First sign of peanut allergy?

[greenleafytrees]

DD2 is 9 months old and is teething like mad. This morning she pinched my bagel which had peanut butter and nutella on it ( I know... In my defence we had both been up literally all night until 6 am due to her teeth and I needed the energy). She wolfed down a big piece of bagel. After a bit (not long, maybe 5 minutes or so) I noticed that the skin around her mouth looked a bit red. Looking closer, I noticed tiny raised spots, like both DDs have had when teething or when their faces have been chapped in cold weather. The spots were surrounded by well demarcated red patches which kind of corresponded to where the peanut butter etc would have been smeared round her mouth. The patches faded pretty quickly but given that DH and I both have mild eczema and hay fever, and DD1 has eczema, hay fever and asthma I thought I had better get it checked out. Now waiting for GP appointment, which might not be for a couple of weeks due to holiday, and am getting myself worked up about it.

For those of you with DC dealing with nut allergies, what was the first sign? Would be v v grateful if you could tell me your experiences.

Thanks!

PS - the red patches definitely weren't hives. It wad just flat red patches, as if I'd smeared sone of that spicy plumping lipstick stuff around her little mouth.

My DS2 has peanut allergy. The first time he had peanuit butter, the next morning he had a rash on his body like you describe around your DD's mouth. The Nurse assured us this was a viral rash and not connected. He had peanut butter again and came up with hives around his mouth, immediately. So your DD's reaction seems to be a cross between both my Ds's reactions!

They are sometimes quite reluyctant to do allergy testing but as we were still under the hospital, we got ours tested that way.

Thanks very bored. Yikes, I was kind of hoping that I was being paranoid over nothing. Really hope it isn't a nut allergy. She's had both peanut butter and nutella before without any reaction but I realise that doesn't mean anything. Will make sure I press for a referral and tests.

Just to reassure you, the first time my DD had a reaction to peanuts she was violently sick within 30 seconds of eating a piece of toast with peanut butter (she was about 12months old). Her mouth swelled up like a cauliflower next, then her eyes started to swell and she got the hives all over her body (after about 15 minutes). She went floppy and sleepy too. Because the reaction was so severe she got referred pretty quickly for tests and came up positive for peanut and now carries an epipen.

Your DD's doesn't sound like a serious (ie anaphylactic) reaction to me. But it does sound like a reaction of sorts so best to get it checked out. The docs told us with peanut anaphylaxis the first time they eat peanuts they don't react but the second time they react badly. Your DD was on the 2nd time and still didn't have a very bad reaction so fingers crossed it's just a mild peanut allergy with no serious consequences.

The first time my dd reacted she was itensly itchy and had definate small itchy bumps appear on her face (hives). Bumps spread down her body growing in size and merged together. It was very strange.

Thanks everyone. Was at GP this afternoon. She has referred us to the hospital for tests but in the meantime she didn't seem overly concerned. As luck would have it, DD had come out in the little spots again so she was able to have a good look at them and didn't think they were anything to worry about. She says that we can give her peanut butter again as she'd been fine in several occasions in the past and even then the reaction was so minor and didn't fit the picture of a peanut allergy but that if anything happens she's not to have it again. Am v much hoping she's right and that it was just a random reaction due to teething.

Anyway thanks again. It must be such a worry for you and your DC to have to deal with this.

DS first reaction was like that, second time though... it was a VERY different animal and quite scary.

I wouldn't give her any peanuts unless she has been properly tested, and carry Piriton with you at all times. And keep in mind also one thing, most GPs know next to nothing about severe allergies, so hold for the allergician before trying peanut or any other nut again (including sesame seeds).

DS reactions were first like that - around the mouth, then they were further spread across his face. They were suspected skin reactions until last year when he had a severe reaction. (its not nuts and allergen is unknown).

I would agree about not giving nuts until you've seen allergist. It seems wierd that the GP had referred you but yet says continue giving it

Thanks v much for the advice. She def has no difficulty with sesame seeds as has had them since (sesame roll yesterday lunchtime, didn't cross my mind there would be an issue) with no problems whatsoever. I think the GP's point was that an allergic reaction tends to be systemic whereas DD's reaction was more like a skin contact reaction - I.e, skin was only red where the food had touched it. I've read that most people with peanut allergies don't have skin reactions when they touch peanuts, but have systemic reactions instead - hives or wheezing or similar. An allergist who did a web chat on here told someone that skin contact reactions don't tend to be food allergies, so here's hoping.... Ok maybe i'm clutching at straws but am trying to be positive. Happily I have a big bottle of piriton and have checked dosage for babies, will keep it handy.

My son reacts by skin contact, it is rare but it happens. He has the hives, wheezing and inflamed face either by skin contact or accidental ingestion.

Second reaction to peanuts was by skin contact. Please don't let any nuts near her until she is checked.

Thanks. We definitely didn't have hives wheezing or swelling. Just a bit of redness. I think that's the doctor's point really: in a true nut allergy she would expect systemic reactions like hives etc even where reacting to skin contact but DD just had a bit or redness and it was clearly just where food had touched her face. Unfortunately she won't get to see an allergy specialist first off, just a pediatrician. Likely to be waiting a while, which worries me too, as I don't want to make an allergy more likely ( assuming she doesn't have one already) by not continuing to expose her to it,

But surely for the sake of a few months its worth keeping your DD away from nuts? She is only a few months old after all and doesnt need to eat nuts right now. Believe me you don't want to risk her having a serious reaction by continuing to give her something that is obviously already giving her problems

Please consider how skin allergy can progress.

My DS has skin allergy reaction to ketchup - which worsened. Followed by hives on his face last summer to god knows what, and this year it seems to sun (face and shoulders) but only sporadically.

Last November he had a suspected severe allergic reaction where he didn't get hives but angry red spots on his face and swollen lip/eyes/ face nasal congestion and very noisy breathing.

There is no allergen showing on the tests and his IgE (allergy markers) are normal.

I am not trying to scare you but as a mum who thought her DS had a contact allergy (as did pead and GP) to the scare I had last year I would urge you to err on the side of caution - therefore avoid peanuts.

I have just come back from A&E with DS and searched for a thread like this. DS has had contact with peanuts... I dabbed a tiny bit on his lips last week, and have put it on his arm before. No problems. Then today I gave him peanut butter toast and he immediately came up in hives around his mouth and on his forehead wher he had touched his head. Otherwise he seemed okay- no wheezing. We went straight to A&E and the doctor said the same as up thread- first few contacts will be fine, but then another contact and wham.

We are going for peanut allergy testing this week. in the meantime I am shampooing the carpet, thanks to DH's slovenly habit of chucking the nuts on the floor so the dogs can eat them.

It was a mild reaction (this time) but terribly scary.