My daughter says that if she eats cashews that they make her throat feel "itchy" so she avoids them. She says they don't bother her if they are simply in a dish (like cashew chicken) as long as she can pick them out. She has also had food that she says has cashew oil as an ingredient, again with no itchy throat.
Does this sound like a possible allergy? The itchiness waves a red flag for me, but with no symptoms whatsoever unless she eats the cashew itself, I'm wondering.
I've told her she should avoid all forms, to be on the safe side, but now I'm not so sure.
(She's also eaten other tree nuts, again with no itchy throat.)
Thanks for your input!
It does sound like an allergy. The problem with allergies is you never know which way they are going. They could spontaneously clear up. Or they can spontaneously get severe enough for an Epi pen. Each reaction is a different one. They don't necessarily get slowly, increasingly worse.
Addresses it with doc.
Get her tested. Does she have any pollen allergies? There is a form of pollen allergy that is an oral food allergy. This means that the brain confuses the proteins in certain raw fruits, vegetables and nuts with pollen and prompts an oral reaction, such as itchy throat and mouth, a tingly feeling on the tongue, irritation of the lips and around the mouth, etc. It's a topical reaction and not a systemic reaction, like a true food allergy. When these foods are cooked or processed, the structure of the protein changes enough so that the food doesn't cause a reaction. One of my kids has oral allergies. It started with green beans and eventually moved to most fruits and vegetables and tree nuts.
Anyway...sometimes a true food allergy can start out with the mild symptoms your daughter has and change quickly to a true, full-blown, life-threatening food allergy. And usually one tree nut expands to other tree nuts. I would have her tested for everything ASAP so that you know what you're dealing with and what to avoid. I would also get an epi-pen right away (your pediatrician can prescribe one even before the allergy testing as that can sometimes take months to get an appointment) and keep Benadryl around in case of an emergency.
Yes Mymission said it all! My youngest son never had any allergies to anything, and one day we went to the mall and got some nuts to eat, and that is the day his allergy started, when he was about 8 or 10. It was just an itchy throat to begin with, then he developed an allergy to all nuts, and shrimp and some fish as well. He also developed cold urticaria and after he started developing his nut allergies I realized he had the problem with the cold for years before the nut problem started. He knows what to eat and what not to eat. He is 15 now, and it really hasn't been too much of a problem, he just misses Reece's PB cups terribly!! Consult your doctor to find a good allergy doctor who can test your daughter, and go from there. Don't wait, because like Mymission said, they can clear up or get worse, and you want you and your daughter to be armed with all the information you need should you need it.
Allergy.
And, allergic reactions can vary each time. It can worsen, or it can lessen.
But you cannot predict it.
My daughter was like that with Kiwi fruit.
And, the RANGE of allergic reactions to Kiwi, can be, very dangerous. From mild to severe to life threatening.
AND, per Kiwi fruit, it is ALSO the other plants/foods that are within this botanical family... than can also cause "potential" allergic reactions in her. She had surgery once, and per us telling the Surgeon she is allergic to Kiwi, they THEN knew, the entire RANGE of other same-botanical-family type plants/derivatives, than may also cause allergic reactions in her.
Look up Cashew Allergies. So you can see, the range... of its symptoms/severity, etc.
And, from here on out, make a note of it to her school and tell the Pediatrician etc. Because, she seems allergic, to Cashews.
Allergies come in levels and each level has a range. The thing is she may not react much the last time she eats them ( is she is allergic) but may have a full blown anaphylaxis the next. I will be wary since it involves the throat.
The only way you can be sure is to have her tested.
Yes, it sounds like an allergy and she should definitely avoid cashews. The oil is probably processed in such a way that the protein causing the allergy is removed. Many children with peanut allergies can safely have things cooked in peanut oil. I would cashew oil is the same.
Allergies can vary in degree. While a raw, whole cashew may be too much, having it as an ingredient can still be ok. My son can eat brownies, cakes, cookies etc that have eggs in them, but he cannot eat eggs any other way (scrambled, hard boiled, etc). The process of cooking them removes or alters the protein causing the allergy.
Cashews have a strong cross-reaction with pistachios. I have also hear they may cross react with mangoes. So, if your daughter is eating either of those, I would also check for a reaction and ask if her throat bothers her.
Finally, allergies can get worse with repeated exposure, so if whole cashews are a problem, she really needs to stop eating them until you talk to a doctor.
My daughter is allergic to peanuts and cashews. As a precaution, she has avoided all nuts since reacting to these 2 items. It sounds like your daughter is allergic to cashews. Other nuts may be OK but I'd only let her eat them if you know she's had them in the past with no reaction.
Oils made from peanuts and other nuts are generally not allergenic. The refining process eliminates the offending proteins. However, it might be wise to avoid cashew nut oil because there's always the possibility that some nut remnants got left behind.
Hi, C.:
Look at the web site:
Make an assessment from what you learn.
Good luck.
D.
