5 Year Old Recently Diagnosed with Severe Tree Nut Allergy

HI E.,
My name is J. and i am allergic to tree nuts also pecans and walnuts are the most dangerous for me. I just wanted to let you know i once had a reaction to some box mix muffins that i would have never guessed had nuts in it but as we read the ingredients closer we found pecan meal in the mix. i tend to read lots of food labels and i stay away from homemade treats like Christmas goodies and such because of my allergy's. i have realized you can never be to careful.and it's better to go without then risk a reaction. good luck

Hi,Food allergies are so hard! People who do not have them just do not understand how serious it is!! I also have food allergies myself and a lot of people in my family do to so we get it! First nuts are used a lot in candy and cookies as filler flavor so you need to read labels even if you do not think it has nuts (for example I ate a butter mint once that had nuts) - Hershey's recycles their chocolate so if allergic to almonds or peanuts do not eat anything Hershey's. Shea butter found in many lotions, creams etc is made of hazel nuts so avoid anything with shea butter! The biggest problem though is usually cross contamination like if they make brownies with nuts and without nuts but use the same knife to cut them. All the things you are doing and planning now are good, but also you will have to be a label reader and inform EVERYONE about her nuts allergy over and over again, I always ask about ingredients when eating out and explain the allergies even if it is a family member who knows about the allergy, because people who do not live with it simply forget. I would also provide her own snacks etc for preschool and even school if possible until she is able to actually tell people about her allergy. There are some new alternative treatment options that may help lessen her allergies, (try Gonstead chiropractic with kinesiology) GOOD LUCK!

Common Sources/Foods Containing Tree Nuts
Artificial nuts (peanuts altered to look and taste like almonds, pecans and walnuts)
Baked goods (cakes, cereal bars, cookies, doughnuts, energy/granola bars, muffins, pastries)
Baking mixes, cereals, crackers, muesli
Coffee grinders
Dressings/gravies
Chinese food
Gianduja (chocolate and chopped nuts mixture found in premium or imported chocolate and ice cream)
Ice cream/frozen desserts/frozen yogurts/sundae toppings
Natural flavorings and extracts
Nut butter
Nut-flavored coffee/liqueurs
Sauces (barbeque, pesto, Worcestershire)
Salads (Waldorf salad, curried chicken)
Spreads (almond paste, cheese, chocolate nut, nougat, Nutella)
Trail mixes

Non-food sources of tree nuts
Hacky sacks
Bird seed
Cosmetics, hair care products, lotions
Pet food

When eating out let the waiter know about the allergy and ask how the food is prepared, what kind of oil is used? Let any caregivers know what not to give her and what to do in case of an emergancy.

Just write a note that you will need to give to the teacher, now and when she goes into kindergarten. Also ask at restaurants, and ALWAYS have something you know she can eat with you at all times.
The other thing is check the label, I found that most Hershey items that dont have nuts are safe-from any nut allergy. But the best thing is to get in the habit of checking things and when she does go to school, talk to her and the teacher, and tell her she must okay food through you, until she can read and totally understand herself. It will work out some how. GOOD LUCK!

Hi E.,

I understand how scary it must be to have just found out about your daughter's allergy. My six year old has allergies to both peanuts and tree nuts. We also carry around Benedryl and and epipen and have had to educate all of her care providers of her life-threatening allergy. We have learned a lot and the folks who care for our daughter are as accommodating as they can be. I am very proactive in making sure that I read ALL the ingredient labels and our rule is that if we don't know what is in it or where it came from, she can't have it. We've learned that ice cream at McDonalds is safe (just about the only place she can get an ice cream that won't be cross-contaminated with nuts/peanuts) and that the dessert menu at restaurants is off limits. Thankfully, most things that have nuts in them aren't healthy for her anyhow so she's better off. In lieu of peanut butter, she eats Sunbutter which is made with sunflower seeds (you can find it at Target and health food grocery stores).

As far as eating out, we haven’t found many places that are a problem. Obviously, we don’t eat any Asian-type foods and Chickfil-a is off limits. We eat at all sorts of places. If you are dining at a place that may have nuts in their dishes, let them know of your daughter’s allergy. In my experience, the kitchen staff is more than willing to prepare her food separately. Also, check their websites. I found out that the pancake mix at IHOP is processed with tree nuts from info on their website.

Also, when you grocery shop, read labels!! From time to time, even brands that you are used to buying will suddenly put the disclaimer “manufactured in a plant that processes tree nuts”. We had to switch our brand of chocolate chips because Nestle just adopted this disclaimer. I’ve also found things as crazy as frozen peas with the nut disclaimer. Crazy!! It’s great that your daughter doesn’t have a peanut allergy. But, from my experience approach them with caution…because where there is a peanut, there is a tree nut too! According to her doctor, they are typically ALL processed together. Anyhow, just be vigilant. Soon it will be natural for you and it won’t be as frightening.

Lastly, let me encourage you with this: it seems that we are living in an epidemic of peanut/tree nut allergies. Because there seem to be so many children with this life-threatening problem, schools, restaurants, daycare providers and all sorts of kid-friendly places are adopting a “nut free” status. As a parent of a peanut/tree nut allergy kid, I am grateful for them helping my daughter not feel excluded because of her allergy.

I hope this helped :)

K. Harbeck

My sister is also very allergic, and the best thing is to be open and honest about it with EVERYONE. They can't help her if they don't know. Don't apologize or think you're being an inconvienence-you're the Mom. We had to learn to read labels carefully. Usually there are allergy warnings now. As for eating out, all you have to do is avoid fast food (they use cheaper ingredients) and be very straight forward with your server. They will do all they can to accomodate you. And I'll bet your daughter will grow out of a lot of this. You're right on the ball though. It's so cool to see someone so involved with thier kids. You're doing a fantasic job.

This allergy is especially difficult to deal with because of the nuts being used in so many things. You have probably been checking out other web sitess on allergies and I belong to a very supportive and informative group "My Allergy Network.com" Take a look at it and join and see what info is available out there. They have addressed this very issue many times. The important thing...ALWAYS carry the EpiPen EVERYWHERE with her! The loss of life I have read about came about because for some reason or another, they failed to have their life-saving EpiPen with them. Mine goes with me EVERYWHERE! If I even think of leaving home without it, I stop and grab my purse. I have already had anaphylaxis episode and the next one could be worse. Had I not been in ER when I collapsed, I wouldn't be here now. I carry two EpiPens with me as they had to give me so much to come out of it, the allergist said one wouldn't be enough.

There is a child in my daughter's class who is allergic to nuts...they are VERY careful! One of his parents always comes to the class parties to make sure he isn't exposed to anything suspicious-especially homemade treats from other classmates. They send a note home to all of the parents asking that they don't send any treats containing nuts. Candy made in a factory could have been exposed to nuts even if it doesn't have nuts itself. I have also seen people who put stickers on their young child's back that states their allergy. Might be embarrassing for your child, but may be worth it if it keeps people from giving her something dangerous. Good luck! That is a tough one.

E.-I totally sympathize with your situation. My daughter has major allergies and I spend an enormous amount of time worrying. She has medicine she can take at school and is old enough to know what to stay away from. I currently do the traditional medicine, but also take her to see Dave Card (Certified Homeopath (C.H.), Master Herbalist (M.H.). He is amazing and has really really helped.

E.,

My 4 yr old son has a severe tree nut and peanut allergy. It can be really scary, especially when they are not in your care. The day my son started Pre-K was the scariest day of my life. He attends 2xweek for 6hrs a day so he has morning snack and lunch there. It was not a nut free school! I scheduled an appointment to talk with the director and expressed my concern for him and we discussed when to and how to use the epipen, because I was convinced something was going to happen to him. Surprisingly,after our meeting they decided to make school nut free on the days my son was attending. So now every lunch and snack is inspected upon arrival to school (on his days)and the teachers and other parents have been really receptive to it. One way your daughter can let people know she has an allergy is by buying no nut clothes. There are a bunch of cute shirts out there that say on the front or back "no nuts please" I've even seen cute patches you can iron on to jeans, backpacks etc., I also keep a stash of frozen cupcakes at my son's school for when a mom brings in cupcakes for a classmates b-day. That way I know my son wont be left out and he wont run the risk of having a reaction to what looks like a harmless cupcake. Goodluck and subscribe online to the anaphalaxis network. It's a GREAT resource for all nut allergies. They even send warning emails for products that have been recalled b/c of undeclared nuts in products or possible contaminations.

My son is allergic to peanuts. One thing that helps that I haven't seen mentioned yet:

When I'm at someone's house (gma or the babysitter or friends he plays w/ often) and they offer him a snack, even if I KNOW all the ingredients, I ask to see the box. I let them watch me read through the ingredients to make sure there are no "hidden" ingredients he can't have. or the "in a facility that processes nuts" warning. People who don't deal with allergies just don't think of it.

Now my friends/family are in the habit of reading all the ingredients before offering. This way I don't get the "oh, wait...it might have peanuts in it"...3 minutes after they've handed it to him.

I don't buy cereal that he's allergic to.

Hi E.,

I am 31 with tree nut and peanut allergies myself. There are a few ideas that I have for you. First, try looking at FAAN, Food Allergy and Anaphalaxis network (online). They have many ideas and tips for parents of food allergic kids. They also have cookbooks you can buy, but with nuts you can just leave them out of things.

When I go out to a restuarant, I give the waiter a card I made up explaining my allergy, the names of different nuts I can't eat, and about cross contamination. While there are food labeling laws in place, there is nothing about educating restuarant staff about it. I avoid all pesto unless I make it at home, as it usually has pine nuts or walnuts in it.

Read labels all the time, and have some safe snacks around. Vermont Nut free chocolates are good, I just ordered some online. Enjoy Life is one brand that is nut free, and you can find them at Whole Foods and other specialty stores. There are many more resources online that sell specialty foods, you'll just have to look for ones you like and try them.

Best of luck to you. With a little planning ahead and educating those around you, she can have a near normal dinning experience.

- A.

www.allergykids.org has some great allergy products including a pin your daughter can wear that is more obvious than a bracelet. The only food we have come across that has been a problem is some Tex-Mex places, and almost any Mexican restaurant in New Mexico or the Four Corners area seems to use pinon nuts in a lot of foods. You can usually ask for the food to be made without, but you might call ahead to check since cross contamination is still a possibility. Our experience is that a lot of teachers, etc., don't think of tree nuts as a possible allergen, so definitely one you want to be proactive with.

When our son was first diagnosed, it really stressed me. People are very receptive and understanding. It's not been as hard as what I expected to protect my child (he currently carries a twinject for 4 different diagnosed allergies, and recently had unexplained hives.) One allergy should be pretty manageable, especially since tree nuts aren't real common to give to children.

Hi,
My name is S. and I have been highly allergic to all nuts all of my life. I would make sure her teachers, aids and principle all are familiar with how to inject the epi pen and when to give Benadryl. Perhaps you could suggest a staff/faculty meeting in which they all watch the instructional video you were given. Also, make them aware of potential signs of allergic reaction. In reality, that's good information for them to have since your daughter is bound not to be the only person they encounter with a nut allergy. In my case, I have always been on the cautious side. When I think I may have accidentally ingested something, I take some Benadryl to ward off a reaction. I also have Cortisone cream on hand for skin reactions, since I can react to even the touch of nut products.
In regards to eating out, just get used to asking questions ab out ingredients. Now a days, since nut allergies have become more prevalent, you will often see signs at restaurants that cook or prepare food with nuts; b ut don't be afraid to ask just in case. Better safe than sorry. At Oriental restaurants, I usually stick with sweet and sour chicken and rice, but you do have to be careful with how they prepare their food and cross contamination.
It's crazy, but double check crackers and breads; any food that has been premarinated, seasoned, or processed in any way; cereals; just get familiar with checking the ingredient list on anything you buy that she may consume. I always check the label, and even though some people just think I'm picky, I have found nuts in places you wouldn't expect before. Also watch for the allergy warnings often found underneath the ingredient list. Often they group nuts together and you may not know which type it may contain or have been exposed to. Just make sure when your child is in anyone else's care, the caregiver is informed as to what needs to be watched out for. And don 't be afraid to be called a "Paranoid Mom" I feel that it's better to b e safe than sorry! Good luck with everything!!!

we have a similar circumstance. I would HIGHLY recommend that you see an allergy elimination accupuncturist. We have had huge success with ours. And watch your vaccine intake with her...

E. - See my email (last entry) and response I got from Mayona. Hope this information helps!

-A.

sure, his name is Greg Callis. His phone # is ###-###-####. His office is on Fairview between Locust Grove and Eagle Rd, across from the Fred Meyer (and down a building). Tell her good luck, I had a hard time trusting this to work, it has been a real miracle! Geoff is playing soccer with his old coach this spring (and half the Capital JV team!!!) Hope all is well with you all. Have a great spring. Mayona

-----Original Message-----
From: A. Rossman <____@____.com>
To: ____@____.com
Sent: Mon, 3 Mar 2008 10:04 am
Subject: Chiropractor name?

Hey Mayona!

What was the name of that chiropractor you took your daughter too? I know of a person who just found out her daughter has a severe nut allergy. Thought I could put her in touch with you or the chiropractor.

Thanks,

A. Rossman (Tyler’s mom)

BEWARE, OF OLIVE OIL, so many things are adulterated, even in this country, top being olive oil, then milk, honey, etc. but olive oil is mixed in with other oils, such as soy, hazelnut, and other nut oils. i found out the hard way. may sure you buy your olive oil from a reputable source, and always cook yourself.go here for more info (http://nut-freemom.blogspot.com/2009/02/nut-free-olive-oi.... btw i will from now on use Colavita olive oil.

Watch out for 'health food' products as tree nuts are used often in place of dairy and meats. At most schools they do have a nutfree lunch table for the kids to sit at, so that should be helpful later on...When the pre-k class asks for food to be brought I just make sure that there's something yummy for all the kids with no nut concerns.....I think you are a very cool mom doing the best for your daughter,
blessings...

Hi E.,

FoodAllergy.org has some great resources to help you manage the tree nut allergy.
In the past I was able to download tips for caregivers as well as order the medical bracelet from the site. There's also a Boulder Allergy Kids group that has periodic meetings. I don't know if it's a Yahoo! group, but if you're on BoulderRocknMoms Yahoo! group, you can
definitely connect with it easily with a quick post. I hope this helps.
Good luck.

S.

E.-

Sorry this is so long but I have several suggestions for you. I worked for an Allergist before I decided to stay home with my son. One of the best things I ever saw was a little girl with a peanut allergy among other things. Her mom bought her a fanny pack that she and her mom decorate with puffy paint and whatnot that she wears everwhere! In the pack is a laminated picture of herself and on the bottom, her mom wrote...I am allergic to _____. There was also the epi-pen in there along with the directions on how to use it in big clear pictures so anyone could help her out if she needed it. She also could keep benadryl and her asthma inhaler or other things in there for just in case. The mom also made sure her daughter could use the epi-pen if she needed to, but also made sure she took the practice one into school and showed her teacher how to use it and made sure the school nurse knew about her allergy. The little girl loved wearing her fanny pack. Mom did make sure the little girl knew that the pack and the epi-pens were not toys to be taking out to show people, but medicine that she needed if she got in trouble. You also may have to sign a permission form with the school that says she has permission to carry her epi-pen with her.

If your child uses a cell phone and knows how to text (which lots of kids do nowadays!!!), you could also have a code that she can text to you such as 911 or her birthday (ex 124 for Dec 4th) if she's having trouble breathing and no one is around (say she's in the bathroom at school or or home alone or something). Then you can call her back or call someone at the school or daycare or a neighbor or whoever who can find her and help her out. This suggestion might be something that would work better when she's older because she could text her location to you (Ex. 911 bathroom), but it might work now if you have to be away from her often.

For daycare and school, my little brother had lots of allergies, none were life threatening, but he couldn't eat lots of foods so my mom would go in at the beginning of the year and speak with the teacher and she would have a bag full of "okay'd" snacks and sweets for my brother and ANY TIME someone brought snacks for b-day parties or holiday celebrations, my brother went and got a snack from his bag instead of eating the questionable food or if the teacher thought it might be something he could enjoy with the class, his teacher would call my mom with the bag if the ingredients were listed and would get my mom's okay. We never had any problem with the teachers not working with us. I would also make sure your daughter knows that swapping snacks and at lunch is a no-no! Little kids like sharing lunches and that could lead to a potential danger to her!

Also, I saw a catelogue with these really cool t-shirts. They say cute things like..."I'm a peanut, but I can't eat them..." and I think you can specialize them to your child's allergy. http://specialchildren.about.com/od/foodallergies/qt/alle... has a whole bunch of lists of sites with t-shirt options (I like the kidsaware and sans gluten sites) or go to www.google.com and search "allergy shirt" or "allergy shirts"- both came up with lots of different sites. I would have them wear the shirt on the 1st day of school and periodically throughout the year (like on holiday celebrations so parent volunteers know about the allergy). You can also have them wear it to family outings and camps and whatnot and it's a cute and non-threatening reminder of your child's allergy and your daughter will not have to say a word. Also, consider a medical bracelet with the allergy on it for a permanent way to tell people of her allergies.

I hope these ideas help some. Please feel free to e-mail me ____@____.com if you need more ideas or you need help finding those t-shirt sites.

S., 25, mother of Tyrrone, 4 months, who is showing some problems with peanuts already when I eat it before breastfeeding him!!!

This probably won't help you much, but boy oh boy do I relate! I too am VERY allergic to all nuts (except for peanuts). I cannot eat them nor can I even THINK of touching them! Over the years I have become quite adept at reading labels on virtually everything to be sure there are no traces of nuts, almond oil (or the like), or that the product has not been made on the same machinery as any nut products. Its not fun, its time consuming, but sure makes me healthier! As for eating out...if in doubt DON'T get it. I have found some restaurants will add nuts to salads, be sure to ask! Good luck!

READ ALL LABELS! So many things say they are processed with tree nuts, etc.
As far as the selective mutism, I just read about that in People magazine, of all places. I had never heard of it until then. Did you read the article? It was a few weeks ago, the issue with Britney Spears on the cover. Maybe you don't read People...it is one of my guilty pleasures! Anyway, it said that there is a really great (but EXPENSIVE) therapist who specializes in treating selective mutism. I think she was in Virginia, though. Hopefully you will find someone in your area.
Anyway, since your daughter is unable to tell others about her allergies, I think what you are doing is very smart--teaching her to write that she cannot eat nuts, and wear the medical bracelet. I am sure you are planning to meet with her teacher/ principal at the school she will attend as well. I would give a written instruction list to the teacher, principal, school nurse, etc. You should also teach your daughter a signal or sign to show if she is feeling funny after eating something, in case she has a reaction... wow, this is a tough one. I wish you all the best!

I was looking around at things for Autism and came across a temporary tatoo that declares a nut allergy. I though it was an interesting idea and thought I would share http://www.mypreciouskid.com/temporary-tattoos.html