Does anyone have a Tree nut or peanut allergy?

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Replies

  • lynn1982
    lynn1982 Posts: 1,439 Member
    I have a peanut allergy (and a soy and dairy allergy). As others have said, read labels very very carefully. If you're eating out, be sure to let the restaurant know that there is an allergy. Some restaurants may refuse to serve your son, but some will actually have a separate preparation area to accommodate allergies. And stay away from anything that could potentially have cross contamination - this includes things like bulk foods, ice cream in restaurants/shops (unless it's soft serve, but no toppings because there could be cross contamination there!), etc.

    Also, a small tip: if a product used to say "may contain traces..." and no longer does, contact the company before trusting the package - I don't know if it's just a Canadian thing, but there are apparently rules on what allergens companies need to list on their labels, and apparently peanuts are no longer one of those things because gluten, wheat, and soy are so popular right now.

    I'm sure I'll be repeating what others have said, but just to be sure: make sure everyone knows about his allergy - family, friends, baby sitters, day care, etc. You and his father need to now be "nut free" also. If he's going to a friend's house or a birthday party, call the parents ahead of time and let them know. I don't know what it's like where you live, but most schools and day cares where I am are "nut free" environments, but it's still important to make sure that schools, etc. know this about your child's allergies.

    Air planes: most airlines no longer serve nuts but always be sure to contact the airline ahead of time. They can also make an announcement asking passengers not to consume nuts on the flight for severe allergies.

    As you've noted, he's too young for the skin prick, but definitely get that done when he's old enough. There is also a connection between peanut allergies and avocados, so be careful there too until you can have him tested.

    There seems to be much more of an awareness now about allergies and particularly nut allergies than there was when I was growing up. Obviously you still need to be diligent and he'll always have to be too (once he's old enough), but people seem to understand the seriousness of allergies now more than they did when I was a kid.

    Thank you for this. I did not hear that yet about the avocados. I know he currently eats mashed avocado and guacamole and has not had a reaction to it yet. if i would have heard that i probably never would have let him eat any of it though.

    I have written up an emergency plan for his daycare, and for his provider to give to the ambulance in case of emergency, as well as one in my purse if I ever need to leave him with someone. I carry 2 epi pens.. one for daycare and one for his diaper bag/my purse.

    I am reading labels on everything and his daycare provider has recently taken a first aide class for administering an epi pen... in case of emergency... co-parenting with his father on the other hand..... well.. I dont know how to make him fully understand the consequences.... SMH.... luckily hes with me everyday (when im not at work) so if he does come in contact hell be with me...

    and i just thought i was over protective BEFORE he had a severe allergy... look out now... lol

    If he hasn't had a reaction to avocado, then I wouldn't worry too much. Just be aware. When I was originally tested as a kid, I was not allergic to avocado and I was able to eat it. I started getting hives from it a few years ago (I am now 31) and was re-tested about a year ago and it turns out I am now allergic. My allergist told me that there's a connection between that and my peanut allergy. A friend of mine who is also allergic to peanuts and avocados was told the same thing.
  • Dort68
    Dort68 Posts: 36 Member
    my niece has these allergies...this is an extremely serious issue. if you are unsure about what to do or not do for your child you should talk to his doctor until you are sure of the dos and donts.

    you should not take advice from people on a diet site's forum.

    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^THIS^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

    DO NOT RELY ON BLOOD TESTS, SKIN PRICK IS THE ONLY TRUSTED METHOD.

    Actually, no. The ONLY trusted method of determining allergy is surviving an ANA reaction. Children younger than 5 do not have reliable results from SPT or Blood draw. Allergists have to take a careful family history and listen to what the parents have to say to determine if certain things are or might be allergy.

    To the OP, I have been dealing with my son's food allergies for 5 years. His first reaction was anaphylaxis, resulting from touching a pita bread at 7 months. He has been epi'd three times, taken off by ambulance once and hopsitalized more times than I care to count.

    My son has had an ANA reaction to: peanut, tree nuts, wheat, dairy, egg, rye, sesame, cinnamon. It was hard at first, but is MUCH easier to deal with now that we as a family have a handle on it.

    I have a blog if you're interested, it tells a lot of our food allergy journey:

    www.dorothy-lifewithboys.blogspot.com
  • Marcillene
    Marcillene Posts: 484 Member

    Read labels, read labels, read labels! It doesn't matter if you've read that label for that product a million times, read it every time you get it: Companies are not required to notify the public if they change the ingredients of a product all they have to do is change it on the label.

    Definitely keep educating yourself and when in doubt consider whatever it is a no-no item and keep it away from him. It may sound over cautious, but you want to protect that little guy as much as you can

    I wonder if because he does eat yogurt/cheese and drink 1% milk now, if maybe the soy causes some of his eczema? never thought of that. he doesnt have the stomach issues with milk now though that he did as a baby...

    If your son has eczema as well, he is just a highly allergic kid. The "trifecta" is usually food allergies, eczema, asthma. We read labels twice, first, before we buy a food, and second, before we give it to him. We assume foods are unsafe, particularly bakery goods, including many different breads. There's a really helpful brand you can buy called "Enjoy Life" which is free of the "Big 8" allergens. Their crunchy cookies are the best! See:

    http://www.enjoylifefoods.com/

    Here's a helpful book you can read with him, to help him understand. My son really liked it!

    http://www.amazon.com/The-Bugabees-Friends-With-Allergies/dp/1592982794

    Oh thank you! Yes he has the Pollen allergy, the food allergy, the Eczema, and the Rapid Airway Disease (Asthma)... His Immune system just likes to try and fight all the time I guess....

    I will have to definitally look into this book!
  • Dort68
    Dort68 Posts: 36 Member
    I have a peanut allergy (and a soy and dairy allergy). As others have said, read labels very very carefully. If you're eating out, be sure to let the restaurant know that there is an allergy. Some restaurants may refuse to serve your son, but some will actually have a separate preparation area to accommodate allergies. And stay away from anything that could potentially have cross contamination - this includes things like bulk foods, ice cream in restaurants/shops (unless it's soft serve, but no toppings because there could be cross contamination there!), etc.

    Also, a small tip: if a product used to say "may contain traces..." and no longer does, contact the company before trusting the package - I don't know if it's just a Canadian thing, but there are apparently rules on what allergens companies need to list on their labels, and apparently peanuts are no longer one of those things because gluten, wheat, and soy are so popular right now.

    I'm sure I'll be repeating what others have said, but just to be sure: make sure everyone knows about his allergy - family, friends, baby sitters, day care, etc. You and his father need to now be "nut free" also. If he's going to a friend's house or a birthday party, call the parents ahead of time and let them know. I don't know what it's like where you live, but most schools and day cares where I am are "nut free" environments, but it's still important to make sure that schools, etc. know this about your child's allergies.

    Air planes: most airlines no longer serve nuts but always be sure to contact the airline ahead of time. They can also make an announcement asking passengers not to consume nuts on the flight for severe allergies.

    As you've noted, he's too young for the skin prick, but definitely get that done when he's old enough. There is also a connection between peanut allergies and avocados, so be careful there too until you can have him tested.

    There seems to be much more of an awareness now about allergies and particularly nut allergies than there was when I was growing up. Obviously you still need to be diligent and he'll always have to be too (once he's old enough), but people seem to understand the seriousness of allergies now more than they did when I was a kid.

    Thank you for this. I did not hear that yet about the avocados. I know he currently eats mashed avocado and guacamole and has not had a reaction to it yet. if i would have heard that i probably never would have let him eat any of it though.

    I have written up an emergency plan for his daycare, and for his provider to give to the ambulance in case of emergency, as well as one in my purse if I ever need to leave him with someone. I carry 2 epi pens.. one for daycare and one for his diaper bag/my purse.

    I am reading labels on everything and his daycare provider has recently taken a first aide class for administering an epi pen... in case of emergency... co-parenting with his father on the other hand..... well.. I dont know how to make him fully understand the consequences.... SMH.... luckily hes with me everyday (when im not at work) so if he does come in contact hell be with me...

    and i just thought i was over protective BEFORE he had a severe allergy... look out now... lol

    If he hasn't had a reaction to avocado, then I wouldn't worry too much. Just be aware. When I was originally tested as a kid, I was not allergic to avocado and I was able to eat it. I started getting hives from it a few years ago (I am now 31) and was re-tested about a year ago and it turns out I am now allergic. My allergist told me that there's a connection between that and my peanut allergy. A friend of mine who is also allergic to peanuts and avocados was told the same thing.

    The relation between peanuts and other allergies is really a new area being explored. Some is linked to OAS, which causes a reaction that SEEMS like ANA, but is not truly ANA. BUT---OAS can turn into a true allergic ANA reaction, so you have to be careful.
  • Marcillene
    Marcillene Posts: 484 Member
    my niece has these allergies...this is an extremely serious issue. if you are unsure about what to do or not do for your child you should talk to his doctor until you are sure of the dos and donts.

    you should not take advice from people on a diet site's forum.

    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^THIS^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

    DO NOT RELY ON BLOOD TESTS, SKIN PRICK IS THE ONLY TRUSTED METHOD.

    Actually, no. The ONLY trusted method of determining allergy is surviving an ANA reaction. Children younger than 5 do not have reliable results from SPT or Blood draw. Allergists have to take a careful family history and listen to what the parents have to say to determine if certain things are or might be allergy.

    To the OP, I have been dealing with my son's food allergies for 5 years. His first reaction was anaphylaxis, resulting from touching a pita bread at 7 months. He has been epi'd three times, taken off by ambulance once and hopsitalized more times than I care to count.

    My son has had an ANA reaction to: peanut, tree nuts, wheat, dairy, egg, rye, sesame, cinnamon. It was hard at first, but is MUCH easier to deal with now that we as a family have a handle on it.

    I have a blog if you're interested, it tells a lot of our food allergy journey:

    www.dorothy-lifewithboys.blogspot.com

    Thank you! Yes my son a few weeks (probably a month ago) got an ANA episode... first one ever... to a piece of a cashew... he got kissed on the cheek by someone who had been drinking a proteing shake (which labeled May contain traces of tree nuts (pecans), peanuts)..

    What symptoms do you wait for in order to administer the EpiPen? I guess my questioning comes from my thoughts... if he JUST gets the hives and rash and swelling of the eyes but no breathing troubles.. would you still administer> or fight with benadryl? my sons doctor has told me that when i administer epi pen, to make sure to take him to the hospital or call an ambulance because if/when the epi pen wears off you want him at a facility for emergency care or monitoring. He had a soy allergy as a baby, but since he was about 14 months he can drink/eat dairy products now.... could the allergies at all be related?
  • tabbykat6802
    tabbykat6802 Posts: 233 Member
    My oldest son has a tree nut allergy. Carefully read labels on all food products. Some will sneak in the tree nut allergy tagline. "Luckily"-my son's reaction is only vomiting, The most recent reaction was at a party w/ my inlaws. Aidan and his cousins chose some of the desserts from the selection and the one that Aidan took a bite of was a Rochere?(chocolate/hazelnut ball). Since he was in the middle of the crowd of kids, no one saw what he ate until afterwards. I think that it was a late edition to the table, so no one was aware of it or a warning would have been issued beforehand. I wasn't there, but my hubby told me that he turned grey and looked terrible. It's been a quick learning process for us.
  • Marcillene
    Marcillene Posts: 484 Member
    My oldest son has a tree nut allergy. Carefully read labels on all food products. Some will sneak in the tree nut allergy tagline. "Luckily"-my son's reaction is only vomiting, The most recent reaction was at a party w/ my inlaws. Aidan and his cousins chose some of the desserts from the selection and the one that Aidan took a bite of was a Rochere?(chocolate/hazelnut ball). Since he was in the middle of the crowd of kids, no one saw what he ate until afterwards. I think that it was a late edition to the table, so no one was aware of it or a warning would have been issued beforehand. I wasn't there, but my hubby told me that he turned grey and looked terrible. It's been a quick learning process for us.

    Do you have an epi pen to use if this occurs again? My son has the vomitting... but its constant.. the longest time in between maybe 10 seconds in between each episode... the longest chance he had to try and breath was just enough time to lay his head on my shoulder, and say 'mama i wanna go night night'... and i tried giving the breathing treatments and he kept vomitting still. He did this for the first 20 minutes after chewing the piece of cashew.. after the first 5 minutes of vomitting... it started spashling out the other end as well... yup all on me... poor kid never knew what hit him...
  • Ashkea76
    Ashkea76 Posts: 7,162 Member
    Wow! I have heard of lots of peanut ones...but mine is walnuts...and was surprised to see so many others here with a walnut allergy....had a reaction the other day to Almond Chicken....so yeah...(have eaten it before without issue) it can be hard to deal with sometimes, but that's usually when you're new to it. After that, it's a habit. check labels like others said for the "processed in a plant with tree nuts" etc...not too difficult to avoid...never thought there was any link to the pollen, dust, mold allergies....but I have those too....
  • Marcillene
    Marcillene Posts: 484 Member
    Wow! I have heard of lots of peanut ones...but mine is walnuts...and was surprised to see so many others here with a walnut allergy....had a reaction the other day to Almond Chicken....so yeah...(have eaten it before without issue) it can be hard to deal with sometimes, but that's usually when you're new to it. After that, it's a habit. check labels like others said for the "processed in a plant with tree nuts" etc...not too difficult to avoid...never thought there was any link to the pollen, dust, mold allergies....but I have those too....

    Yeah i wasnt sure of a link between either! also, have you always had an allergy to walnuts or is it something you got after childhood? do you have to take severe steps in situations like the other day when you had a reaction.. or do you have milder symptoms?
  • bsuew
    bsuew Posts: 628 Member
    My husband is VERY allergic to cashews. His throat closes down if he even puts one on his tongue or close to his mouth! Over the years we have learned to look at ingredients on everything has nuts in it. One time the box of Whitman's didn't say anything about cashews and he ate a chocolate covered chopped nut and I had to hurry and get his med for him. But, after taking it he is out for 10-12 hours. Scary time! Just get use to reading everything and if he's old enough make sure he knows what to watch for. Good luck!
  • My son has a severe allergy to tree nuts and possibly peanuts. This has just recently been discovered the last few weeks after a SEVERE attack from ingesting a partial nut, and then this weekend after his father stopped by and kissed him on the cheek. The reaction began immediately, and come to find out his father had been drinking a protein shake right before that contained tree nut (pecan) and peanuts. We're still fighting this one.

    Just looking for some insight to nut allergies, or some foods to watch out for in particular? Any support would be great, since I know nothing first hand when it comes to food allergies. Learning, learning, learning..

    Over here! Legumes (peanuts included) and Tree nuts which are the worst :-/ I get reactions to this just like your son did and have been to the hospital several times for anaphylactic shock.

    Seriously watch out for the following:
    1) ANY type of baked good. Cookies & 'bars' specifically. Especially with this whole "almond flour" fad - make sure to be super careful!

    2) Coffee! (not your son, but you obviously :-P) Hazelnut is a killer, and not typically announced when served with friends.

    3) Chocolate candies!! Even if you read the ingredients, be very careful around these. You never know if it comes in contact with other chocolates made with tree nuts/peanuts. Just make sure to be aware :-)

    4) Veggies like green beans, if he has a legume allergy. I can't eat these anymore - turns into severe anaphylaxis, but since he's allergic to peanuts I'd watch out for this allergy as well. May/may not pop up eventually, but it can't hurt to be careful. The less epi-pens the better! haha

    5) Any type of sauce at a restaurant, for example: sauce on chicken, pasta sauce (could have pine nuts), etc.

    6) Granola!!!!!!!! Ugh, super killer.

    That's all I've got :-) Message me if you have any other questions!
  • Dort68
    Dort68 Posts: 36 Member


    Actually, no. The ONLY trusted method of determining allergy is surviving an ANA reaction. Children younger than 5 do not have reliable results from SPT or Blood draw. Allergists have to take a careful family history and listen to what the parents have to say to determine if certain things are or might be allergy.

    To the OP, I have been dealing with my son's food allergies for 5 years. His first reaction was anaphylaxis, resulting from touching a pita bread at 7 months. He has been epi'd three times, taken off by ambulance once and hopsitalized more times than I care to count.

    My son has had an ANA reaction to: peanut, tree nuts, wheat, dairy, egg, rye, sesame, cinnamon. It was hard at first, but is MUCH easier to deal with now that we as a family have a handle on it.

    I have a blog if you're interested, it tells a lot of our food allergy journey:

    www.dorothy-lifewithboys.blogspot.com

    Thank you! Yes my son a few weeks (probably a month ago) got an ANA episode... first one ever... to a piece of a cashew... he got kissed on the cheek by someone who had been drinking a proteing shake (which labeled May contain traces of tree nuts (pecans), peanuts)..

    What symptoms do you wait for in order to administer the EpiPen? I guess my questioning comes from my thoughts... if he JUST gets the hives and rash and swelling of the eyes but no breathing troubles.. would you still administer> or fight with benadryl? my sons doctor has told me that when i administer epi pen, to make sure to take him to the hospital or call an ambulance because if/when the epi pen wears off you want him at a facility for emergency care or monitoring. He had a soy allergy as a baby, but since he was about 14 months he can drink/eat dairy products now.... could the allergies at all be related?
    [/quote]

    The rule of thumb is "two systems involved" before you Epi. However, note that Epi will NEVER harm a child, it will just increase heartrate. Also remember that Epi doesn't "cure" the ANA, it just slows down the reaction so you can get professional help. If you Epi, you MUST go to ER afterwards.

    I've Epi'd our son when his eyes swelled shut and he had a huge amount of mucous coming from his nose. That's 2 systems-b/c if there's mucous in his nose, it could be in his lungs. I've also Epi'd him when he was covered in hives and couging. In hind sight, there are at least 3 episodes where I let the benadryl do it's magic and I probably should've Epi'd him.

    Also, if you administer Benadryl, be wary of rebound reactions. The child needs to stay on Bendadryl for 24 hours post-ANA (at a minimum.)
  • lynn1982
    lynn1982 Posts: 1,439 Member
    FYI: The Epipen is just a shot of epinephrin. It buys you time before you can get to the hospital. The last time I had to use one on myself (long story), it had to be done twice because it wore off before getting to the hospital. It doesn't treat the allergy.
  • Marcillene
    Marcillene Posts: 484 Member
    My son has a severe allergy to tree nuts and possibly peanuts. This has just recently been discovered the last few weeks after a SEVERE attack from ingesting a partial nut, and then this weekend after his father stopped by and kissed him on the cheek. The reaction began immediately, and come to find out his father had been drinking a protein shake right before that contained tree nut (pecan) and peanuts. We're still fighting this one.

    Just looking for some insight to nut allergies, or some foods to watch out for in particular? Any support would be great, since I know nothing first hand when it comes to food allergies. Learning, learning, learning..

    Over here! Legumes (peanuts included) and Tree nuts which are the worst :-/ I get reactions to this just like your son did and have been to the hospital several times for anaphylactic shock.

    Seriously watch out for the following:
    1) ANY type of baked good. Cookies & 'bars' specifically. Especially with this whole "almond flour" fad - make sure to be super careful!

    2) Coffee! (not your son, but you obviously :-P) Hazelnut is a killer, and not typically announced when served with friends.

    3) Chocolate candies!! Even if you read the ingredients, be very careful around these. You never know if it comes in contact with other chocolates made with tree nuts/peanuts. Just make sure to be aware :-)

    4) Veggies like green beans, if he has a legume allergy. I can't eat these anymore - turns into severe anaphylaxis, but since he's allergic to peanuts I'd watch out for this allergy as well. May/may not pop up eventually, but it can't hurt to be careful. The less epi-pens the better! haha

    5) Any type of sauce at a restaurant, for example: sauce on chicken, pasta sauce (could have pine nuts), etc.

    6) Granola!!!!!!!! Ugh, super killer.

    That's all I've got :-) Message me if you have any other questions!

    THANK YOU so much for this! I have not heard any advice for the granola, legumes, sauces etc.

    I am curious to know (as ive been wondering myself) about coffee, or creamers and such. or if I want a cappuccino from a convenient store. I assumed that because it could potentially be cross contaminated, that this was a bad idea. but have not heard yet.

    and i have been concerned lately about going to pot lucks and picnics and such because there is NO WAY to know if someone cooked with a generic product that the label states 'traces or manufactured in a plant with tree nuts etc"/// very scary.. any thoughts on this?
  • Marcillene
    Marcillene Posts: 484 Member


    The rule of thumb is "two systems involved" before you Epi. However, note that Epi will NEVER harm a child, it will just increase heartrate. Also remember that Epi doesn't "cure" the ANA, it just slows down the reaction so you can get professional help. If you Epi, you MUST go to ER afterwards.

    I've Epi'd our son when his eyes swelled shut and he had a huge amount of mucous coming from his nose. That's 2 systems-b/c if there's mucous in his nose, it could be in his lungs. I've also Epi'd him when he was covered in hives and couging. In hind sight, there are at least 3 episodes where I let the benadryl do it's magic and I probably should've Epi'd him.

    Also, if you administer Benadryl, be wary of rebound reactions. The child needs to stay on Bendadryl for 24 hours post-ANA (at a minimum.)

    Does your son ever get reactions AFTER the initial allergy attack? For instance... after each episode his doctor has directed me to continue him on benadryl. 3-4 days later he STILL has hives (of coure not as bad...sloooowly getting better), and eczema outbreaks so his dr. perscribes a 10 day steroid and told me to continue the benadryl. i guess my original assumption would be after 2 days or so on constant benadryl that his reaction would be better. after each episode he has had... around the 4th or 5th day he has (both times) gotten congested and cold like symptoms for a day or two. is that typical since his immune system tries to fight everything off all at once i guess?

    which leads me to my next question... does your son instantly get the mucous in the nose? or do some symptoms occur 12 hours later (and would that still be feasible to give him an epi pen shot.. 12 hours or a day later?)
  • Marcillene
    Marcillene Posts: 484 Member
    FYI: The Epipen is just a shot of epinephrin. It buys you time before you can get to the hospital. The last time I had to use one on myself (long story), it had to be done twice because it wore off before getting to the hospital. It doesn't treat the allergy.

    Oh okay, so once you get to the hospital.. what do they do to treat an allergy attack? ive never been given any information from his doctors regarding this situation...
  • lynn1982
    lynn1982 Posts: 1,439 Member
    oops, I take that back. I guess it does treat the allergy since last time they gave me more once I got to the hospital. I still think you should go to the hospital though if you need to use the epipen. I know I always have.
  • AbbeyDove
    AbbeyDove Posts: 317 Member
    Oh okay, so once you get to the hospital.. what do they do to treat an allergy attack? ive never been given any information from his doctors regarding this situation...

    If you are in a situation in which you have to use the epi, you MUST take the child to the hospital, or the reaction will come back. For severe reactions, an epi pen only works for about 20 minutes. That's why they often come in two-packs--just in case you have a difficult time getting to the ER. You should ask your doctor for a two-pack of epi-pen juniors.

    If he can swallow, give him Benedryl right away as well. It's important not to let the reaction get too far, because there is sometimes a point at which the ER cannot halt it, and the child can go into shock and then organ failure due to the histamine response--and that's even if his airway is still open.

    When you get to the hospital they'll treat him with steroids, liquid if he can still swallow, otherwise I think they administer by IV. It's been a while since we've had to do this. It's not the kind of steroids weightlifters take, though, it's usually some form of prednisone, which will halt the reaction, typically. Then they'll hold him for observation, to see if the reaction resurges. If it does, he'll get another dose of steroids. If it doesn't, they'll send you home with either liquid or tablet steroids, for him to take until the allergen is out of his system. He will have to taper off the steroids slowly, because they're not a drug you can just stop taking. Steroids are hard on the stomach and are not a drug you would want him on long-term, but they are life-saving in this circumstance.

    I know all this is very scary. You do get used to managing this allergy, I promise. And because he will have had it for as long as he remembers, he will get good at asking about any food he is offered.
  • AbbeyDove
    AbbeyDove Posts: 317 Member
    Oh, and we don't wait for two systems to be involved. I've never heard that before. When he starts swelling, we're on the phone, administering the epi and waiting for the paramedics. But our son has an insanely severe allergy. His IGE score for peanuts is 100.
  • Marcillene
    Marcillene Posts: 484 Member
    Oh, and we don't wait for two systems to be involved. I've never heard that before. When he starts swelling, we're on the phone, administering the epi and waiting for the paramedics. But our son has an insanely severe allergy. His IGE score for peanuts is 100.

    What is an IGE score? (I assume after testing this week, his allergist will explain this to me, but just curious)... What about tashes? does your son develop the hives and such?
  • OhSnap779
    OhSnap779 Posts: 71 Member
    My daughter is severely allergic to tree nuts (cashews in particular). The problem with this allergy is that nuts can be found in so many foods that don't actually have nuts, due to cross contamination. Reading labels is crucial to avoiding possibly fatal reactions. My daughter has a little back pack that she takes with her everywhere that contains two epi pens, benadryl, an inhaler, and a little card that says what her medical issues are. I tell everyone she comes in contact with about it, in case of a reaction, and she is now the one asking wait staff at restaurants to read the labels of the food she wants to order, or asking to speak to the manager. We have a meeting every school year to set up a plan, so her teacher and school staff know how to keep her safe and know what to do in case of an emergency. It's hard to say what foods have it and what foods don't, because you never know when companies will change their ingredients, etc., so reading labels is so important. Just keep getting the word out to your son, family members, and anyone who will be taking care of him.
  • Marcillene
    Marcillene Posts: 484 Member
    is it possible for a food to contain traces of nuts and not state on the ingredients? the only reason I ask is because my son had another allergy break out, and ive read the ingredients on EVERYTHING before he ate it. The only things i can think of is A) the food had traces and just did not state that or B) some how cross contamination of SOMETHING he ate had something in it (for example, i used the toaster for his bagel. thats the only thing i can think of. Now ive only ever used the toaster for toast or pop tarts... but unless one of those had traces of something, and i cooked his bagel in there...)