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Original poster

Thailand and DS has peanut allergy

20 replies

SleepIsForTheWeak · 10/09/2007 11:58

Planning a trip to Thailand but my 1 year old DS has a peanut allergy, is it just plain stupid to go there???
Any advise appreciated

OP posts:
littlelapin · 10/09/2007 12:05

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
SleepIsForTheWeak · 10/09/2007 12:07

thank you, that is helpful

OP posts:
daisyandbabybootoo · 10/09/2007 12:10

i think you might be making life unnecessarily difficult. surely it's better to go somewhere different with less risk of him eating something dodgy than constantly being on your guard and having to explain

holidays are for a bit of R and R; it doesn't sound like you'd be getting a lot of that as you'd be constantly stressed/worried/struggling to make yourself understood.

Why take unnecessary risks?

Original poster
SleepIsForTheWeak · 10/09/2007 12:46

Well, is is somewhere we have never been and I don't want to not go because I am too scared, if you know what I mean?

OP posts:
fortunecookie · 10/09/2007 12:50

I have a peanut allergy, too, but it didn't stop me from visiting Thailand, which is a beautiful, wonderous country. I took 2 epipens with me and learned how to ask "Are there any peanuts in this? I can't eat them, they are poison for me". Can't remember how to say it now but a Thai student of mine taught me before I went. Risks are everywhere - don't try to live in a cocoon.

slim22 · 10/09/2007 14:31

be carefull, peanuts are everywhere. If it's not in the food, it was very close and they might have used same utensils to handle food.
they grind spices into pastes for seasoning. if they used the same grinder, traces of peanut will be there.
peanut oil also sometimes used for stir frying.

don't want to put you off, but stay CLEAR of street food (they mix everything in same wok).

slim22 · 10/09/2007 14:41

silly me, I just realised he's only 1!!!!
stick to fruit (with skin that you can peel yourself to avoid tummy bugs) and boiled/steamed rice.
Cooked veg with no spice very hard to come by so suggest babyjars???? You'll have no trouble finding them there (no hipp organic though)

littlelapin · 10/09/2007 14:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

slim22 · 11/09/2007 01:17

Oh yes... just came back from samui, very nice, but so mny places to visit.......it's a beautifull country, very rich.
Shame of the prostitution so much in your face in many places!

SofiaAmes · 11/09/2007 03:42

Why would you take that risk with a 1 year old? There are so many places to visit in the world that don't have peanuts as a staple of their diet. Personally I would recommend that you wait until your ds is older and can communicate with you verbally at least. Thailand will still be there and still be a wonderful place to visit in 5 years time.

LadyPenelope · 11/09/2007 07:04

I have a friend who has severe allergies to a number of things. She travels throughout Asia and has to ensure people really do understand her. She has cards (like business cards) printed with the things she is allergic to and explaining how dangerous it is if she eats them.
She gives it to the waiter in the restaurant, and ask him to pass it to the chef. She then checks that what she has ordered is safe. As she has lots of the cards printed she does not need to get it back. She finds that the waiters and chefs tend to take it more seriously because she has it printed.
You could get it printed in Thai and English which would mean you would not have to rely on them understanding you.
(BTW, she still finds she has misunderstandings sometimes)

SofiaAmes · 11/09/2007 15:02

I'd be surprised if many of the chefs in small thai restaurants could read, in any language.

I think it's a different choice when it's an adult or even older child traveling than when it's a baby.

MrsJoJo · 25/09/2007 12:26

Hi there

This is my first post... I live in Bangkok and don't think you're stupid to consider a trip here - I'm going to be giving birth to my first child here. Thai people really love children, even more so if they are blonde!!

Check out the translations on this site:

www.suk11.com/03_All_Links/allergy.htm

I've passed this to a friend who has a peanut allergy and he managed to survive a recent trip. You should stick to the better restaurants and the more mainstream resorts - avoid streetfood (which is a shame as it really is fantastic!). Make sure you explain at every chance.

If you want to feed him yourself then you can try Tesco's - branches throughout Bangkok, on Phuket & Samui.

Good luck

Jo
x

ninedragons · 27/09/2007 01:12

Be careful about people touching your child. As other posters have said, Thai people in general love children and will pat a child without thinking. Peanuts are such a staple there that many people will have nut residue on their hands from their previous meal. If your son is so sensitive that he could go into shock from skin contact, I'd be very careful.

Make sure you have all the necessary medical terms written down in Thai in case you do have to seek treatment. Many doctors in the big centres will speak at least some English but if it's a paramedic or hotel first-aider you need to deal with it's probably better to have it written in Thai.

ninedragons · 27/09/2007 01:16

Be careful about people touching your child. As other posters have said, Thai people in general love children and will pat a child without thinking. Peanuts are such a staple there that many people will have nut residue on their hands from their previous meal. If your son is so sensitive that he could go into shock from skin contact, I'd be very careful.

Make sure you have all the necessary medical terms written down in Thai in case you do have to seek treatment. Many doctors in the big centres will speak at least some English but if it's a paramedic or hotel first-aider you need to deal with it's probably better to have it written in Thai.

ninedragons · 27/09/2007 01:16

Apologies for double post.

Califrau · 27/09/2007 01:46

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MrsJoJo · 27/09/2007 04:30

Hi there

I agree about people touching your children - its pretty unavoidable. I've got a mosquito net for my pushchair/pram & car seat - not really for the mossies but to stop grubby hands touching the baby when s/he arrives!

The hospitals in Bangkok, Samui & Phuket all have excellent, English speaking doctors - many have trained in the UK, USA or Australia. I'm having my baby at Samitivej Hospital in central Bangkok - the hospital (and my parents agree with me) is better than the one I'd have to go to if I still lived in the UK.

There aren't really paramedics here - on the islands I'm not sure if there are even ambulances (the standard 'ambulance' here is a pick-up truck with a stretcher in the back). If you need emergency assistance you need to call one of the hospitals directly - it would be better to have a Thai person do this so you avoid the frustration of dealing with someone who doesn't understand your English. There are 4 hospitals in Bangkok with recognisable ambulances including the hospital I use above. I'm not sure about Phuket or Samui but I think that they have hospitals which are affliated with the Bangkok Hospital which does have an emergency service.

Jo
x

slim22 · 27/09/2007 04:44

there are 2 new hospitals in samui. One of them looks like a 5 star resort (and yes it does have a swimming pool for residents!)

Last month, we met a young couple who'd been backpacking and diving on a small island off samui with 20 mths old twins.
The twins got dehydrated with VERY high fevers.
After 3 days, they eventually snapped out of it and took a boat back to samui to take them to hospital.
They received 1st class treatment and the babbies looked just fine 3 days later on the flight back.

Phuket is even more developped. No doubt will be a good hospital.
So unless you go somewhere very remote, no worries about medical services in malaysia/thailand.
There might be a language barrier though except with Dr who are often US/UK/Australia trained

ninedragons · 27/09/2007 04:45

Fab idea about the mosquito net - we are in Shanghai where it's much the same attitude to touching babies, and I will steal your idea!

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