My son has recently been diagnosed with severe dairy, egg and sesame peanuts allergy. He reacts with rashes all over his body if he even sits on a public high chair used by other babies. It’s so hard looking after a wriggly boy with so many allergies and wondering how everyone’s coped....
I can’t even let him play with other babies and I have stopped going to play groups as he puts everything in his mouth, and most toys gets also licked by other babies that have had milk....
I am dreading being invited to bday parties and have already had to reject one because I’m worried how I am going to keep my son safe....
Has anyone taken their severely allergic babies to nursery?
Have they outgrown these allergies or do they stick for longer?
I’m an exhausted mother with no prior experience with allergies....
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Allergies and intolerances
Severe Dairy, egg, sesame and peanuts allergy
blockchain · 24/09/2018 11:58
That must be tough.
I don't have direct experience but one of my Facebook friends has been through this. Her little one happily outgrew all the allergies by about age 4 but it was a long slog.
Have you had an appointment at an allergy clinic? There might be notices on a pinboard for local meet ups for families living with extreme allergies?
This is really hard. It's nearly 10 years since I realised how many allergies my baby had, and how severe they were. Very few people understood my level of anxiety about him, and a few even thought I must be exaggerating or making it up.
Here are a few tips (in no particular order )
Carry wet wipes everywhere, and clean all high chairs and tables thoroughly. Ignore the judgy people who roll their eyes at you cleaning swings and slides at local parks.
Take emergency food everywhere (e.g dairy free biscuits, flapjack, the kind of things that can live in your handbag) even if you don't think you are going to be out of the house for long. (You can't just buy a sandwich for him if you get delayed).
Find playgroups where the staff listen to you, actively care, and are willing to make adjustments. If children are allowed to eat cheesy crisps while playing with the toys, don't even bother going to that one, but if they all have a set snack time at a table, this is more doable, children can wipe their hands and faces afterwards. I've met some wonderful playgroup leaders who bent over backwards to include my son. The local churches tended to be more sympathetic than the preschools and surestart centres.
Always check ingredients, every time you buy. Sometimes they change without warning.
ALWAYS have the medication with you. Check every time you leave the house.
Find recipes that taste good, and are cheap and easy to make. These will become your family favourites. (I'll send you our chocolate cake recipe if you like).
Develop a special smile of non-reactive patience for people who say, "have you tried goats milk / kinesiology / my latest strange cure for allergy? " Also for the people who say, "a little bit won't hurt him".
Do everything the hospital paediatrician says, and ignore well meaning advice from everybody else (even me
)
It does get easier to deal with. My healthy 10 year old is with me now (off school with a temperature).
My son says that your baby will need security from you even more than most children. He also says keeping the environment safe is key.
My son hasn't had a serious reaction in years, although some of his allergies are still severe. You will find coping strategies
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