Hey all you Peanut Allergy moms... It's me again!

[Heather in Neverland]

Did your child's peanut allergies get worse over time?

 

My ds was diagnosed a year ago. Up until now he only reacted if he actually ate peanuts.

 

Well, some new staff members that just arrived here from Montana brought us Huckleberry Pancake Mix and this morning I made them for him. Within 15 minutes he was covered in hives. Poor little guy.

 

I read the package again and there is an allergy warning that says it is made in a facility that processes peanuts.

 

So either he is allergic to Huckleberries or his peanut allergy is getting worse to include foods packaged in places that process peanuts and not just actual peanuts.

 

Thoughts?

 

I hate peanuts.

[Tess in the Burbs]

Well if you have been giving cross contaminated food all along than yes his allergy sensitivity would get worse.

 

My son just outgrew one of his nut allergies but we are very strict to avoid cross contaminated foods. His dr now has him eating this new food weekly to keep it a safe item.

 

He was diagnosed about 4 years ago with peanuts, then later tons if nuts. It got worse but now it's getting better and she has hope he will outgrow all of it in a few more years

 

I would avoid all cross contaminated items. Also keep the list of ingredients. When my son was allergic to egg he got hives when he ate things with egg in them......

[Mom0012]

I ignore all warnings about food being prepared in a shared facility with the blessing of our doctor and have never had a problem and my son has been allergic since he was 1 yo and is now almost 14. People have different degrees of sensitivity, though. I wouldn't rule out coincidence or a different allergy in the situation you describe either.

[kristen18]

We have never had a problem with anything with the "manufactured in a facility" warning, but I have never let her have anything with the "manufactured on equipment" warning.  

[8circles]

Well if you have been giving cross contaminated food all along than yes his allergy sensitivity would get worse.

 

 

There are different schools of thought on this so I wouldn't be so quick to say that's what's happened here.

 

We have always ignored shared facility warnings & my son outgrew his peanut allergy & he may have outgrown his tree nut allergies as well.  We're in between appts as we're trying to figure it out - both skin & blood tests have come back negative.

 

Heather, it may be something completely unrelated to his peanut allergy.  It could be a reaction to something different entirely - a preservative or something.  If he doesn't react to other shared facility foods, I would think it points more towards something else.  Or maybe this particular company doesn't do a good job keeping allergens apart & there was more cross-contamination than other products.

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

I did read of a study that said that there is a 13% risk of serious reactions from "made in facility" or "made on a line" products from what I recall. We strictly avoided such products for the past 7 years as well as most restaurants and home made food from others due to the huge learning curve on how to avoid cross contamination. We also checked every single label of every single food item or ingredient every single time. Fortunately, our ds may have just outgrown his allergies.

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

There are different schools of thought on this so I wouldn't be so quick to say that's what's happened here.

 

We have always ignored shared facility warnings & my son outgrew his peanut allergy & he may have outgrown his tree nut allergies as well.  We're in between appts as we're trying to figure it out - both skin & blood tests have come back negative.

 

Heather, it may be something completely unrelated to his peanut allergy.  It could be a reaction to something different entirely - a preservative or something.  If he doesn't react to other shared facility foods, I would think it points more towards something else.  Or maybe this particular company doesn't do a good job keeping allergens apart & there was more cross-contamination than other products.

According to our allergist and the study I read of regarding the risks of contamination with these products, I would be inclined to think it was peanuts that caused the reaction. It is possible he could develop new allergies as well but peanuts would be the top suspect IMHO. I would ask your doc.

[PinkyandtheBrains.]

I don't have a peanut allergy, I have an egg allergy.  It started almost 3 years ago and has become worse over time. 

[MomatHWTK]

Reactions are unpredictable and yes, can get worse with further exposures.  There are some studies indicating that you may be able to predict whether a person has the potential to suffer anaphylaxis (as opposed to non-life threatening reactions) but not when and at what level of exposure.  For us, the deadly allergies are 100% avoidance, even of "may contains" for that reason.  DS might be exposed to it 10 times and have no reaction and then stop breathing on the 11th.  Or at least that was my understanding of the research way back when I made the decision. 

 

I think the key is to make an informed decision.  Read the books by the leading allergist, find the online resources and read others' stories and then decide what level of risk you are willing to take.  We have relaxed considerably over the years. For instance I let DS get a hamburger from a "safe" restaurant without insisting on giving them the allergy talk and reading the ingredients every time.  But "may contains" are still out of the question.

 

Here's the research I found at the time- I imagine there have been updates since my time:

http://www.johnweisnagelmd.com/peanutallergy.htm

 

 

 

My allergist chilled me to the bone when she told me I need to take things more seriously, but what she said was:  You don't get a second chance.  Once someone has stopped breathing, it may be too late even for the epi-pen.  So, if I am in doubt, I need to use the epi.

[Heather in Neverland]

I looked at the label again and it is the "equipment" warning not the "facilities" warning. Yikes.

 

They don't do allergy labels on food in Malaysia so it is a gamble. We avoid the obvious and even the maybes but there is a good chance that he is exposed to allergens in ways we cannot predict (food made in local restaurants, in local factories, etc.). 

 

Malaysia has not really gotten with the allergy warning program. :(

[Arcadia]

 

They don't do allergy labels on food in Malaysia so it is a gamble. We avoid the obvious and even the maybes but there is a good chance that he is exposed to allergens in ways we cannot predict (food made in local restaurants, in local factories, etc.). 

 

 

Shop at Cold Storage in Malaysia if possible.  It is more pricy but the products tend to have better food labeling.  You might have to avoid Malay and Chinese food due to cross contamination. Gado Gado and Satay has peanut in the sauce.  Some Chinese food is cooked in peanut oil depending on the hawker.  Some Chinese pastries have peanut paste so bakeries might be contaminated too.

 

ETA:

Vietnamese and Thai food have peanuts too for some dishes.

[Spryte]

 

 

Malaysia has not really gotten with the allergy warning program. :(

 

It must be hard.  

 

The US is not terribly reliable with regard to allergy warnings, for that matter.  It is a company by company decision.  They, at least, must reinforce in bold any top 8 ingredients, but there is no requirement to label for shared equipment or facilities.  It's a company choice, and I am so grateful for the ones that choose to label.  They save us a lot of calling and emailing.  The ones that label for sesame too really win my heart.  :)

 

For now, can you email or call the companies that manufacture the foods you use?  

 

As for eating out, my allergist says we are putting all of our trust in the cooks and servers.  All of it.  It is our child's life at stake.  We are very cautious, and when in doubt - we leave.  Or we bring DS's food.  It's a pain, but... It's life.

 

Allergies can get worse over time.  And previous reactions don't predict future reactions, in fact the reactions often get worse.  

 

If you want to pm me, I can send you a link to my favorite food allergy board - a bit like WTM for food allergy mamas.  

[Loowit]

I don't trust labels. They are not required, at least in the US. I didn't realize this when my DS was younger and I bought some ice cream that didn't have a warning. He had his first anaphylactic reaction. When I contacted the company about it they told me that they weren't required to label and that they chose not to because it took up too much space on the container. Needless to say I will never buy that brand again.

 

My DS's allergist has told me that future reactions are likely to get worse, and that total avoidance is the best way to go. I have done a lot of research into what brands are "safe" and I do a lot of my own cooking. I do not buy anything with any type of peanut warning. It doesn't matter what type of warning it is, they really all mean the same thing it is just how the manufacturer wants to phrase it. I feel like for my DS allowing him to eat foods that have a warning of potential cross-contamination is like playing Russian Roulette with food.

[Spryte]

 I feel like for my DS allowing him to eat foods that have a warning of potential cross-contamination is like playing Russian Roulette with food.

 

Yes.  I completely agree.