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Allergies and intolerances

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Original poster

PIL's just bought hazlenut tree - will it cause probs for nut allergic ds

20 replies

smoggie · 28/02/2008 11:58

Might seem like a no brainer, but I want to check my facts before gently suggesting that this is the most f''kwitted thing they have done. FIL gets on a crusade about things and his latest is that he wanted a hazelnut tree because it brought back fond memories from his youth.
Great, and I respect that BUT - ds is very allergic to cashew and pistachio, borderline peanut and almond..not tested for hazlenut, but I just don't want to take the risk. what if he finds the nuts fallen from the tree??
PLease does anyone have any advice??

THis is the same FIL who handed round a jar of pickled walnuts right under the nose of his other DIL who is VERY allergic to walnuts. Lovely bloke but he just doesn't think.
TIA

OP posts:

Original poster

smoggie · 28/02/2008 12:41

anyone - please??
Can't find anything from google search and have emailed an allergy site.
TIA

OP posts:

theyoungvisiter · 28/02/2008 12:43

how old is your DS? Hazelnuts have very hard shells so unlikely he could crack them without help if he's small.

Agree it sounds a bit unnecessary of your FIL though.

MegBusset · 28/02/2008 12:44

Hi, my DS is currently being tested for nut allergy (peanuts and tree nuts) and our paed has said we should avoid hazelnut spread (as well as other nuts, obv) until we have the results back. So I would imagine that hazelnuts can cause a problem, and maybe your FIL should just have a cheese plant or something instead!

ShinyDysonHereICome · 28/02/2008 12:45

Is he stark raving mad ?

I wouldn't risk it for a minute.

OrmIrian · 28/02/2008 12:47

If you had a yew tree you'd make sure your DC understood not to eat the berries wouldn't you? Isn't it the same with hazelnuts? He'd have to pick them and crack them before they could do any harm.

I'd understand if he kept offering your DC food packed with nuts at every meal but a tree in the garden? I think it's a bit mean to dictate to your FIL what he can grow in his garden.

TheDevilWearsPrimark · 28/02/2008 12:49

Sounds mad. But some people just don't understand allergies.

My little sister is seriously lactose intolerant and it took forever for our grandparents to realise they couldn't 'just give her a bit of cheese'

brimfull · 28/02/2008 12:50

smoggie-my ds has exactly the same nut allergies as your ds.
He had skin prick tests last week and hazelnuts was very minor but not negative.

I would be insulted and angry if my FIL did this,but I suppose it is his garden.Do you spend a lot of time there?
Seems an unnecessary risk to me but depending on your ds' age you could manage it by strictly supervising him all the time in the garden..pita.

Original poster

smoggie · 28/02/2008 12:53

ds is 5....the hard shell is a factor to prevent him getting in I agree, but he's 5 and inquisitive!!
My concern was also the pollen from it - can't find out at th emo. but I'm assumin hte pollen would cause a problem.
Unless I hear anything to the contrary I shall be getting dh to phone them and politely request they throw the damned thing in the bin.
Not having a great day today - just having one of those feeling sorry for myself/ds days and this didn't help in the slightest.
Ds also allergic to egg and celery .

OP posts:

OrmIrian · 28/02/2008 12:54

Pollen. Ah! Didn't think of that.

Original poster

smoggie · 28/02/2008 12:57

Ormirian - it's more the effect of the pollen I'm worried about tbh.
Yes we do visit often and he's there sometimes unsupervised by me when they are 'babysitting' him and his brother. They're in their 70's and tbh I don't think I could be 100% certain that they would be watching him and a boistrous 3yo ALL of the time.

OP posts:

wb · 28/02/2008 17:58

Whereabouts in the country do you live? I ask cause hazel is a very common wild shrub over most of the British countryside, and is frequently found in parks and town woodlands too. Quite often though (esp. in more northern areas) it doesn't, or rarely, produces nuts.

I wouldn't assume that that the pollen will produce problems. Perhaps you could find out more about this - cause if it does your problems are going to be way, way bigger than the 1 plant in your FIL's garden

theyoungvisiter · 28/02/2008 18:35

perhaps you should get your DS tested for hazelnut and speak to the consultant about whether that might pre-dispose him towards an allergy to the pollen?

Hopefully he will not be allergic to hazelnuts and your mind will be set at rest. It's probably a useful thing to know anyway as I agree with WB - hazels are a really common tree. You often see it in ancient hedgerows as well as people's gardens.

OrmIrian · 28/02/2008 20:36

That is very true. They are everywhere. One of the few native British trees if that makes you feel any better

Original poster

smoggie · 03/03/2008 19:32

Just for info. I contacted Allergy UK and they forwarded my email to a paed allergist who said taht the tree wouldn't pose any threat in terms of the pollen or proximity to it - only threat would be from eating nuts fallen from it. Still going to ask that they bin it though.

OP posts:

Original poster

smoggie · 03/03/2008 19:36

Jsut read posts re Hazel shrubs, looks like we're fine anyway with the pollen- even if he does test positive for hazelnuts next time, but hadn't even considered the shrubs them as a threat previously!!!!
The tree might not even produce nuts as we're in the NE, so, all looking a lot more positive....hmm am I being a bit harsh now asking him to bin it?

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OrmIrian · 04/03/2008 08:02

Errmm...yes I think you might be a little

wb · 04/03/2008 09:07

Ditto - but I do understand why you were so worried.

tatt · 04/03/2008 17:38

probably wouldn't ask them to bin it but wouldn't be very happy either. Presumably it will produce nuts eventually and then they are going to be in the house. And squirrels or other creatures may break them open and leave bits in the garden. Still it probably won't produce nuts until your ds is old enough to know he needs to keep away. It takes 3-4 years after planting according to one website and longer before it produces a full crop.

Original poster

smoggie · 04/03/2008 17:52

thanks folks as always - stopped me making an idiot of myself - will grin and bear for now and rely on a few carefully chosen comments from dh for them to realise what they have planted. Won't be asking them to get rid of it (well not directly anyway )

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taniashort · 14/03/2008 23:48

HI
my son is treenut allergic, he's had one food-related anaphylactic reaction, he's had two other reactions in our garden - where we've had a hazlenut tree. The tree has now gone, we've had no other reactions since (we're good at the food avoidance). The problem with the nuts (apart from pollenation time) is that squirrels break the shells, bury them and spread the allergen. If I hadn't been in the gardden with my son (aged 5) and he'd had been alone playing I would have lost him.
I recommend getting a Hazlenut RAST - if you're clear - great - if you're not - take it down.
sorry to be a downer on trees - I'm still sad to have lost ours - but better a tree than a son ...

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