alone in your feelings.

 

 

:grouphug::grouphug::grouphug: I did exactly what you are doing for a long time after we suspected gluten intolerance due to autoimmune issues in two of our kids. And I'm already *that mom* with *those kids* due to other allergies - but gluten... well, I just couldn't *go there*. Going off gluten in my mind sent me over the edge of "normal allergy mom" to something more. We finally did try to go gluten free for almost two months and it wasn't as awful as I thought it would be. (We did go back to eating gluten because I saw no changes in anyone.) You're not alone in having a mental block about this. :grouphug:

[CAMom]

:grouphug::grouphug:Heather:grouphug::grouphug:

 

It sucks!

 

Here's a story from the realm of "WTH?!? People really behave that way?"

 

This last Mother's Day, my dh called his mom to see where she would like to go for dinner. She gave him a choice of two restaurants. Both were options where my little guy can't eat because of peanut/tree nut allergies.

 

Dh told her this and let her know that I would be willing to stay home with Hudson so that she could go to one of those places. Her comment? "Well, if your wife doesn't want to have dinner with me, just say so!"

 

He explained that that was not the case and that it was because of allergy issues.

 

(Insert more drama here)

 

Dh decided to call one of the restaurants to explain the situation. He spoke to the manager and the manager went over everything and assured us we could have a safe meal there.

 

Dh contacts his parents to let them know. No response to calls or texts. His dad calls next morning and said his mom is not speaking to us because we should have just brought Hudson and not said anything and had him not eat.

 

You know, when he was 4 that was easy. I could pack small stuff to eat to keep him occupied but he was 6 1/2 when this happened and he feels left out. He tells us that all the time. I understand that sometimes he's going to feel left out. That's life. But he shouldn't have to feel that way with his own grandparents!

 

Guess what? She has not spoken to us since! Dh tried to call her multiple times and she would not take his calls. She hasn't had contact with any of us in 4 months now because her grandson has a nut allergy.

 

People are stupid when it comes to allergies!

 

(And if you remember from FIAR....this is the same woman who wouldn't speak to us for a while after we gave her chocolate covered strawberries for another Mother's Day.:glare:)

 

You are going to be an amazing advocate for your son!!:grouphug:

[Heather in Neverland]

:grouphug::grouphug:Heather:grouphug::grouphug: Guess what? She has not spoken to us since! Dh tried to call her multiple times and she would not take his calls. She hasn't had contact with any of us in 4 months now because her grandson has a nut allergy.

 

People are stupid when it comes to allergies!

 

(And if you remember from FIAR....this is the same woman who wouldn't speak to us for a while after we gave her chocolate covered strawberries for another Mother's Day.:glare:)

 

You are going to be an amazing advocate for your son!!:grouphug:

 

Wow, I DO remember that story about the strawberries. I love you to pieces but your MIL has some serious issues.

 

It has only been two days and i have only told a few people but I have already had a range of reactions.

 

My mom freaked out and wants me to have a stock of epipens in every possible place in the house.

 

One person said it is because I vaccinated him.

 

Another did the "once you get the allergy under control then you can start giving him small amounts of peanuts so he can get use to them again."

 

One gave me that look that says "you are just looking for attention."

 

But most people have been very supportive about it and I really need that right now. Why do people take other people's allergies so personally? It's weird.

 

 

 

 

.

[C_l_e_0..Q_c]

I'm sorry you're facing this challenge, and please forgive me, but one of the first thoughts I got was "yeah! Someone in Malaysia will be able to help us !" i want to take my kids to anywhere in Asia oneof those days,but obviously it's a major challenge as a tourist.

You could open up some peanut-free inn eventually ... :)

[Lisbeth]

:grouphug: I am one of those moms. It becomes second nature. I have been there, done that for 10 years. Older relatives can be a problem, other parents can be too..but, you will find many,angels out there, and support.

[Lisbeth]

Oh yeah, and I had one parent say, "I know she's allergic to peanuts, but is peanut butter ok?" I was speechless for a while...the mind just boggles. You have to in some cases take an educating and patient attitude and hope most reactions like that are ignorance, not malice.

[FO4UR]

Wow, I DO remember that story about the strawberries. I love you to pieces but your MIL has some serious issues.

 

It has only been two days and i have only told a few people but I have already had a range of reactions.

 

My mom freaked out and wants me to have a stock of epipens in every possible place in the house.

 

One person said it is because I vaccinated him.

 

Another did the "once you get the allergy under control then you can start giving him small amounts of peanuts so he can get use to them again."

 

One gave me that look that says "you are just looking for attention."

 

But most people have been very supportive about it and I really need that right now. Why do people take other people's allergies so personally? It's weird.

 

 

 

 

.

 

 

 

:grouphug:

 

 

 

I've actually said, "No! We cannot allow that food in the house b/c we don't have time for an ER trip today." :001_huh::lol: (This was after explaining the allergy thing 3x.)

[sandst]

I really get it and living in Africa most people get offended when you cannot eat what they are sharing. Yesterday I was assisting the ladies with the setting up and catering at one of our congregations in the area and the ladies were trying to nod him to choose and eat something.

 

I had to explain several times that due to his multiple allergies we annot risk it.

 

I had him go to the car and get his lunch box and some of the old ladies were commenting in Afrikaans (old dutch) how cruel I am and what is wrong with their food seeing that he was eating hot dogs, no bake oat choc cookies, chips, some raw veg and fruit (gluten, soya, egg and so on, $1.25 per hot dog bun and allergy free, nitrate free organic beef franks $4 for 6. GF oats to make the no bakes at a cost of US $10 for 1.5 lb of , US $ 3 for less 1/2 lb organic sunflower spread for the same cookies, almost $5 for the organic corn chips and so on , you get the drift)...

 

People can be cruel and in places like Africa or Asia where allergies are less common and with lots of poor people, do not expect understanding. You will just be the foreigner with the funny quircks. (Maybe that is just me because I HS in a country that has only made HS legal in 1994).

 

I have been living in this country for almost 20 years (ex MK kid) and people still assume that because I cannot speak one of the local languages I cannot understand it.:glare:

 

We stopped eating Asian and Chinese food in 2005 because of the peanut and MSG allergies...

 

Give yourself time and be careful with ingredients. Here the law is not very clear so lots of time they would say emulsifier which could be casein...

 

:grouphug: Praying for you and your new normal.

 

P.S. Sorry for the typos...

[bettyandbob]

People can be cruel and in places like Africa or Asia where allergies are less common and with lots of poor people, do not expect understanding. You will just be the foreigner with the funny quircks. (Maybe that is just me because I HS in a country that has only made HS legal in 1994).

 

 

I doubt allergies are less common. I bet they are less recognized. A friend of mine from Uganda has 2 dc with peanut allergies. He told me he believes these allergies are just as common in Africa. Children die daily of unknown causes. He said to me that people will just say xx neighbor cursed the child, rather than consider other causes.

 

It is my understanding that as an ingredient becomes more prevalent in a person's diet, the more likely it is to become an allergen to that person. (don't ask me for a cite, I haven't done allergy research in years) Years ago doctors thought soy allergy was just something association with persons of Japanese descent. Today, soy is an additive in just about everything. And today it is common among Americans.

[dangermom]

Why do people take other people's allergies so personally? It's weird.

 

.

 

Want to know my theory? It's because allergies are scary and not something we can control. People respond irrationally with a sort of superstition--they want to reassure themselves that this scary thing will never happen to them, so they blame it on you. If they can blame it on you being a bad parent somehow, and they can assure themselves that they are (or would be) good parents, then they will be OK.

 

People will blame you for your child's allergies, or tell you that you are paranoid and delusional. This is not your fault, and allergies pretty much just happen, but that's too scary for a lot of people to think about.

 

You'll get this as a parent of an allergic kid, but parents of kids with severe illnesses or mental conditions get it too, and often worse.

[Tammyla]

:grouphug:The adjustment is difficult.:grouphug:

 

Be prepared for plenty of crazy/stupid advice and even sabotage. People can be well meaning, and dangerous if you aren't vigilant.

[Spryte]

It has only been two days and i have only told a few people but I have already had a range of reactions.

 

My mom freaked out and wants me to have a stock of epipens in every possible place in the house.

 

One person said it is because I vaccinated him.

 

Another did the "once you get the allergy under control then you can start giving him small amounts of peanuts so he can get use to them again."

 

One gave me that look that says "you are just looking for attention."

 

But most people have been very supportive about it and I really need that right now. Why do people take other people's allergies so personally? It's weird.

 

 

.

 

 

The range of reactions *is* bizarre. Embrace the supportive people and comments, and let the strange ones roll off your back.

 

Oh, and just wait for the day you have someone tell you it's your fault, for keeping your house too clean. :lol: That one is a misunderstanding of the hygiene theory re: allergies. I understand that someone might misunderstand it, but the day my hairstylist said it to me, I almost fell out of my chair laughing. If only my house stayed that clean!

 

It will get easier with time.

 

Of course, I say that now, with my heart in my throat while DS is having a reaction... So I'm sitting here with epipens handy, and both kids prepped for the hospital, just in case. [sigh] ...But it really does get easier to manage. Truly.

[Mom-ninja.]

:grouphug: It's hard having food allergies/intolerance. Most people don't get it.

 

 

When I told my dad I have celiac disease he asked, "So, I suppose now you're going to decide to become vegetarian now too? Isn't that the cool diet too?" :glare:

 

He has learned a lot since then. He actually sent me links to gf cream puffs that I'm dieing to try.

 

My in-laws still don't get what my kids can't eat. Every single time we go there they pull out a cake or ice cream with nuts in it. They have never even asked what is okay and what not. They just pretend the food problems don't exist.

 

I was told by one woman that my kids can't have allergies because I breastfed them. Um, okay.

[crazyforlatin]

I suspect DD has a nut allergy. I have my head in the sand because none of us has any sort of allergies and we love nuts. I don't think it's so severe to be on the dangerous side, but her throat has a weird feeling if any part of her food has touched a nut. So I've been careful, helping her to avoid all nuts, even eliminating foods that have touched nuts, telling the Sunday school teachers about it, looking over snacks that are offered at Sunday school, looking at labels, etc.

 

Also, she claims she is allergic to chocolate. Again, that funny feeling in her throat. Is anyone seriously allergic to chocolate?

[wapiti]

I suspect DD has a nut allergy. I have my head in the sand because none of us has any sort of allergies and we love nuts. I don't think it's so severe to be on the dangerous side, but her throat has a weird feeling if any part of her food has touched a nut. So I've been careful, helping her to avoid all nuts, even eliminating foods that have touched nuts, telling the Sunday school teachers about it, looking over snacks that are offered at Sunday school, looking at labels, etc.

 

Also, she claims she is allergic to chocolate. Again, that funny feeling in her throat. Is anyone seriously allergic to chocolate?

 

I'm sorry to say, you really ought to get her tested because you should be carrying an Epipen. Weird feeling in throat would be a symptom of anaphylaxis. It is impossible to know how far the symptoms will escalate the next time there is an exposure. Nut allergies are dangerous, period. Severity of reaction can change without warning.

 

I don't know about allergies to chocolate, but many, probably most, brands of chocolate are off-limits to my ds due to potential contamination with nuts.

 

Just a few weeks ago, grandma brought out some chocolate pieces that she swore had no nuts (stupid me for letting him have a piece, but he was so deprived during that vacation), and ds said he had an itchy throat. A couple weeks later, he had some allergy testing and added tree nuts to his list of allergies (which already included peanut, etc.).

[dangermom]

 

Also, she claims she is allergic to chocolate. Again, that funny feeling in her throat. Is anyone seriously allergic to chocolate?

 

Yes, people can be allergic to chocolate. Also, a lot of chocolate is contaminated with nuts. You need to get her checked out--nut allergies are prone to sudden escalation. :grouphug:

[crazyforlatin]

I'm sorry to say, you really ought to get her tested because you should be carrying an Epipen. Weird feeling in throat would be a symptom of anaphylaxis. It is impossible to know how far the symptoms will escalate the next time there is an exposure. Nut allergies are dangerous, period. Severity of reaction can change without warning.

 

I don't know about allergies to chocolate, but many, probably most, brands of chocolate are off-limits to my ds due to potential contamination with nuts.

 

Just a few weeks ago, grandma brought out some chocolate pieces that she swore had no nuts (stupid me for letting him have a piece, but he was so deprived during that vacation), and ds said he had an itchy throat. A couple weeks later, he had some allergy testing and added tree nuts to his list of allergies (which already included peanut, etc.).

 

Thanks, wapiti, I appreciate your advice. Do I take her to the pediatrician and have him take a blood test? Saliva test? She would be the only one on both sides of the family. I'm so sad for her. Will kids outgrow a nut allergy when they're adults? Probably not, right?

 

Now that I think about chocolate, I see that it could have been contaminated with nuts at the factory. It may not be a chocolate issue but a contamination one.

[wapiti]

Thanks, wapiti, I appreciate your advice. Do I take her to the pediatrician and have him take a blood test? Saliva test? She would be the only one on both sides of the family. I'm so sad for her. Will kids outgrow a nut allergy when they're adults? Probably not, right?

 

Now that I think about chocolate, I see that it could have been contaminated with nuts at the factory. It may not be a chocolate issue but a contamination one.

 

I would see an allergist. The three different allergists we have seen so far (including our newest one at National Jewish, world-reknowned for expertise with allergies and asthma) have all done skin testing first. That is done on the child's back. We may end up doing a blood test for peanut at some point, because his latest skin test for that was negative (probably false, because he has had so many positive tests and a reaction in the past). There are advantages and disadvantages to the different tests, and different docs may prefer different ones.

 

I'm not aware of testing that a pediatrician would do, though I suppose they could draw blood. Our peds refer to an allergist.

[myfunnybunch]

Do I take her to the pediatrician and have him take a blood test? Saliva test? She would be the only one on both sides of the family. I'm so sad for her. Will kids outgrow a nut allergy when they're adults? Probably not, right?

 

Call your pediatrician. Likely they will refer you to an allergist, but our pediatrician got my ds in right away and we left with an epi-pen prescription so that we didn't have to wait for one until the allergist could get us in.

 

Our allergist said that some children do outgrow nut allergies but it is very rare.

 

:grouphug: Please don't wait. As another poster mentioned, nut allergy reactions can escalate over time, and it's not predictable.

 

Cat

[crazyforlatin]

I would see an allergist. The three different allergists we have seen so far (including our newest one at National Jewish, world-reknowned for expertise with allergies and asthma) have all done skin testing first. That is done on the child's back. We may end up doing a blood test for peanut at some point, because his latest skin test for that was negative (probably false, because he has had so many positive tests and a reaction in the past). There are advantages and disadvantages to the different tests, and different docs may prefer different ones.

 

I'm not aware of testing that a pediatrician would do, though I suppose they could draw blood. Our peds refer to an allergist.

 

Call your pediatrician. Likely they will refer you to an allergist, but our pediatrician got my ds in right away and we left with an epi-pen prescription so that we didn't have to wait for one until the allergist could get us in.

 

Our allergist said that some children do outgrow nut allergies but it is very rare.

 

:grouphug: Please don't wait. As another poster mentioned, nut allergy reactions can escalate over time, and it's not predictable.

 

Cat

 

Thank you, wapiti and Cat. I really would like an epi pen for now. I'm glad you told me that allergic reactions can change, possibly escalating for the worse. I had no idea.

[Spryte]

I suspect DD has a nut allergy. I have my head in the sand because none of us has any sort of allergies and we love nuts. I don't think it's so severe to be on the dangerous side, but her throat has a weird feeling if any part of her food has touched a nut. So I've been careful, helping her to avoid all nuts, even eliminating foods that have touched nuts, telling the Sunday school teachers about it, looking over snacks that are offered at Sunday school, looking at labels, etc.

 

Also, she claims she is allergic to chocolate. Again, that funny feeling in her throat. Is anyone seriously allergic to chocolate?

 

I know the others just said this, but... Please do get her tested. Previous reactions are no indicator of the severity of future reactions, and anaphylaxis can happen quickly. There is no way to predict when it will get serious, or how quickly. If her throat is involved, it could get bad quickly. You want to have an epipen, and you need to know how to use it.

 

I could bore you with the story of how we buried our head in the sand with our son's nut allergies at first... And how grateful I am that we know now, and that we know how to handle emergencies...

 

Also, if she is allergic, finding out now and learning how to truly avoid even trace exposures *may* help her outgrow that allergy. That could make her adult life much, much easier, and potentially save her life. My kiddo has outgrown several allergies, so it pays off.

 

And yes, there is a definite chocolate allergy. Although I'd think cross contamination with nuts is more likely, since she's showing nut allergy signs.

 

 

 

ETA: oops, I was too late in posting this, I see others are on it, and you've responded. Sorry. :) Just add my vote to the, "please get her checked" count! An allergist is the way to go, but your pedi could refer you to a good one.

Edited September 6, 2012 by Spryte

[Cinder]

Also, she claims she is allergic to chocolate. Again, that funny feeling in her throat. Is anyone seriously allergic to chocolate?

 

I know a family whose daughters are allergic to chocolate. They can eat white chocolate, though, since there's no actual chocolate in it.

 

ETA: Gah! I should finish reading the thread before I post.

[Ellesmere]

That made me laugh! Thank you. :D

 

You need all the laughs you can get while dealing with this.

 

On the plus side, it looks like your story is helping others on the board learn about food allergies. Best wishes as your family adjusts to all the changes. You've gotten a lot of good info. Just remember that what other people think does not change the seriousness of the allergy and remember the days when you had no idea what it was like, either. It's what keeps my temper when I hear the same old and frustrating responses. I'm sorry to hear you've already gotten some negative ones. We hear a lot but then we also find support in the most surprising places, too.

 

:)

[sandst]

My son had anaphylaxis twice because of peanuts and once for nuts. The peanuts were always a no-no but the nuts we did not know for a while.

 

Please have your child tested.

 

As far as people I feel that ignorane motivates their reaction. We do not a full dignose as some of his most extreme symptoms have only developed in the past ten months. We went from 5-6 food allergens to 12 now and I suspect this number will be growing.

 

As far as enviroumental we got them all overed pretty much. He went into Hyper IgE and his own antibodies were attacking his skin. Skin would fall off by the dust pan full several times a day. Big chuncks until we were dealing with a child covered in special bandages (similar to burnt patient about 75% of his body)... Also I kept telling the daughter that I was almost sure that the parafin or petroleum based products in the creams were agravating the problem. Even though he got a bit better he skin was still cover with sore and some peeling with still occur until his birthday when I had enough and replaced his creams with natural bee wax products and coloid silver gel. It seems the skin reaction to the base creams were worst.

 

All 'some friends' could say, it is only eczema :glare:. Some backed off when they came to my place and saw my 'mummy child', the array of nebulisors, humidifiers and air purifiers. We identified the problem in Feb and after many months on the diet we are starting to see progress.

 

We had three doctors say there is nothing they can do until we saw an allergies specialist in Feb 2012 and even he would not listen to my concerns regarding the base creams. Depending on the base and its concentration of petroleum base products the worst he would get.

 

We are in the process of trying to find another allergy specialist but the one we were seeing was suppose to be the best one around here.

 

We are seeing a good dietitian next week and are trying to get an appoitment with a professor in Cape Town, 1600 miles away...

 

I am in bio-tech and work mainly with the food industry and even I can find the labeling here hard to navigate.

 

The best option is to stay with foods as natural as possible, there are a lot of hidden ingredients and also the source of the additives can also cause problems.

 

Keep strong. I will be praying for you and your family...

[Heather in Neverland]

You have all been so supportive in this. It has really been the bright spot this week.

 

Ds took the news well until yesterday when asked me if he could have a PB and J sandwich and I had to say no. Then it hit him.

 

But we will work through this one day at a time. That is what I keep telling myself.

[wapiti]

You have all been so supportive in this. It has really been the bright spot this week.

 

Ds took the news well until yesterday when asked me if he could have a PB and J sandwich and I had to say no. Then it hit him.

 

But we will work through this one day at a time. That is what I keep telling myself.

 

I don't know if you can buy it over there, but Sunbutter, made from sunflower seeds, is a good alternative for PBJ sandwiches. Soy butter ("Soy nut butter") is another good alternative, though soy is also a common food allergen. I would stay away from butters made from tree nuts.

 

(How negligent is this - as I write this, I only just realized that ds can't eat the sunbutter we have, because we found out a few weeks ago that he's also allergic to sunflower seeds :001_huh:. Fortunately he's super picky and would never eat a sandwich anyway.)

Edited September 6, 2012 by wapiti

[8circles]

I suspect DD has a nut allergy. I have my head in the sand because none of us has any sort of allergies and we love nuts. I don't think it's so severe to be on the dangerous side, but her throat has a weird feeling if any part of her food has touched a nut. So I've been careful, helping her to avoid all nuts, even eliminating foods that have touched nuts, telling the Sunday school teachers about it, looking over snacks that are offered at Sunday school, looking at labels, etc.

 

Also, she claims she is allergic to chocolate. Again, that funny feeling in her throat. Is anyone seriously allergic to chocolate?

 

Hate to break it to you but there is no such this as a non-dangerous nut allergy. They are unpredictable. You need to have an epi-pen for her. Please don't mess around with this.

 

ETA: Yes, you can really be allergic to chocolate.

[Spryte]

Ds took the news well until yesterday when asked me if he could have a PB and J sandwich and I had to say no. Then it hit him.

 

:grouphug: It's a big adjustment.

 

You probably know about sunbutter, but just in case you don't... It's pretty good! If he's not allergic to sunflower seeds or soy, it might give him that little bit of peanut buttery taste. :)

[stripe]

I suspect DD has a nut allergy. I have my head in the sand because none of us has any sort of allergies and we love nuts. I don't think it's so severe to be on the dangerous side, but her throat has a weird feeling if any part of her food has touched a nut.

 

I think you will feel a lot better, actually, to speak with a doctor, get medical advice, and get an epi pen.

[crazyforlatin]

I called the pediatrician for an epi pen, but he questioned DD's symptoms, whether they have been accompanied with asthma (no), and that he could not prescribe a pen just based on what I told him. He did recommend a few allergists, so we'll go see one ASAP. It makes me nervous not having a pen. He told me to give Dd benadryl. Would that help her at all? :confused:

 

I really thought that since none of us have it, how could she possibly? I appreciate all of the ladies who are prodding me. My heart is heavy for DD. She is such a carefree child.

[wapiti]

He told me to give Dd benadryl. Would that help her at all?

 

Yes. That is often the first course of action if an allergic person may have eaten what they are allergic to. The treatment depends on what sort of reaction is going on. Benadryl is the first thing I might do for just hives, if there's no mouth/throat/breathing issue. Using the Epipen always involves calling 911 or heading to the ER.

[Melinda in VT]

:grouphug: It's a big adjustment.

 

You probably know about sunbutter, but just in case you don't... It's pretty good! If he's not allergic to sunflower seeds or soy, it might give him that little bit of peanut buttery taste. :)

 

But check the labels because some sunbutters are made on lines that also process nuts. :glare:

[Spryte]

I called the pediatrician for an epi pen, but he questioned DD's symptoms, whether they have been accompanied with asthma (no), and that he could not prescribe a pen just based on what I told him. He did recommend a few allergists, so we'll go see one ASAP. It makes me nervous not having a pen. He told me to give Dd benadryl. Would that help her at all? :confused:

 

I really thought that since none of us have it, how could she possibly? I appreciate all of the ladies who are prodding me. My heart is heavy for DD. She is such a carefree child.

 

Glad you are on top of this. Benadryl is our first course of action, too. But if more than one body system is involved, it's time for an epi.

 

The allergist will help you sort it out. And doing so may help her outgrow the allergy.

 

DS has no genetic history of food allergies. But our allergist asked if anyone had seasonal allergies (yes) or immune or autoimmune issues. I think there are some minor immune issues in his birthfamily. But no food allergies.

[Harriet Vane]

I called the pediatrician for an epi pen, but he questioned DD's symptoms, whether they have been accompanied with asthma (no), and that he could not prescribe a pen just based on what I told him. He did recommend a few allergists, so we'll go see one ASAP. It makes me nervous not having a pen. He told me to give Dd benadryl. Would that help her at all? :confused:

 

I really thought that since none of us have it, how could she possibly? I appreciate all of the ladies who are prodding me. My heart is heavy for DD. She is such a carefree child.

 

The allergist will be a big help. I find that the difference between an allergist and a non-specialist is huuuuuge.

 

Yes, the Benedryl is the first thing to do.

[crazyforlatin]

In the meantime, before we get an Epipen, Dd has never had any throat problems with eating foods that have been made/shared in a nut factory. We shop a lot at Trader Joe's, Costco, a co-op.

 

Do you all look at labels and avoid all foods that share the same facility with a nut facility?

[Spryte]

But check the labels because some sunbutters are made on lines that also process nuts. :glare:

 

Aaack. I didn't know that! Thanks for the warning.

 

 

ETA: yes, we check all labels, and I call companies etc because we do not consume any "may contains."

 

ETA again: I just checked Sunbutter again... We only use the brand name. It is a peanut and tree nut free facility. Maybe there are off brands that process nuts? Stick with the brand name, Heather, or check labels. :)

Edited September 7, 2012 by Spryte

[mommymilkies]

I called the pediatrician for an epi pen, but he questioned DD's symptoms, whether they have been accompanied with asthma (no), and that he could not prescribe a pen just based on what I told him. He did recommend a few allergists, so we'll go see one ASAP. It makes me nervous not having a pen. He told me to give Dd benadryl. Would that help her at all? :confused:

 

.

 

My 4 yo has cashew and peanut allergies. Our doc will not refer us or give us an epi pen. I have no anaphylactic "proof" of allergy. When she was a baby, she severely projectile vomited if I ate cashews. I've never tested it since. It was very intense. Now she gets...let's just say the most horrific smelling rotavirus symptoms known to mankind if she eats peanuts. Dh still eats about a jar of peanut butter a day and refuses to keep it out of the house. Family still buy her Reese's and chocolate covered cashews. But since it's not anaphylactic, nobody really cares.

 

Otoh, a doc where we used to live concurred with my 7 yo having a dairy allergy because she got bleeding hives from it, even though her skin test was negative at age 2. She eats dairy but is gluten free now. Her dairy allergy symptoms disappeared about age 3, and dh insists she keep dairy in. But he acts as if we are trying to kill him if we eat almonds because now he's sure that he's allergic to almonds because he had a stomach ache after eating literally 2 lbs of almonds in 2 days. Sorry for the rant. Allergies are a pet peeve ATM.

[tex-mex]

Yes. I got them a few hours ago. It's official. No more peanuts for him.

 

 

So it begins... A new chapter in our life and all I want to do is take a nap. But first I need to learn how to say "Does this have peanuts in it?" in Malay, Tamil, and Mandarin.

 

I am sure I will be asking for plenty of advice so thank you all for your support in this.

 

 

.

Sorry to hear this, Heather.

 

We had to go on a restrictive low-protein/gluten free/no dairy diet when my son was 8 years old and out of the hospital from a coma. It was a trial to learn new habits and cook at home. It was impossible to eat out.

 

Ds is 17 years old now and an expert in what he can and cannot eat. It does get better! I hope you get some support and resources for peanut free meals. :grouphug:

[In the Rain]

He told me to give Dd benadryl. Would that help her at all? :confused:

 

Yes, especially the liquid Benadryl. I've been told it hits the system in half the time of the tablets. You can buy single serve doses that are convenient to carry in your purse.