How do I figure out safely if DS has a peanut allergy?

[AussieSim]

My 19mo just started Childcare 2 days a week and they asked me if he had had peanut butter yet as it was a potential lunch option and I said no, but know I am worried that he will grab some other kids and that it is time I figured out if he has an allergy or not. He does not appear allergic to anything else although he has had bad eczema when he was younger and still has quite sensitive skin. TIA

I am gobsmacked that in this day and age any childcare facility will have peanut butter on the premises!

I thought the advice nowadays was not to give peanuts until the age of 5 to any child with any 'risk' factors ... eczema, asthma, family history of allergies etc., which is about 50% of the population.

Yes, this is a bit dodgy IMO.
I have decided that DD will get her first taste of peanut butter whilst sitting in our car in the A&E carpark!

Well it is family daz care so it is in her own home, and I guess her little boy who is a little zounger than DS is already eating it. I was planning to hold off till 5. Actually I had a bit of a fit the other day when I realised that DS ate a bit of chicken off my plat that had been cooked in peanut oil. Nothing happened, but I do not know if that means he is not allergic.

I discovered Lottie was okay when i saw my MIL feeding them to her!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I gave ds peanut butter on toast at around one, but then we don't have any asthma or excema in the family. The official advice is not to give before the age of three if your child falls into an at risk category (ie family history of allergies). The recommendation of 5 is just for whole nuts and is to do with the risk of choking, not allergies. I would guess, AussieSim, that if he's been eating a wide variety of foods including bakery producs and confectionery then he has almost certainly been exposed to peanuts and isn't allergic.

I tried for ages to find the answer to this and couldn't. We do have a family history of mild allegies, hayfever, mild excema, plasters (not all from the same person!) and dd2 has very mild excema. I was ultra cautious waited until age 4 and took peanut butter sandwiches and praline bars with us when we went early for a routine hospital appointment. You probably all think I'm completely mad now

JJ has a ds with this allergy, she should be able to shed some empirical light

AussieSim - I'm pretty amazed they were offering peanut butter as a lunch option. Most places are ultra cautious and have no-nuts, particularly for kids that age.

I have a walnut and pecan allergy (not anaphylactic but unpleasant), plus eczema, asthma, rhinitis so am being cautious with dd aged 2. Having said that both grannies have independently fed her nut infested muesli with no dire consequences - I did catch them early on in the act both times. Plus our new childminder fed her pesto which has cashews in it, though she was very embarrassed and claims her brand used to not have any nuts and has stopped giving it without us having to say anything.

A friend who has anaphylactic reactions to peanuts and other nuts told me that from age 5 you can in theory have your child tested (a blood test).

I'll probably try out some nuts on dd at about age 4-5 and see how we go. It'll certainly make me more relaxed about her attending parties etc where I may not be able to supervise her so closely.

suzywong,my ds just turned two has a severe nut and egg allergy.
I suspected he was allergic about a year ago because he got hives if he was touched by someone who had touched the food with nuts or eggs in it.He never actually ate eggs or nuts.
He was tested at the allergy clinic in southampton and found to have severe allergies.

I guess if your ds was allergic you may have noticed a skin reaction by now.
groundnut oil is generally thought to be safe as it is so refined it has no trace of the nut protein left in it.It is unrefined nut oil that is dangerous.
My ds has groundnut oil . I guess you could touch your sons skin with something like peanut butter to see if there is a reaction.My son's skin would react almost immediately in an angry red hive and itch like mad.If you are suspicious I would definately recommend seeing your gp first though.

hope that helps

My ds has eczema and asthma (pretty mild now but worse when he was a baby) and pertty serious allergies to egg and milk (hives with skin contact). I was advised by the dietician at the local hospital to avoid all nuts until he's 3, preferably until he's 5 and I intend to do this if I can. When he does have them for the first time we shall be in the waiting room at A&E - even the car park seems too far away! On a more serious note, I read on another thread that it's a good idea to wait until your child's language is fairly well developed so that they can tell you if their mouth feels funny - apparently one of the 1st signs is a tingling or burning sensation.

message withdrawn

Robinw ... I just wanted to know ... should everyone try this way for their child or is it only for those who have a history of allergies?
I never gave DS anything nutty until a few months ago when he ate a few peanuts and loved them. He hates peanut butter though.
I am asking because I have a DD who is a baby and maybe at some point she will be in contact with peanut butter as EVERONE eats peanut butter sarnies in NZ ?

message withdrawn