Does any one else have children who are allergic to peanuts?

Jane - posted on 07/02/2011

My kids aren't allergic to peanuts, but I am. Fortunately mine isn't severe, so while I never eat peanuts my kids can and do have peanut butter sandwiches. However, if my kids were allergic to peanuts I would never bring them into the house again. Almond butter and hazelnut butter work just fine in place of peanut butter, and canola oil does a good job in place of peanut oil. And now there are so many different "flavors" of roasted almonds no one should feel left out by not eating peanuts.

I have an adult friend who is allergic to peanuts. Somehow he bit into a Mr. Goodbar (peanuts and chocolate) and in spite of his Epi-pen ended up in a coma for a week. He was lucky to survive without major brain damage.

Peanut allergy is a serious one and not one to mess around with. I would ban peanuts from the house, plan to teach my child to never eat them and to always ask if there are peanuts in things, and look into allergy treatment in the future as lessening the overall allergic load can help reduce the severity of allergic reaction.

Joy - posted on 07/02/2011

I found out yesterday my daughter's allergic to peanut butter. She's 22 months. Her daycare let her have some and she swelled up so much she couldn't see out of her left eye. She also had hives all over her body. I'd not let her have any nuts before then based on what I'd read on young children's allergies and when to introduce food to them.

Its really odd since no one on either my side or my husband's has this allergy. My sister even gave her cousins peanut butter at 6 months old! -and they were fine.

We're going to see her ped. for allergy testing in a few days to confirm the peanut allergy & see if she has others. You can go back when they're 3 to retest? I hope she grows out of this one. Good luck with yours too!

Carrie - posted on 07/01/2011

You have to. The more they are exposed the more severe the reaction can be. He already had hives so it could be worse the next time

Carrie - posted on 07/01/2011

You have to. The more they are exposed the more severe the reaction can be. He already had hives so it could be worse the next time

Wendy - posted on 07/01/2011

My son was diagnosed with several allergies (including Peanuts) at around 18 months. Because peanuts are such a dangerous allergy, I would definitely stay away from them completely until you have an allergist's okay to do otherwise! I think most allergsist suggest children under 3 stay away from them anyway. We went back when he turned 3 and he has grown out of all his allergies, so hopefully your son will just gorw out of it as well;)

Karen - posted on 06/28/2011

i found out three months ago my son has a peanut allergy. we took him to an allergist and got blood tests done (he gave us an epi pen as a "just incase"). the results of the blood test will tell us if we will be banning completely or just not letting him have any. dr said if the tests show high anti bodies (even though the one reaction he had was mild) then we ban. if they are low then he may outgrow and we will challenge the allergy in a few years with the dr. peanuts are a tricky one though - he explained to us that it's one of the very few food allergies that can have a reaction just from smelling the air that had peanuts in it. best bet is to see an allergist IMO. first reaction isn't always bad, but second reactions can be very serious.

Natalie - posted on 06/27/2011

My daughter has multiple food allergies this is one as well, we haven't banned them but we are very very careful to make sure she doesn't get them. She throws up but we had her tested and she can have a severe reaction if she gets them. I make most all her food now and rely on the wonderful companies that make food allergy free chocolate and cookie mixes and such. I make it all mostly. It is definitely not worth the risk. She luckily can smell if something has it in it and will tell me. I think until your baby is older and knows to check with you it would be good to avoid.