Hoorah!! DD is NOT allergic to nuts after all!

[RGPargy]

I give DD some peanut butter on toast ages ago and the skin above her lip seemed to come up in a couple of little red patches with what looked like blisters in the middle. So i thought i'd better get her checked out for allergies, just in case. Took her to the hospital, they took blood while she sat on my lap, she was good as gold, didn't even cry, but the sample bloody leaked in transit, ggrrr! Second trip to hospital was more traumatic. They made DD (10 months) lay on a big bed with me next to her, which made her scared and she cried the whole time, bless her. (Why they couldn't have done it on my lap again, i dont know!!).

Anyway, after about 6 weeks of waiting the results were finally in yesterday and her blood reactions to every nut they tested for were zero with "no further action required".

I'm really relieved, i can tell you!! I just want to go and smother her in peanut butter!

I wonder what the marks on her mouth were tho. Perhaps it was completely unrelated.....

[williamsmummy]

did the hopsital offer skin prick tests as well?

[RGPargy]

No. Should they have?

[williamsmummy]

um,..........possibly.
allergist clinics do both, with history of reaction and family atopic history.

sometimes blood tests are not that reliable for giving clear results on own.

was her Ige rating normal?

was she with a local consultant pead or pead immunologist?

[tatt]

well marks on her lip could have been anything even cold sores. Sounds like she'll be OK. But I wouldn't smother her in peanut butter, just try rubbing a bit on her arm and watching for a reaction eofre you feed her any more.

[RGPargy]

Williamsmummy - What is an Ige rating?? I have no idea if she was with a consultant paed or an immunologist! I was just told to turn up at the hospital for blood to be taken! All i do know is that everything was at zero and no further action needed to be taken.

Tatt - yes, i think i will do the skin test before i let her taste it. The marks on her mouth went by bedtime so i doubt it would have been a coldsaw...

[wb]

An IgE rating is a measure of the amount of immunoglobulin E in the blood. Immunoglobulin is an antibody which is usually (almost always) at the bottom of acute allergic reactions (like the hives your daughter had). So when your daughter's blood was taken, I think they'll have examined it for peanut antibodies and found none. On that basis, she will almost certainly be fine if you did smother her with peanuts

I'm guessing the reason for the ? from Williamsmummy is that it is possible to get non-IgE mediated allergic reactions, so sometimes allergy clinics do a skin prick test as well as a blood test to be doubly sure, esp. if your dd had other allergies.

But personally, I'd be happy with a negative blood test. Go ahead and give your dd a small bite of peanut butter sandwich, or follow Tatt's more cautious approach -if all is well take it from there.

[2manychips]

My dd is having blood test on tues(RAST)is that what your lo had? They're testing her because she had hives appear all round her mouth after some choc which contained hazelnut. Hope her results neg too. 6 weeks will be v long!

[RGPargy]

Hi Chips

yes, DD had RAST tests. It doesn't normally take 6 weeks, it's that that i had the misfortune of the first sample leaking en route.

Anyway, they do take blood from their little hands - dont have the numbing spray if your DD is under 2 as this makes the veins contract and it'll be harder for them to find the vein! Try and get them to let your DD sit on your lap as i'm convinced this helped calm DD enormously first time around.

I put some peanut butter on her arm tonight and nothing whatsoever appeared so maybe it was just a one off or something.

Good luck chips - hope they find nothing too!