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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be fed up of people thinking peanut allergies are the worst?

146 replies

misdee · 23/06/2012 07:32

Not many take the eggs and milk part of my daughters allergies as seriously as her nut allergy.

Why?

Why do some assume that peanut allergies are always deadly and others aren't?

Anaphylatics is anaphylatics whatever the trigger is.

OP posts:
giraffesCantFitInThePalace · 23/06/2012 07:35

yanbu

KirstenDunce · 23/06/2012 08:04

I agree, I think the CMP allergy is the one that gets discounted by peple most for me because of the confusion with lactose intolerance when it really isn't the same at all.

But say you are allergic to peanuts and people take you seriously all of a sudden Hmm

Original poster
misdee · 23/06/2012 08:06

By all test results, dd4 egg and milk reactions re far far worse than her peanut reactions.

OP posts:
WaftyCrank · 23/06/2012 08:13

YANBU

My DS has a CMPI so not quite as serious but asking if something contains milk gets me looked at like I've got 3 heads.

Itsjustafleshwound · 23/06/2012 08:14

YANBU - perhaps it is not perceived as being more severe because it is perhaps also tied up to some stupid dieting habits?

There shouldn't be a pecking order wrt allergies or phobias

Shannaratiger · 23/06/2012 08:16

YANBU I have a milk and wheat allergy, dairy makes me throw up instantly and wheat makes all my joints swell up so moving becomes really painful and difficult!

Maria2007loveshersleep · 23/06/2012 08:18

YANBU, in fact I think I would find eggs/dairy allergy worst if I had a child having those, given that dairy/eggs are everywhere.

Tee2072 · 23/06/2012 08:22

Because peanuts get all the publicity for whatever reason.

It is really silly.A deadly allergy is a deadly allergy.

Maria2007loveshersleep · 23/06/2012 08:26

so there are more 'fashionable' allergies that get more publicity? :) that's something new I'm learning today!

CouthyMow · 23/06/2012 08:30

In total agreement, no-one seems to understand that my DS3 is so severely allergic to the tiniest trace of milk protein that a skip crisp could kill him. All I keep getting told is that his nut allergy is worse, as that could kill him. Well so could his CMP allergy.

It really twists my melons!!

Tee2072 · 23/06/2012 08:31

Well, when was the last time you heard of a dairy or egg free school?

How about a nut free school?

I rest my case.

CouthyMow · 23/06/2012 08:32

Anyone got any recipes? (changes tone of thread entirely)

I am going to attempt a rice pudding made with nutramigen tonight...

CouthyMow · 23/06/2012 08:34

God, Tee, I'm already worrying about school and DS3 is only 16mo! The school he is likely to end up at is already nut-free, but to get them to go dairy-free too? Not a snowball's chance in Hell. I have already asked. And been told that they won't as he'll grow out of it.

Grow out of an allergy that causes anaphylaxis? Erm, I doubt it!

Tee2072 · 23/06/2012 08:36

Exactly CM. But if you'd said 'peanut allergy' they would lock the place down.

Unfortunately some allergies are 'important' and some aren't. It's really very stupid.

SuzySheepSmellsNice · 23/06/2012 08:37

My mum is allergic to tomatoes. The number of conversations even I've had with stupid waiters and waitresses explaining that No, you can't just flick the tomatoes off the plate and return it to us, I can still see the seeds you fucking moron She will actually die if she eats that food... I have great sympathy for all severe allergy sufferers

Sirzy · 23/06/2012 08:38

I wonder if it's because a lot of people with peanut allergies have problems if near peanuts where (and correct me if I'm wrong) the others often only happen when they are touched/eaten?

It's still wrong though, and as hard as having to avoid peanuts is I would imagine having to avoid dairy is a hell of a lot harder.

Wallace · 23/06/2012 08:40

Our toddler group just went dairy and gluten free :)

youarekidding · 23/06/2012 08:41

YANBU

I face it everyday because DS allergies are environmental - and exact allergens unknown.

Trying to get people to understand that yes, he could still have anaphylatic shock is hard work.

FallenCaryatid · 23/06/2012 08:42

'Anaphylatics is anaphylatics whatever the trigger is.'

That's how my school operates, and the flagging up of children who have a reaction to a substance severe enough to warrant holding an epipen is very clear and covers all staff.
Peanut allergy this severe seems to be the most common, no idea why, so more people out of the loop have only heard of that one as deadly.
No idea why the rate of severe allergies has rocketed over the last 30 years either, anyone else know?

Dprince · 23/06/2012 08:45

its very true. Dh has a bad allergy to quinine (I have no idea how you spell it) its in tonic water and bitter lemon amongst other things. If he has it, it can kill him. Yet at parties, when we go out people who know this still try and give him cocktails with it in.
My mum has actually said well its not as bed as her friends, cousins, sisters dd nut allergy.

RobinSparkles · 23/06/2012 08:46

YANBU.

Do you think that maybe people are getting a dairy allergy confused with a dairy intolerance? I think that some people think they're the same when they aren't.

Makingmama · 23/06/2012 08:47

YANBU - I've had similar experience with ds, we first found he was severely allergic to sesame. He was at nursery who had a no peanut rule, but all the kids were allowed humous etc!

He also has an allergy to wheat, gets diarrhea etc within an hour and is very poorly on gluten...his nursery teacher gave him toast for a snack when I was once late and gave me a Hmm look when I was cross about it!

They started taking me seriously when he became severely allergic to peanuts Hmm

FallenCaryatid · 23/06/2012 08:50

Did the nursery have a lis,t clearly on view and available to all, of the foodstuffs he wasn't allowed to eat?
And she gave him toast despite knowing that he shouldn't have bread?

MummytoKatie · 23/06/2012 08:54

I think it is because there have been a lot of highly publicised deaths from peanut allergies.

My brother was diagnosed as having an allergy to nuts (particularly hazelnuts we think although proper tests have never been done as the doctor thought they might kill him!) in the mid 80s. Then it was a bit seen as my mum being neurotic and awkward and food was not properly labelled so every food he ate he had to test on his lip first.

By the 90s things were being properly labelled and by the 00s everything has "may contain nut traces" on it. (Which is not actually all that helpful as he has to eat something.)

And everyone takes nut allergies very seriously. I think that other allergies are about 20 years behind in public awareness but they will get there.

Hebiegebies · 23/06/2012 08:58

Sirzy, I think the same as you, but am happy to be corrected.

If there are peanuts etc in a room the dust travels (as in when a bag of nuts is opened of a plane) also the dust can stick to your fingers and if you then touch a person with the allergy, it's enough.

With milk and eggs the actual food has to be eaten or touching the persons skin for the reaction.

This is only my guess, but if I've guessed this I expect others do too

Please, if you know the true facts, please enlighten me.