Training to be an airline pilot with a nut allergy

Hopeandmoss · 2023-01-11T22:27:19+00:00

DS is 17 and has his heart set on training to be an airline pilot. He has a nut allergy and an epipen and has 2 episodes of anaphylaxis, once when we found out about his allergy and once when he was tested in hospital. The medical for flight training is £650 and I am reluctant to pay out if it will be a no because of his allergy. Can anyone give any advice on this please ?

Rainbowshit · 21/01/2023 13:22

Best thing to do would be to ring the company providing the medical. Would be interested to know the answer.

Yesthatismychildsigh · 21/01/2023 13:40

He may, in all honesty, find it very difficult if not impossible to get a job. Why would any company employ him to be in charge of the safety of hundreds of people when one tiny thing could incapacitate him? Not just from the sensible side of things, but the legal side, too. They wouldn’t want to be sued.
I’m sorry if this sounds blunt, but there really is no way to sugar coat it. I really feel for the lad, he wants to do something amazing, I hope he does get a career he loves.

TommyKnocker · 21/01/2023 14:08

I don't know about the rules around pilots and allergies but if after speaking directly to the training provider it's a no, I would look into the private desensitisation trials. I don't know too much about them as my DC grew out of his peanut allergy (worth getting him tested again if it was a while ago he was diagnosed?) but I follow Emily Norris on instagram - her son went through the trial and he is now able to eat peanuts.

Like I say I don't know the ins and outs but that could be worth looking at, she probably has it saved to her stories. It's probably expensive but if he's set on following this path it could be worth it.

Rainbowshit · 21/01/2023 14:14

TommyKnocker · 21/01/2023 14:08

I don't know about the rules around pilots and allergies but if after speaking directly to the training provider it's a no, I would look into the private desensitisation trials. I don't know too much about them as my DC grew out of his peanut allergy (worth getting him tested again if it was a while ago he was diagnosed?) but I follow Emily Norris on instagram - her son went through the trial and he is now able to eat peanuts.

Like I say I don't know the ins and outs but that could be worth looking at, she probably has it saved to her stories. It's probably expensive but if he's set on following this path it could be worth it.

My kids have been through peanut desensitisation and milk desensitisation. It doesn't get rid of the allergy completely. My daughter still has an anaphylactic reaction to peanut exposure above a certain level, currently 6 peanuts.

TommyKnocker · 21/01/2023 14:26

Ah @Rainbowshit, I got the impression from the info I'd seen EN's child had been able to take it to a point where it was no longer classed as an allergy. As I said I didn't look deeply into it as around the time she was documenting it my DS had an allergy tested and he was classed to have grown out of his allergy, which is rare.

Tbh if DS hadn't of grown out of it I probably would still have gone down the desensitisation route for peace of mind but for OP's child that may not help with the pilot situation.

ZeldaWillTellYourFortune · 21/01/2023 14:35

Yesthatismychildsigh · 21/01/2023 13:40

He may, in all honesty, find it very difficult if not impossible to get a job. Why would any company employ him to be in charge of the safety of hundreds of people when one tiny thing could incapacitate him? Not just from the sensible side of things, but the legal side, too. They wouldn’t want to be sued.
I’m sorry if this sounds blunt, but there really is no way to sugar coat it. I really feel for the lad, he wants to do something amazing, I hope he does get a career he loves.

Yes, this. Sad but true.

Rainbowshit · 21/01/2023 14:42

TommyKnocker · 21/01/2023 14:26

Ah @Rainbowshit, I got the impression from the info I'd seen EN's child had been able to take it to a point where it was no longer classed as an allergy. As I said I didn't look deeply into it as around the time she was documenting it my DS had an allergy tested and he was classed to have grown out of his allergy, which is rare.

Tbh if DS hadn't of grown out of it I probably would still have gone down the desensitisation route for peace of mind but for OP's child that may not help with the pilot situation.

It has been life changing and potentially life saving for my kids so very much worth it. They can never just eat peanuts with abandon though. And if they are not diligent about taking their daily doses their tolerance drops which dD found out the hard way.

Original poster

Hopeandmoss · 22/01/2023 18:14

Thank you all. I think as you say the first step is probably some retesting to see that he still has the allergy. But I think also that in a competitive jobs market he may struggle to be employed. I have looked at the medical and it’s is £650 !

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