Aibu to worry about my dc peanut allergy

[3gorgeousgirlies]

After reading the second story in the news about a girl dying from an allergy and her epi pens not working , aibu to worry that my dc might not be ok if they have a reaction?

I have an anaphylactic reaction to shellfish - which, for the most part, is easy to avoid. But, I have been caught out by cross-contamination, not least when my dad made a fish pie without washing the fish first; it must have been next to shellfish at some point..... I’ve recently discovered that I burn when I touch snails too - so it must be a shell thing. My mother is more worried about it than I am, but I know what I can and can’t have. Still can be a bit frightening tho.

I’m nearly 50 with nut allergy. Still alive and breathing

It is a worry. But the reason these stories make the news is because they are rare.
I'm still desperately sorry for this family though.

Unfortunately yes you do need to worry if the reactions are severe. I think many people are aware that peanuts could be a problem and so not take them onto a plane. But oriental salads with sesame oil dressing or hummus with sesame in may slip under the radar.

YANBU! DS is allergic to fish and so many unsuspecting things contain fish! E.G Worcestershire Sauce. My own mum has accidently forgot this and it scares me so much that his epi-pen might not work or get administered wrong etc! Certainly is fear. I guess just always ensure you have both pens and if going anywhere in which further medical help would take time to reach you, take your own food.

@Thankyouforthemusic my son is 4 with a peanut allergy and we were signed off in January with no instruction other than give him piriton if required, so I don't think much has changed. He's never had a reaction since initial mild reaction as a small child so we don't know how bad it could be. I live on my nerves due to this, he started school 3 weeks ago and my blood pressure was so severe I had to start tablets for it. It's an awful awful thing to carry the worry.

My dc consultant said I probably caused their allergy as I didn’t eat peanuts when I was pregnant. I think this is nonsense. Please don’t blame yourself for your DD’s allergy. It’s not fully understood how allergies develop. My mum developed an egg allergy in her teens which she has had ever since. However in the past couple of years (and now in her 70s) she has also developed a nut allergy. All you can do is be a good mum, be vigilant about what she eats and always carry the epi- pen and educate her as appropriate to reduce risk of exposure herself. The story in the news about the teenage girl is so desperately sad but very rare.

@tillytopknots when were you diagnosed? How did you find your teenage years? Are you annoyed that nuts in food seem to be more prevalent than 10/20/30 years ago?

Top tips for staying safe?

It's scary - look into services offered to reduce allergy through desensitisation if I were you. But the key is to know what's in food, and ask the staff - this didn't happen I this case

My son was told that at the very first sign of an attack, he should call 999 and tell them on the phone that he's got a peanut allergy. One thing I would recommend is avoid takeaways. A boy I know died from an allergy to the oil they were using to fry chips. (He did have a very, very serious allergy to nuts.)

I have lived with a peanut allergy for over 40 years (from age of 3) and have a child with tree nut allergy. The best advice is to help children to take control themselves of what they eat and try not to do it for them. They need to have it ingrained in them to always check ingredients and not to rely on others to do this for them. It is far better than it used to be as food is now labelled. When I was young peanuts were often substituted for almonds without disclosure as peanuts were cheaper. Nowadays I seen more and more foods that once contained peanuts now excluding them as the incidence of peanut allergy has increased. But I also see more hidden cashew nuts in things as the price of cashew nuts has fallen. Just teach them to always check the labels and question home cooks and it should be manaegable.

My dc consultant said I probably caused their allergy as I didn’t eat peanuts when I was pregnant😩 this was irresponsible and unkind of your consultant. With dc1 in pregnancy I was told to avoid peanuts, with dc2 and 3 I was told that advice was out of date and ate peanuts. Basically they don't really know so suggesting its anyone's fault is just cruel.

My dc consultant said I probably caused their allergy as I didn’t eat peanuts when I was pregnant

Is it possible to see a different consultant? One who actually bothers to stay up to date on current research? And who has some actual patient skills. Because this one clearly doesn't. BTW I ate peanuts throughout my pregnancy and guess what? DD has a peanut allergy. It is scary, we have had to use the epipen and go to the ER. Her reactions get worse each time.

Medicine is improving, and I think eventually there will be a cure.

In the meantime, if you're going to be a long way away from emergency medical services eg on a plane then don't eat any processed foods you've bought from somewhere like Pret. Eat food you've prepared yourself, or eat fruit and other things you know are safe.

Carry the epipen. Be careful. Keep things in perspective.

I'm 19 with a severe nut allergy to all nuts. I've reacted once and that was finding out i had an allergy when I was 3. Epi pens are adrenaline, they control the reaction not necessarily stop it, if I were to go into anaphylaxis I'd need more than just 1 (probably more than 2 tbh) you have to read every lable and essentially train your kids to do the same, even if it's something you think you've had before check it again. They change ingredients a lot. And please please go sign the petition on company's blanket labelling food saying "may contain traces of nuts". A lot of companies say this to cover there backs were someone to have a reaction but even companies with no cross contamination say it and it's so restricting!!

My dd is allergic to all nuts and yes, it's very frightening. To the pp who mentioned levels of severity, I was told 5 or so years ago by an allergy hospital consultant that he couldn't tell us how severe it is. We were signed off as told she won't grow out of it so haven't seen a consultant since. Has there been progress in the last 5 years in being able to judge severity?

Exactly the same for us. DD was diagnosed at 5.2 and we saw the GP who told me she can never have peanuts and to avoid tree nuts. We have not ever seen a consultant or been offered any follow up appointment. DD was diagnosed at 10 months old and is now 7.

I ate peanut butter daily when pregnant with allergic ds OP, thats how I found out he did have the allergy because it was such a daily staple in our house, he grabbed dd's toast with it on when he was weaning age.

I have to say ds is lucky to be under the care of an amazing consultant who's speciality is allergies and he really wants to push forward with peanut desensitization on his patients. So we're waiting to be contacted within a year or so to start that. It is already available privately we were told but is pretty expensive.

The newspaper article made me cry, OP. That poor girl and her parents. I don’t think BA or Pret have shown themselves in a very good light.
DS has severe allergies and I never let him eat sandwiches etc from food outlets on the plane and take my own instead. It is the time when you are most at risk IMO as any emergency care will inevitably be delayed.

My dc consultant said I probably caused their allergy as I didn’t eat peanuts when I was pregnant

I stuffed my face with peanuts in my third pregnancy. I craved them. Didn't eat them in other pregnancies. Guess which DC is allergic.

Thank you for your replies

First sign of DD being allergic was her feeling sick, throat hurting and struggling to breathe

@potato2242 can you link to petition please?

Effing M&S

www.change.org/p/retailers-stop-using-blanket-may-contain-nuts-labels

Blanket labelling petition

I think if you have an allergy you are given 2 epipens to carry with you. This happened on a plane so no access to further epipens or further treatment other than the basics so although I wouldn't worry too much I wouldn't get complacent either

Yup, 2 epipens is a good idea.

Once your DD is a little older (I'd say about 5) I would recommend showing her how to use them. You might even be able to get a "trainer" pen that has no needle or drug but works in the same way. (I teach nursing and I have one that I bring to class to show my students.)

In the meantime, EVERYONE who cares for your DD MUST be taught how to use the pen if it becomes necessary.

Usually the pen should be replaced once a year, and if you ever do need to use it, make sure you get a prescription for a new one before you leave the hospital.

One of my sons has a peanut allergy, one born 12 months later does not. Don't blame yourself 3gorgeousgirlies.
My son never carries an epi pen despite my nagging and his most recent attack was in a Chinese restaurant who assured him there was no peanuts in his menu choice. He was horribly ill - turned out the oil it was cooked in was peanut oil!