Peanut Allergy?

[nigglewiggle]

I was eating some peanuts and raisins today and my 2 year old DD started playing with them and feeding them to me. She didn't eat any. A couple of minutes later I noticed the skin around her eyes looked raised and bumpy. Over the next 5 minutes her eyes gradually puffed up and were obviously very itchy. She wasn't distressed at all but her eyes were watery and obviously aggravating her. I also noticed some redness and swelling on some of her fingers.
I gave her some Piriton and eventually it calmed down, though her eyes still looked a bit puffy when she went to bed about 4 hours later.

I presume this is a peanut allergy? I have tried to make an appointment with the only good GP at our surgery and she is not available until Monday. Is there any advice anyone can offer me in the meantime? Obviously peanuts are off the menu!

It does sound like a peanut allergy - there is an Allergy Topic on here with some Mums who are really brilliant at coping with allergies - I would link, but I'm breastfeeding as I type!

Until you can get an appointment, carry Piriton everywhere with you in your bag so that you can get it quickly when you need it.

Obviously avoid peanuts, and stick to bland, safe foods which she's had before just in case the one reaction is going to set off other reactions.

The GP should refer you to an allergy clinic for testing, and then discuss treatment with you.

Let us know how you get on!

Thank you for replying - and I'm admiring your multi-tasking skills!

I found the web chat with the allergy expert Adam Fox, that had some useful info. I will look for the allergy topic.

I left her with my parents this morning and briefed them, gave them the piriton and then spotted a peanut sitting on my dad's armchair . This feels like a bit of a nightmare as her reaction was so severe just from touching them!

I'm wondering whether the GP would prescribe an epipen before any tests have been carried out? Otherwise it will be an anxious time waiting for test results.

Thanks! The multi-tasking is sadly not as good as it sounds, as the twins tend to dribble on the keyboard!

Doctors do prescribe epipens before tests if the reaction is severe, but they also tend to make referrals pretty quick - DS had an allergy clinic appointment the week after his first reaction, which was reassuring.

Parents are often quite a problem, in that they don't understand allergies. The thing that works best for us is to ask people who look after DS often if they can have 'celery free' (or nut, in your case) rooms, which DS can be in safely (so, for instance, you parents might nominate the living room and then make sure that no nuts are ever taken into that room so that there is no risk of cross contamination).

Great idea about the rooms, and it's reassuring to know that the appointments come through quickly.

Now you tell me you have twins I am truly in awe of your multi-tasking .

Despite 5 years on here, I had never noticed there was an allergy topic . Some really useful stuff on there, thanks again.

They are really lovely over there, and so knowledgeable!

Does your daughter have any other allergies, or is this your first time?

She has suffered from eczema after she was a few weeks old and we decided that cow's milk was the trigger. interestingly I had just re-introduced it as she had 'stolen' drinks of milk from her sister and her skin showed no reaction. I wonder whether the combination of the two things prompted the severe reaction to the nuts.