Share Your Stories About Peanut Allergies
In many scenarios, the best way to learn is from other people's experiences. Below are stories you sent in to share with other families dealing with the peanut allergy. If you have a story you would like to share, please fill out the form below.
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Visitor Comments
James Louis
Peanut Story
My Grandson is allergic to peanuts. The problem was, my daughter (his Mother) would never allow me to watch him without her present. This caused many problems between us. I later discovered that she was upset I had some peanut products in my pantry (which I never took out while my Grandson was there). Once I got rid of these products from my pantry, she seemed to have trust in me. Although we never discussed this, I was very hurt. For all you relatives out there, a word of advice. To show you are fully committed to this allergy, you should not have any peanut material in your house at all.
Florida
Sandi
My peanut story
Our son's 5th grade teacher has been so supportive and protective of our child's tree nut allergy. One thing she really appreciates is the fact we bring all the supplies she needs to the classroom for protection of our child. We supply disinfectant wipes for her to clean tables after snack, hand soaps, food mats for all the children to eat off everyday, and plenty of safe snacks. The reason why I am posting this is because I think it is important to make sure the teachers don't spend their own money on supplies to protect our son. I think the teachers really appreciate this along with an open line of communication.
New Jersey
Ed
Egg Roll
My child had his first reaction to peanut allergy while having an egg roll at a Chinese restaurant. Beware of this type of food. It uses a lot of peanut products.
Oregon
JT
Lunchroom
When my daughter was in second grade, the school decided to make 3/4 of the lunchroom into a peanut free area. They also took peanut butter and jelly sandwiches off the buy your lunch program. This made me very angry. So, a bunch of parents and myself became very outspoken against this new policy. We made a stink at board meetings and PTA meetings. We organized a petition to just have a single peanut free table, with the rest of the lunchroom allowing peanut foods. To make a long story short, we lost the battle, and the policy remained in effect. Well....last year, my other daughter was diagnosed with severe tree nut and peanut food allergies. Now that I have become educated about this problem, I agree with the schools new policy. I over reacted, and was very selfish. The peanut allergic children's health and safety should have come first. Now that the shoe is on the other foot, my opinion has changed. How could I have been so selfish?
Massachusettes
Lilly
New Principal
Our son's school recently announced the principal was leaving at the end of the month. We have spoken to the new principal (a woman) via the phone. She was very willing to learn more about the peanut allergy and the school policies already in effect. She wants to keep everything exactly the same as her predecessor. I think it is imperative to start over fresh with the new principal, and not count on the other school officials to fill the new principal in about this serious allergy. We think she was very grateful to us for taking the time to talk to her about it. At first, we thought she may have thought we were coming on too strong, but as she said, "it is life threatning.....and she needs to know." This was comforting!
Massachusettes
Penni
Friends who love PB
Our son has made friends with another boy who just loves to eat peanut butter / jelly sandwiches. It is driving my wife and I crazy with fear since they play together a lot. We have tried to talk with the parents of this boy to cover precautionary measures, but no response. Since they are in the same class at school, we are lucky enough to have a teacher that is trying to help the process along. Just wanted to share this with everyone here. Sometimes the schools can be very helpful with situations like this.
Alberta, Canada
David
Change of ingredients
Just for any visitor to this wonderful web site.....read the ingredients to the food products your peanut allergic child eats..... very closely EACH TIME. This month alone, I have found 2 products that used to be safe, which now say 'made in a plant that processes peanut products.' One of the products was the smaller Hershey Bars, that at one time were safe.
United Kingdom
Samantha
Clean the lunch tables
I am a student in the 8th grade. I had a problem at lunch because the peanut residue was still on the table from the lunch before mine. Nobody was suppose to eat any peanut products at this table because it was peanut free. Always clean a table before you eat on it.
New York
Sean and Carol
Labels
At our child's school, a parent took the wrappers off a candy bar, and placed it in a regular baggie. Our child thought it looks suspicious, and questioned the other child. The other child stated how his Mom took the wrapper off because it said MAY BE PROCESSED IN A PLANT WITH PEANUT PRODUCTS. Beware my friends, beware!!!!!
Nebraska, USA
Lauren Potish
Snyder's Prezils
Hi everyone: Just wanted to let you all know that today I purchased a small bag of Snyder's prezils for my son in a vending machine. Normally, it was a safe snack. Of course, I always read the ingrediants. I was disappointed to read in now says 'produced in a facility that handles peanut butter.' Just wanted to give you all a heads up.
New Jersey
Cynthia
Thank you
Lauren, thank you. I buy those prezils. I am very grateful to your post.
San Fran, CA
Sara
Holy Crap
We always buy Snyders prezils. Thanks for the heads up.
Albany, NY
Summer
My son's daycare never had a peanut-free space until my son, who was almost 3 at the time, attempted to grab a peanut butter cookie from another child. His teacher prevented him from eating the cookie, but he still had a sever reaction just from touching the cookie. Daycare workers need to be especially vigalant with very young children with food allergies.
St. Joseph, USA
Natasha
home school?
My son was diagnosed with peanut allergy when he was almost 3 it was a month before his third birthday. the doctors say you can start giving them peanut butter around age three. i had made homemade peanut butter cookies and my son normally never had them but this time i melted chocolate on them. he took one bite and started crying histarickly i got peanuts in my throat and asking for water. i tried to stay calm telling him its only peanuts in your throat you'll be o.k ,but after the water he was still crying . his lips looked to be turning purple and in the back of my mind thinking is he allergic, this can't be happenning.then he seemed tired and it was close to nap time, so i put him to bed.. then few seconds later he was crying i came to him and he had vomited and i took him to the toliet and he continued vomiting. Then he started rolling on the floor crying his stomach hurt. i had no vehicle and was pannicking .then my mom was on her way. by the time she arrived he had purple hives bubbled all over his body.To end the story he got treatment and was o.k that was the most scary day of my life. Now we carry and epi-pen every where we go he wears it in his fanny pack around his waist. i find that way it's always right with him just in case. he will be going to school soon and i worry. he knows how to protect himself we practice situations that may arrise everyday. but i fear other people might not take as much care with the peanut issue with there kids leaving my son vonurable to those kids who ate peanuts/products, may contains ,etc. with out washing up. causing a chain reaction from oils on toys fingers and every thing, my son could touch. if i am not there he could be in real danger.I feel home school is a good idea. but i know if i were to do that my son would miss out on the interacting and socializing and greatness of school.I wish we could take away these nuts right out of society so people no longer have to die from something we can control or just take nuts out of products period and if people want nuts in their food they can buy the nuts and make thier own peanut butter or put the nut in their own cookies. but other wise have no products sold containing them. i see that as a comprimise to banning them all together.Our kids with this allergy deserve a normal life. only we can make it safe only we can change this world to make it a better place. instead children are dying because we can't get enough of those nuts. nuts are a killer like a loaded gun waiting to to go off save our children lets make this world peanut /nut free. don't let the gun go off on your kid or your kids friend. kissing can now kill just because of peanuts/nuts holding hands with a friend can now kill because of peanuts/nuts. why do we let such a product control our lives and kill our children. i hope and pray for the day their are no nuts. so we don't have to live in fear we might loose our child someday from a kiss or hand shake lets keep praying someday our allergic child will be free of the fear and constant danger and they will get to live a normal day where a birthday party or dinner party or any event where their is food involved can be safe. thanks for listening
Calgary, Alberta
Christy
Lack of Respect
My daughter is 3, and has a severe allergy to all nuts. We just went to a birthday party for a close friend and they had a asian dish with lots of peanuts on top. After have several conversations and emailing them about her allergy they still insist on serving nuts.. I feel like they are not respecting my childs life. What do we do?
Texas
Alfred
Christy
Christy.....find new friends.
UK
Steve and Mary
Disney
Just wanted to share our vacation story with you. We took our entire family to Disney last month. All the resturants in the parks were more than happy to help with our child's peanut allergy. The chef's came out to go over all the ingrediants of all the dishes. Most helpful and respectful of this allergy. If you plan a vacation there, you will be at ease.
New Hampshire
John Ramos
Disney
Steve and Mary, that is great news that Disney took good care of you. Has anyone here taken a cruise with a child with peanut allergies? If yes, what cruise line, and did they assist you in the way Disney did for Steve and Mary?
New York
Johnny
Cruises
Took a Carnival cruise last year. Worked out fine. We called a head to speak to the chef(s), and met with them on board. They prepared the food safely.
PA
Kim
vacation destinations
Before going to Disney we called ahead to check that our character dinner would be safe for our peanut allergic son. We were reassured that this would be no problem. When we arrived at the dinner the chef was rude and simply pointed out that pretty much everything was tainted with peanuts, and failed to point out the big container of peanut butter which was very prominent in one area of the buffet. There were also several knives with peanut butter scattered around tainting the entire bread area. He did not offer to make anything safely for the boys and if the waiter hadn't arranged for a plate of french fries for our children they would have had nothing to eat for a lot of money. Needless to say, I will never dine at Disney again and never wish to go back. Afterwards we went to Club Med Sand Piper in Florida for a few days. There they have a nut-free kids program. The chef was polite and showed us how absolutely every dish was lableled with its ingredients. I only recommend this place to anyone dealing with peanut allergies. It is worth the price not to worry.
New Hampshire
Celine
Disney
I am going to the Disney in Europe. I wonder if they are as good as the ones in the states. I will let you know. Thanks mates.
UK
David
Developing allergy
Well i don't know this for a medical fact but here goes, as a kid my dad got me hooked on snickers candy bars (man i love them), i dont go crazy with them maybe one or two a year, but i also love peanuts as well, here recently i started to notice some red patches on my body.....didnt pay much attention to them, i thought i was allergic to something in a new state we moved to, then my wife bought a big jar of peanuts for me and of course i munch on them alot as usual, but then she noticed the hives getting worse on me, and worse and worse to the point of some being the diameter of baseballs! Then she put two and two together, try not eating the peanuts and see what happens....and guess what.....no hives for 2 weeks now, keep in mind i am 40 years old and never had any allergic reaction to them before so now i think i will pay a visit to my doctor and find out.
Montana
Cathy
Thanks David
Thanks David. I appreciate your writing about this. It makes me think that I may have the same problem at age 37. I loved peanut butter, but it seems every time I eat a peanut product, I get rashes. I am starting to wonder if I, too, am allergic to them now?
Nebraska, USA
Marcus
Vacations
I have seen many posts about 'safe' vacations. I went to Disney and was completely impressed. For those of you in the North East of the United States, I found another destination that is wonderful to the children who suffer from peanut allergies. It is in the Poconos of Pennsylvania. The name of the resort is called "Woodloch." It is the best kept secret in the world. We already made plans to go back. They go above and beyond with the allergy. It got to the point where they were one step ahead of me with safety. I was completely impressed with their sensitivity to the allergy. Anyone worrying about a vacation destination with regards to peanut allergies should consider Woodloch. It is a truly remarkable place, with lots to do.
Connecticut
David
Developing allergy
Cathy, Well so far i have not had any reoccurances of the hives that i had and i havent had any peanut products although my wife caught me reaching for my fav candy bar..LOL....just a habit i guess.!.i can only hope my story helps others that might have unexplained rashes, thanx for your reply as well....hope all goes well.
Montana
Cathy
Thank you
Thanks again David.
Nebraska, USA
Pamela
Age doesn't matter
Like David, at age 43, I developed the peanut allergy. I thought I may have always been sensitive to it, but not allergic. Five years ago, my throat closed on me after eating a candy bar. To make a long story short, I was diagnosed with the allergy.
New York
Shannon
My Son
My son Conner (4.5) is fatally allergic to peanuts. His twin brother is not. Just wanted to find a place where I could share and learn, looks like I have found it!!!
San Diego, CA
New York
Shannon
Welcome Shannon.
Sam
Laura
Cruise Safety
Just returned from a cruise on the Norwegian Majesty. Stay AWAY! The staff there was not aware of the extreme nature of peanut allergies. My son had a reaction. Not Anaphylactic, but heading in that direction. The ship was unprepared. The staff did not understand the urgency. The peanuts were in a "almond crusted" fish. Even after the horrific episode, the staff insisted there were no peanuts!
North Carolina
Sarah
Laura
Wow, thanks for the update. We were planning a cruise for next summer. Now, after reading your post, I am canceling it. Thank you so much.
New York
Harold
Cruises
Yes, thanks for sharing. Cruising will be out of our itinerary for a while. We will go back to Disney instead.
California
Kathy
Scary stuff
Wow, that cruise story is very scary. Thanks for sharing.
Nevada
Shereen
Thank you
I read all your comments and i know some are awful. However i want to thank you all for taking the time to write them as i have a 9yr old son who allergic to nuts and i now know that i am not over reacting about this problem. I am made feel that i am making a fuss over nothing sometimes. I have all the same problems like holidays, flying and school. I would like to say thanks for the tip about supplying items for the teacher and kids.
Northern Ireland
Patty
Disney and peanut allergies
First of all, I'm so glad I found this site! I was "googling" peanut allergies+disney cruise when I found it. My almost 9 year old son has a very severe peanut allergy, diagnosed at about age 2. A year ago, we went to Disneyland, and probably the best part of the trip (for me) was the character breakfast at the Paradise Pier hotel. We told the host, who told the chef, who came out and explained that they make EVERYTHING right there, and he assured us that with just a couple of exceptions, everything else was peanut free. I was thrilled, my son was thrilled and I would definitely go back! We are going on a Disney cruise in 3 weeks. I have notified the cruise line, faxed in the medical form and will let you know how it goes! For those asking about cruises, we did go on a cruise in Hawaii on NCL a couple of years ago, and I just asked a lot of questions, and avoided anything with any kind of nut (you never know where they were processed). Does anybody know of a good carrier for an epi pen for my son? I have seen a few online, but have not tried any of them. Any advice? Thank you!
California
Loretta
Att. Patty
Patty, glad you had a great experience. It was very nice of you to share your good news. As far as a carrier, I think your local medical store would have a leather case to hold it around the belt loop. Please let us know what you used. Thanks again.
Hawaii
Kathy
Epipen Carrier
Patty, go to this site for a carrier: http://www.allstarsalesltd.com/
Wisconsin
David
All Star Sales
I was going to recommend the same web site for the carrier. Have a safe trip!
New York
Lori
Thanks
I have to say, some of the nicest people on the net are on this web site. Always the best information. Thank you.
New Hampshire
shirley
boyfriend
My boyfriend is allergic to all nuts and i'm going without nuts for him, so we can kiss. This includes all may-contains and everything. I'm not sure how long it'll take before it'll be ok to kiss him. If anyone can suggest a site or something that would be great. Thankyou
kelowna
Tracy
Nut Free Kindergarten
I am going crazy trying to find a nut free kindergarten? I live in Southern Westchester...any suggestions?
Westchester NY
Sean
Answers
SHIRLEY, if you are nut free, it should not be a problem to kiss someone allergic to nuts. As long as you brushed your teeth, washed your face, and have not eaten any nut products, you should be fine. If you are not comfortable with that, just brush your teeth and wash your mouth each time you kiss. As long as you remain nut free, it should not be a problem. TRACY, why are you looking for nut free kindergarten? If you have a child with the allergy, try to make their kindergarten a nut free room. Click the PARENTS link on the menu for ideas.
California
Carlene
Is it safe?
Well... I have a peanut/nut allergy, and well I am getting really parionoid and I don't even touch my own hands because of the germs. Is it safe?
Canada
Peter
Carlene
Carlene, nothing to be paranoid about. Just don't touch anything nut related, and you should not have a problem. Watch for any possibilities of cross contamination as well. When in doubt, just wash your hands. All the best.
New York
Joanne
Just be careful
Carlene, just be careful. You can go about your normal activity, just watch what you touch and eat, and always carry your epi-pen with you. That's the most important.
Florida
Michele
toddler peanut allergy
My two 1/2 yr old was diagnosed with a peanut allergy nearly one year ago and I've accepted that his life and my caring for him will never be the same. I don't even want to eat out anymore; I don't eat anything that would be unsafe for him (still breastfeeding)and I don't take him anywhere except parks keeping away from the playground area (although at this time it's too cold in NJ to be outside). I just found this site yesterday and feel like I found the motherlode! I haven't been this happy since I found peanutallergy.com last summer. I'll be a contributing member in the future as well. Oh, my little guy is in a peanut-free daycare which is very supportive yet I still find them under-educated at times or myself frustrated with their policies. I am happy with the school and they do work with me, so I feel he is relatively safe there. He's had a couple of minor contact reactions there (most likely from washing hands upon entry since other people handle the faucets after eating who-knows-what at home). Kevin's two epi-pens are kept in the classroom and his Benadryl as well; I've been informed that the teachers are trained but they have proven apprehensive at times about when/how to follow the instructions I've given. This is a learning experience for all of us, but I am also fearful each day of a phone call bearing news of the inevitable (911, epi, or worse). He's started having other minor reactions as well for which we haven't been able to determine the origin since he's tested negative (RAST) for the other seven allergens of the top eight and many seeds/oils as well. Not sure what it could be, we're keeping food logs again and hoping to find a link soon. I go to a parents' support group associated w/FAAN for mthly meetings which help and now will be interfacing with all of you, my new neighbors, as well. Keep healthy and happy and thanks for listening!
New Jersey
Len
For Michele
Welcome to Michele, my fellow New Jerseyite. Please consider signing up for the forum on the home page. There are some great people there. We are forming a nice support group.
New Jersey
Jacquie
Natasha
I think if your child were having an allergic reaction to nuts, there would be no vomitting as the throat closes. You never mentioned if the doctor had confirmed it was a peanut reaction. I think you may have gone to a little overboard. Should we get rid of all the bees, dogs, cats, grass, trees, hay, milk, cheese, eggs, soy, geez I could go on and on. I think if you relaxed a little you might not be so uptight.
Canada
Roberta
For Jacquie
"I think if your child were having an allergic reaction to nuts, there would be no vomitting as the throat closes." What a truly awful thing to say on a board where people are looking for support!!!!! :( This attitude in the "real world" is what makes living with a severe allery so difficult. Someone actually told me my child wasn't allergic but simply "intolerant" becuase the nuts didn't kill him. ??????????????? My child's first anaphylactic reaction at age 3 was very similar to Natasha's. He said his mouth was "spicy" and then seconds later began shreaking hysterically in pain. He began violently throwing up to the point of bringing up spots of blood and had loss of bowels. His skin turned bright red (he looked burned), hives then started head to toe. At this point his lips began to swell and wheezing started. Keep in mind this all happened in less than 15 minutes. I was perfectly calm and not "uptight" at all. (I broke down later out of his sitght when all was well) I thought he had bit himself, chocked on the pistachio, cut himself, suddenly got a stomach bug, getting a fever... it just didn't click until the hives came out and the lips swelled. "Oh, I thought numbly... THAT is what hives are..." His throat never swelled closed but I can guarantee you that he is is quite allergic to tn/pn. And yeh, the doctor even verified it.
USA
Melinda
safe nut/peanut honeymoon?
Hi My fiancee is deadly allergic to all nuts, peanuts and coconuts. he carries an epipen with him at all times. Eating out is always a challenge, we dont try many new things. We are gettibg married in June and are having a hard time finding a safe honeymoon destination, a place where he can be safe to eat (not at a buffet). we were looking into mayan riviera, italy, jamaica. Any suggestions???
Montreal
Melinda
SAFE nut/peanut FREE honeymoon?
SORRY MADE A MISTAKE, OR COURSE I MEANT PEANUT/NUT/COCONUT FREE THANKS EVERYONE!!!
Montreal
Karen
For Melinda
Melinda. Congrats on your upcoming wedding. I think you would be safer staying in the US or Canada. I don't know too much about how other countries react to this. If you went through a travel agent, maybe they can help?
New York
Debbie
Negative Allergy Test
When my son was two and a half I gave him a peanut butter sandwich and he immediately broke out in hives. We had him tested for the peanut allergy and it came back negative. After waiting awhile, I thought I would try and see if he could eat peanut butter again. This time there were no hives, but he threw up twice after eating the sandwich. After throwing up, he seemed to be okay (although I watched him like a hawk for quite awhile after that). Did anybody have an initial negative allergy test that then developed into a peanut allergy? Do you think I should have him retested?
California
Heather
Attn: Debbie
I would go and have your son re-tested. We knew our son had multiple allergies long before he was 2, but the allergist refused to do a scratch test until he was 2.5. He also insisted on re-testing at 6 years. Many kids in your child's age group can gain as well as outgrow allergies. Also, repeated exposure to peanuts can make the allergy worse. Perhaps you might want to think of seeing another allergist if you don't feel that you are getting the kind of feedback that you need. :)
Canada
DeAnne
peanut tips
I have been allergic to peanuts since birth. I have had reactions from slight discomfort to turning blue. If I touch a package of peanuts and rub my eye, my eye will swell shut. Open a jar of peanut butter or cook with peanut butter and I have to leave the room or house. When I started dating, every boyfriend who had never seen my reactions would try to sneak a snickers or butterfingers when I wasn't around only to find out that when they kissed my cheek that night my cheek would swell up ( sometimes in the shape of their lips...;)..). They told my parents that I would grow out of it but the reactions got worse with age and new allergies popped up. Soy now gives me the same reaction as nuts. Here is some advice from a peanut pro: 1. Upon ingesting a nut, my body will try to regurgitate it quickly (throw up), it doesn't stop the reaction but it does help 2. Peanuts are part of the legume family, so if your kid is allergic to peanuts they probably will have smaller reaction to peas and certain beans (itchy throat, hives in the mouth). I personally stay away from peas, black eye peas, and hard pintos that are usually found in hamhock and beans, and chili. My parents thought I just didn't like peas. 3. If you are going to eat chocolate Hershey is about the safest chocolate bar around. Mars is iffy, Nestle is even worse, and never, never, never, eat imported chocolate (have yet to find one that has not given a reaction) 4. When eating at a restaurant, inform the waiter of allergy and if they seem disinterested inform the management. My last trip to the ER was because they put pine nuts on my salad. I live in an area where several languages are spoken (chinese, vietnamese, spanish, and several middle eastern dialects) and I have often thought that it would be a good idea to make up business cards in each language telling what my allegeries are. 5. You or your child will have a reaction at some point no matter how safe you are. Just stay calm and always be prepared. Always carry benadryl and the epi with you. I keep an epi at home, at work, and at my parents. Educate family and friends about the allergy, but don't freak'em out. Tell them the signs of a reaction and what to do in case one occurs, so they don't freak out. The calmer you are the calmer the patient will be. Also, everyone knows time is of the essence in an allergic reaction, so telling someone to hurry or drive faster will just add stress. 6. Finally, don't leave in fear of the nut. Live your life!
Houston
Emma Poole
pistashio nuts
My son ate his first pistashio nut at 5 and began to vomit, wheeze and cough.He is an asthmatic, but this reation was different to an asthma attack.We stabilised him and ventolin helped.This occured again with pecan nuts.My confusion is that he has always had peanut paste and still can with no symptoms???Should I push this as a peanut allergy with my GP or just keep him away from the above nuts???
Australia
Addy
Hi
hey I am so glad to find this site.I am 15 years old and I have had a peanut allergy as long as I can remember. I started developing OCD when I was afraid of contamination by the food so I washed my hands and hardly ate. that can happen and anyone and Ive been through the anxiety caused by food allergies. I was also wondering though if anyone knew if hershies milk chocolate bars are safe for peeps like us... thanks!
Oklahoma
Nuts to you!
Tree nut allergies
To Emma, Your child is probably allergic to tree nuts. I am. I can't eat pist's, but I can eat pecans. Have your child tested for tree nut allergies and stay away from pesto.
Suwanee
Patricia
Tree Nut Allergy Question
Help! My children attend a school that just "banned" all products which could possibly have peanuts and/or tree nuts in order to protect the children who have allergies to them. The "mom" in me completely understands and would never want to harm ANY child. I have children who love peanut butter and who will not know what to do without the requisite pbj sandwich. The school previously had a peanut free "safe zone" for the children with allergies and this was working...now there is a total and complete ban on BOTH peanuts and tree nuts. I understand the importance of protecting all children from harm but wonder if this is a bit extreme...I was under the impression that peanut allergies can affect someone who merely touches anything a peanut has touched. My question is about tree nut allergies. Can a tree nut affect someone with a tree nut allergy if they do NOT consume it? In other words, can my child eat an "almond butter" and jelly sandwich and harm the neighboring child??? Does a child with a tree nut allergy have to ingest the tree nut to have a reaction or can simply touching tree nuts be harmful. Again, I feel strongly about causing no harm which is why I spent a lot of energy over the summer and a LOT more money on freshly ground almond butter getting my children used to the taste and texture to be ready to avoid peanuts and still please my kids... I cannot imagine sending meat & cheese sandwiches every day since a: they are not crazy about them b: the lunch meats are terrible for them and c: we live in Florida and I worry about the mayonnaise spoiling. Can someone please help me better understand tree nut allergies?
Florida
Barbara
Patricia
Patricia, first of all, thank you so much for being so caring and considerate! You have no idea how much it means to those of us who are parents of the allergic kids, it actually will bring tears to many of our eyes that someone is so willing to help us watch out for our babies. There are so many in this world who will only look out for number one and could not care less about anyone else. If you're a believer, I'm certain there's a place in heaven for people like you. To answer your question, our allergist has told us to avoid tree nuts in the same way we avoid peanuts. My little girl is extremely allergic to them and they produce the same type of oily residue as the peanut. I'm sorry you spent all of that money and time on the almond butter. Have you tried sunbutter (sunflower seeds) or soynutbutter (soybeans)? I've heard that a lot of people like the sunbutter a lot though we haven't tried it here because we're not sure that it wouldn't confuse our daughter (4.5) at this point. Good luck with the school year and thank you again from the bottom of my heart!
Michigan
ADAM OUIMET
MY SON
I just found out that my son is allergic to peanuts and I have to be honest, I am really freeked out. I am 24 years old and have never seen anybody have a allergic reaction to anything and then a couple of weeks ago my wife fed my 10 month old son some strawberry yogert. To make a long story short my son looked like Will Smith in that movie Hitched. Now that I know he is allergic I will take every precaution to prevent unnessisary events from occuring but reading up on foods containing peanuts I cant beleive that I eat that kind of stuff every day and I just want to know what some good meals are that I can feed him in the future. I thank you for your reply in advance and I pray that the lord take this away from everyone!!!
ARIZONA
Barbara
Adam
First and foremost...take a deep breath, better yet, take several of them. This is doable and your son will be ok. I've only been at this for a little over a year and I remember the freaked out feeling quite well. As far as feeding him goes, it's not as difficult as it seems right now. If he'll eat fresh veggies and fruits you're way ahead of the game because they're always great. My daughter eats the Tyson frozen chicken products with no problem. General Mills is one company I can think of off the top of my head that labels really well as does Hershey's. Read the ingredient labels carefully and watch for "Made in a facility.." and "May contain..." messages too. You say he reacted to strawberry yogurt? Is he allergic to something other than peanuts? Dairy or strawberries maybe? My daughter is allergic to peanuts, nuts, peas, green beans (both legumes/related to peanuts) and a couple of meds. We're avoiding all legumes (mostly beans) except soy because she doesn't seem to react to them. Have you been to an allergist yet? That would be a good place to start as would removing any peanuts/nuts from your home. It's also good to check the ingredients of soaps, lotions (sunscreen), and the like because they sometimes have ingredients you wouldn't think about. OH! And pet food/treats. It's enough to make your head spin because there's so much to learn and no time for a learning curve. JUST DON'T FORGET TO KEEP TAKING DEEP BREATHS AND TELLING YOURSELF IT'LL BE OKAY.
Michigan
Barbara
Adam
Sorry, I forgot to ask, have you checked out the forum yet? I highly recommend joining here, there is a fantastic bunch of people with a variety of experiences to share. I also highly recommend not reading the horror stories that appear on other sites. One has a thread called "In Memory" and it's a really bad one to read at this stage of the game, if ever. Just cover the basics or you'll end up feeling even more overwhelmed than you do now.
Michigan
Jenette
How to Deal With it All
I just found out that my 23 month old is allergic to peanuts and tree nuts. I also have a 5 year old daughter who is allergic to peanuts. I am having a hard time dealing with two kids that have an allergy to nuts and what to do about it without freaking out. My five year old just started school and she sits at the peanut free table at school but I worry about her still. I also have a nine year old but she is fine and not allergic to nuts so we still have peanut butter and nut products in the house and are very careful about it. After reading this I am concerned about having any nut products in our house at all. I am also thinking that more companies need to make products that aren't processed on machinary that may or may not have been contaminated by nut products. So I am having a hard time finding things to feed my son since he also has a egg and garlic allergy too. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Alaska
Barbara
Jenette
I can only imagine how difficult it is to deal with an egg allergy as well as the p-nut/nut. I know the first thing I did was rid our home of p-nuts and nuts and ban them from anyone who lives here. This is my daughter's safe haven and the one place in the world that I have the peace of mind of knowing that there aren't any lurking here to catch us off guard. None of us eat them unless we know for a fact that we won't be around her until the next day...I haven't had anything with nuts for over a year now and we don't allow "may contains" here either though my DH and sons (almost 20 and almost 18) are allowed to consume them AWAY from the house. In my opinion, it's a small sacrifice on all of our parts for the peace of mind that it brings. It also lets her know how serious it is and that we love her enough to do everything we possibly can to keep her from harm. If you're concerned that your older DD will resent not being allowed to have pb, point out to her that it's better to not have pb in her life than not have her little siblings. That got the attention of my teenagers when they started complaining. Funny how a new way of looking at things will change an attitude. Good luck, it's a tough road but it is doable.
Michigan
Gina
2 year old with peanut allergies
My son's reaction was similar to many but not quite as severe, though I walked in part way through the event. I was out at the grocery store when my husband decided to give our son peanut butter for the first time at age 2. He began coughing and then vomited, and then wheezing, I decided to give him some Benedryl since I have a sister with severe peanut allergy I was prepared with the knowledge to at least start there. We went to the allergist whom confirmed with the blood IgE test that he indeed was severly allergic to peanuts. Vomiting/ Diahrea, coughing, hacking, hives, tongue, lips, face swelling are a few signs of anaphlaxis. You don't need to display all these signs to be allergic. There is a wealth of information on food allergies. The reaction can appear to lessen and go away only to return within 8 hours sometimes with worse symptoms. Keeping me up nights watching him after accidental exposures by cross contamination. This is not something we should take lightly and it is unfortunate there is so much ignorance out there. There is some controversy of whether subsequent reactions will increase in severity. I personally don't want to find out on my child. I just pulled my son from a preschool that said they were a peanut free room only to find out they were not requiring other children in his class to be peanut free. Having a peanut free area for older children may work but when our children are this young it is too dangerous when it comes to cross contamination.
Tennessee
Kerry
Patricia & Barbara
Patricia, Thank you for being concerned about what to pack for lunch. I have recently tried the soybean butter for my 4yo son (he has a peanut allergy), and to me it tastes very similar to the almond butter and very close to peanut butter. Most soybean butters will say made in a peanut & treen nut free facility. He said he LOVED it. Barbara, I made sure to let my son know that it was not peanut butter, but soybean butter, which is safe for him. We talked about how his friends may eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and his is like that, but it has soybean butter instead. He does not seem too confused by this so far. He was even able to verbalize that peanut butter and jelly is not safe for me, but soybean butter is. He loved that he was able to eat something "similar" to his friends who do not have an allergy. To all who are concerned about eating out and living a "normal" life....I think our children pick up on our reactions, so just be honest and give as much information that they request. We still eat out and try to live life. We try not to go overboard, but we do make sure that we are our son's advocate to make sure his preschool and houses of friends are safe. We have even given epi pens to friends he sees on a regular basis. We just make sure we write down the expiration date before we give it to them. It is manageable. I think this forum is also very helpful!
Ohio
Jamila
24
I just turned 24 in July and I have always been eating the same things all my life. About a week a ago I was eating a pint of twix ice cream when I first noticed that I started to break out in hives. I thought it was stress causing me to break out but then the next day my best friend and I were drinking amaretto sours and in less than 5 minutes after I starting drinking my whole entire body was covered in hives. Not only was I covered in hives but then my just started hurting really bad and I couldn't breath. After I took a benadryl the hives went away and I felt better and the next day the doctor told me I had a nut allergy. I was just shocked that at 24 I have to change the way I eat to essentialy live. I would have never that that liqour would also cause me to have an allergic reaction. Very scary!
Chicago, IL
Erin
Chocolate
I am 28 y.o. At 21, I discovered that I developed a peanut allergy. (My doctors refuse to test me to confirm because I have had serious reactions, such as facial swelling and asthma attacks, just from peanuts in the air.) I have many other food allergies, so I discovered the peanuts (and shellfish, celiac disease) by process of elimination. Anyway, I love chocolate and my problem is that I haven't been able to find any chocolate that doesn't say "may contain" or "processed in a plant" ... I think I'm ok with tree nuts (although, I just ate hazelnuts and had a reaction - hoping they were roasted in peanut oil and wasn't on the box since it was from a bakery). Any suggestions since I'm such a choco-holic! Thanks!
Ohio
jenny
possible tree nut reactions
my son is nearly nine and has never had pea- or tree nut allergic reactions before, but recently had walnuts on a brownie and his lips swelled and throat itched. then just yesterday i made pecan pie-and he had the same reaction. he eats peanut butter (no reactions), but he does have environmental allergies bad enough to be on a daily dose of singulair. i'm just wondering--can tree nut allergies develop in an older child? is it more common in kids with other allergies? can he be allergic to tree nuts and not peanuts? any info would help!
new york
carrie
its everywhere
it scares me to think... most snacks that people eat on the go, have nuts, or are manufactured on equipment that processes them... like most candy choclate bars, energy bars, and most others. i am trying to learn more about airborn and reactions that are caused from tuching...i mean, so many people eat those snacks on the go, like buy them at the cash registers and eat them in the car... is that harmful, if they throw away the wrappers, also if they tuch things and go shopping for anything- toys, even food after they eat those , is that deadly? and what about crumbs and couging or tuching your mouth? i'm starting to feel guilty about eating zone bars in the car...
ny
harold
peanut tree
where do peanuts grow?
the house
Katherine Able
Great Epipen Holder for Leg
There is a great way for kids and pre-teens to carry their epipen on their leg. We have a 13 year old son that was diagnosed with severe food allergies to peanuts and eggs and we tried every holder in the market but the only one he liked was one called LegBuddy. He likes it because he can wear it on his leg, under his pants and doesn't have to worry about where he left his Epipen. We also but one for us so that we can carry it with us if we go to a pool party or a water park. They sell it at omaxcare.com
New York
Jae
May contain
I was confused the other day because I purchase two bags of Hershy Kisses. one had a may contain warning and one did not. I decided to call and see if they had a seperate plant for some of their products. What I got was a standard answer about how they follow all regulations and put the warning on when they are supposed to. That was not good enoug for me so I pushed the matter. What I found out was that in Canada the regulations are that if the equipment is cleaned in a certaion way after processing nuts the do NOT have to put the warning on. In other words it is truly only nut free if it says processed in a nut free facility. In terms of Hersy the woman finally told me that the only products made in a nut free facility are the milk chocolate kisses. All other products that do not have a warning are mad on CLEANED equipment.
Alberta, Canada
sarah
MFA
I have a son with a few food alleriges. He is now 12. He is most def a 'atopic march ' child. which means that things dont stand still. He has grown out of some, or developed new allergies, or previously mild ones have risen in tests and reactions. We have more problem with his life threatening reactions to dog, in day to day life, than we do any of his many food allergies. Its the non stop background work that gives our children a normal life. So from the outside it can seem to others that it is of little impact. One good tip I can pass on, when your child 'forgets' to take his epi pens with him , dont nag him. Just calmly remind him. Then dont mention it again, but plan a epi pen training rehearsal. I got all my four children, and 5 cousins to go through the routine. body posisitoning, getting others to help with this, getting medical help, using the epi practice pens. Talk about the speed of reactions, what symptoms etc how a reaction can start, what triggers a mild v severe reaction. Then end up with practicing with a out of date real epi pen on an orange. Our son is 12, after practicing we didnt need to remind him, and so far he has stopped the on purpose 'forgetting'. we have disscussions about other allergic children he has met at school. differing comfort zones that he has to them. each allergic child is different, and as allergies dont come in ones, I often dream of just dealing with ONE allergy , and how easy that would be. the risky teenage years are here in our faces for us!
uk
Mitch
middle age onset
After a lifetime of eating as many peanuts as I wanted and as often as I wanted I developed a peanut allergy at the age of 50. Started with a flushed face and neck after eating a serving of boiled peanuts. I'm now approaching 51, and it has advanced to the point where a Thai meal of Pud Thai that included (unknown to me) a small amount of peanut sauce gave me a moderate reaction that required Benadryl. Later had a similar reaction to Japanese food apparently cooked with peanut oil on the restarant's hibachi. The chef kept the oil in restaurant-style ketchup squirt bottles, so it was unidentifiable to me. Since then, I ask the server in a restaurant about all possible peanut encounters. I just wanted to say that I miss peanut butter most of all. However, my wife found a peanut butter substitute made with sunflower seed/oil called "Sunbutter". It is delicious, tastes just like peanut butter, and I even prefer it to real peanut butter. It causes no reaction to me and the label assures it is manufactured in a plant with no peanut products at all. Hope this knowledge will help.
Alabama
Tammy
peanunt allergies
has a 5 yr old son with peanunt allergies.my son was dignosed with peanut allergies when he was 3 yrs old.
michigan
Michelle
Be careful!
Hi! I am new to this forum, and new to food allergies. My entire life I ate nuts/trail mixes like they were going out of style! Then, 3 months ago I have a serious reaction to nuts, and BAM...I'm allergic to like 4 different foods! Just as an FYI for chocolate lovers...Hersheys is great at labeling. I always ate their dark/regular bars, and the cookies and cream bars. However, one time, my husband brought me home the King Size bar, and I began eating it, thinking nothing of it. After one little square, my throat began feeling tight, and sure enough, the label said, "Processed on same line as almonds." I didn't even think to check since the regular sized bars are ok, but after checking agian, all King sized bars have the disclaimer. I also recently had a reaction to lotion that contained almond oil, so be careful of lotions too. I am very scared to eat anything anymore. My last statement/question: most of the "allergen free" foods contain sunflower seeds/butter. I don't think I am allergic to that, but I don't know? Is there a test for sunflower seeds??
New Jersey
lori
patricia
Patricia, my son's school tried making it a nut-free zone, however I and many of the other parents raised such a fuss that they decided to send out educational letters instead. I am a vegetarian, and my point was that if they can make it "peanut-free" just because of one kid, they should make it meat-free because there were 12 kids who were vegetarians. Yes I understand that supposedly it can be very dangerous, but the child should be educated on his or her own allergies. I did not see why my vegetarian children, who got much of their protein from pb and j sandwiches, should have to suffer. Luckily the school saw my point, or at least they were worried about the commotion we were causing.
mi
sarah
itsthe childs allergy , not yours.
The early years are a continual horrible surprise. its non stop stress. Esp if you have Multiple food allergies, both food, and environmental. Our childrens chances of survival depend, not only on them being educated, and informed on allergy, but by using , and forming their own 'comfort zones'. Dont forget to ask THEM what they think about an allergy risk. Get the allergic child to not only carry their meds,but to gain confidance in asking others about safe food. Dont worry about them feeling left out when they have to eat different food from others, they have never known anything else. certainly , they will not want an allergic reaction, esp if they have had one within their own living memory. allergic children eat to live, not live to eat, and life is not all about food, there is a whole world out there , waiting to be enjoyed, and food plays only a small part of that enjoyment. We teach our children how to cross roads, so that in the end, they can do it all themselves. What ever they do we wont stop worrying, however, whats best for them is to step out in to the world with a good chance of survivial. so think 'confidant survivor' and push that parental fear aside.
uk
Amanda
going on a cruise
I found this site when doing a search for taking a peanut allergic child on a cruise. We are going on one in july, a week long. I have no choice as my inlaws already paid for it. help.. my son just turned 3, and doesn't really realize the severity of his allergy on his own, but slowly educating him.
Ohio
Jenny
To Jacqui and Natasha
I am 35 years old and have severe allergies to peanuts and nuts. I remember my early allergies to nuts as a child, which involved throwing up violently. I only learned when I was 18 and almost died from a nut allergy, that the allergy becomes worse with every exposure. I went from throwing and and breaking out into hives to almost dying. Natasha, what your child went through reminds me of exactyly what I went through as a child. I do think that schools are alot more safe than when I was a child. I had some of my early exposures at school. In saying this, you need to do what will make you feel comfortable. It is unfortunate that people continue to not understand this type of allergy. Every person can react different at any time. I just had my first child in January and I am praying that he does not have to go through what I have gone through. As difficult as it has been for me, I can only imagine the horror of being a parent to a child with this allergy.