Worrying about peanut /nut allergy

[Heartmum2Jamie]

My ds was RAST tested in Jan and the results came back positive for milk & egg, which we were expecting, but also for nuts & wheat. We were not told what nuts ds is allergic to, but I presumed it was peanuts.

We have successfully cut everything out of his diet and he is doing well (with the odd hiccup here & there....mainly eldest ds dropping food.)

The problem is this. I have been thinking about ds's allergies a bit more recently and am now worried about the nut allergy. He comes out in hives to milk & eggs and suffers with tummy ache, cramps & horrid mucous filled nappies with the wheat (& soya). We don't know what to expect if (heaven forbid) ds gets a nut. He managed to grab a handful of peanuts at a family part recently (it was a nightmare, low tables with bowls of peanuts everywhere.....nearly turned around and went straight home again) and didn't get any hives or appear to have a reaction, although we were on top of him immediately and washed his hands. We have never exposed him to nuts as far as we are aware. If he did get a nut/peanut, what sort of reaction would you look out for?? I just hope that it is not the the kind where he swells, has trouble breathing or has anaphalactic shock. Like I said, 2 of his allergies are hive based and 2 are tummy based.

I would ask at ds's next appt, but it's not until August.

Don't really have any advice re reaction. I am in similar situation with my ds too. He tested positive to wheat, dairy, fish, egg and peanut (9 months) after a reaction to wheat that included, hives and vomiting. He has never had any egg or peanuts. He is now 2.5 and has outgrown wheat, dairy and fish. He has never had peanut so I wonder about the reaction too. To be honest I would have left that party. I don't go anywhere there are peanuts and have made this clear to friends and family. I see this as his best chance of perhaps outgrowing this allergy or perhaps it being a milder allergy than full blown anaphylaxis.

The one thing the tests can't tell you is what sort of reaction he will have. Also even if you have a massive reaction one time, nothing may happen the next. A lot depends on what else you have eaten or done - an example I heard was a man who had a fever so took an aspirin, felt better so went to work, ran for the bus and had an allergic reaction. His allergy to aspirin wasn't obvious when he sat up on the couch with a hot lemon drink - but the exertion tipped him over the edge.

They should have tested for different nuts. My dd is allergic to peanuts, cashews and brazils - tbe bigger the weal that comes up at the test the more severe the allergy I assume. They didn't test for pecans but we know from experience that she is allergic to them and walnuts. But she can eat almonds and loves marzipan. Her 1st & only severe reaction was when she was 2 - full anaphlylactic shock. She's now 14. She carries 2 epipens with her when she's out and there are 2 at school. The Anaphlylaxis Society is a good source of information.