Mom to Mom

[GloriBee]

Interesting article here. Also the mention of a cute book the OP's grandchild might like: Chad the Allergic Chipmunk.

Check out “Chad the Allergic Chipmunk: A Children’s Story of Nut Allergies”, a children’s book that tells a heartwarming story of a young chipmunk learning to live with nut allergies. “Chad” helps children learn about nut allergies and how to recognize an allergic reaction. Find out more information here.

[Nataliesgramma]

Thank you for all the replies....I am still learning! I am checking every label now because things you would think are OK, sometimes aren't!!

[Heart of Spade]

Our son has lived with a peanut allergy all his life. He is also slightly lesser allergic to tree nuts.

My advice is to educate the child. My son was trained early on to ask an adult offering him anything if there were nuts in it. (When he was little, he would even ask if there were nuts in a drink offered to him!) As he got older, he learned to stay away from certain categories of items outside of our home (like baked goods and candy).

Also, educate the child of potential symptoms that can signal a more severe episode. My son often feels an initial tickling in his throat or that his lips are getting puffy. He knows if he experiences any of these symptoms, it's time to get help, before his breathing is affected.

When eating in a restaurant, make let the waiter know about the allergy. Most eating establishments are used to dealing with people with allergies and wait staff will inquire in the kitchen as to what the child should avoid, especially when it's time to order dessert!

I learned to read the labels on everything. Likely allergens (dairy, nuts, and soy) are listed in bold print on most labels, so they're easy to spot.

Make all adults this child spends time with aware of the allergy and the severity. I was shocked at how lightly some adults took my son's potentially deadly allergy. Needless to say, he never spent time alone with them.

Keep a little "emergency kit" packed and ready to send with the adult that is going to be caring for the child in the absence of the parents. For us, this included Benadryl, Epi Pens, and a detailed, instructional 3x5 card outlining what to do in the event of an allergic reaction, including emergency phone numbers. Epi Pens (if required) are easy to use, but a brief tutorial should still be given to the caregiver. An emergency situation is no time to be reading instructions!

My son is now a teenager and carries his own Epi Pen. I feel confident now that he knows what to avoid and when to seek help. I still worry sometimes, but I'm a mom!

[jaxs mom]

On 4/7/2015 k9mama said:

On 4/7/2015 jaxs mom said:

According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and immunology coconut is a fruit not a tree nut.

<br />

<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px; color: #646464; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 26px;"> People with tree nut allergies often wonder if they must also avoid coconut and nutmeg. <p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px; color: #646464; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 26px;"> Coconut is not a botanical nut; it is classified as a fruit, even though the Food and Drug Administration recognizes coconut as a tree nut. While allergic reactions to coconut have been documented, most people who are allergic to tree nuts can safely eat coconut. If you are allergic to tree nuts, talk to your allergist before adding coconut to your diet. <p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 10px; color: #646464; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 26px;"> Nutmeg is a spice that is derived from seeds, not nuts. It may be safely consumed by people with a tree nut allergy

As the person who introduced coconut into this discussion...

When I casually mentioned to my pediatrician that we had discovered my daughter was allergic to coconut, she stopped in her tracks and arranged for a full battery of allergy testing with a specialist...blood work, food challenges, etc. That's how her tree nut allergy was identified.

In MANY people, allergies to tree nuts and coconut occur together. Period. To post something like this is in no way helpful to the OP or her granddaughter. You will note that in my original post, I did reference disagreement among allergists about the classification of coconut.

Having a decade's worth of experience in parenting a child with allergies, I can say two things very surely: 1. Allergies get WORSE, not better, with time. 2. You can NEVER be too cautious, but you can easily endanger your child by not being cautious enough.

I have allergies and an allergist, I'd never see a GP for my allergy issues. I've also been tested, by my allergist. Sure people can be allergic to both tree nuts and coconuts. It doesn't change the fact that coconuts aren't tree nuts and testing positive for one doesn't mean you are allergic to the other.

And really it's the OPs daughters job to inform her of whatever dietary restrictions are needed based on the daughter's consultations with their allergist.

[ValuSkr]

Do you think vaccinations are to blame for tree nut allergies?

[wonderfulworld]

---

@k9mama wrote:

On 4/7/2015 jaxs mom said:

According to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and immunology coconut is a fruit not a tree nut.

People with tree nut allergies often wonder if they must also avoid coconut and nutmeg.

Coconut is not a botanical nut; it is classified as a fruit, even though the Food and Drug Administration recognizes coconut as a tree nut. While allergic reactions to coconut have been documented, most people who are allergic to tree nuts can safely eat coconut. If you are allergic to tree nuts, talk to your allergist before adding coconut to your diet.

Nutmeg is a spice that is derived from seeds, not nuts. It may be safely consumed by people with a tree nut allergy

As the person who introduced coconut into this discussion...

When I casually mentioned to my pediatrician that we had discovered my daughter was allergic to coconut, she stopped in her tracks and arranged for a full battery of allergy testing with a specialist...blood work, food challenges, etc. That's how her tree nut allergy was identified.

In MANY people, allergies to tree nuts and coconut occur together. Period. To post something like this is in no way helpful to the OP or her granddaughter. You will note that in my original post, I did reference disagreement among allergists about the classification of coconut.

Having a decade's worth of experience in parenting a child with allergies, I can say two things very surely: 1. Allergies get WORSE, not better, with time. 2. You can NEVER be too cautious, but you can easily endanger your child by not being cautious enough.

---

My son developed tree nut allergies in his 30's. He carries 2 epi pens in case one malfunctions.

He had a massage and the oil had coconut in it and his back had a significant reacrion.

He is taking allergy shots....he was told that even though they cannot desensitize you to food that dampening down the system in General (such as trees, rag weed pollen) sometimes can diminish the reaction if he accidentally eats a tree nut.

Peanuts are no problem for him.

[wonderfulworld]

What confuses me is this:if I box (say cake mix) says this is manufactured in a plant that uses equipment that processes tree nuts BUT they are not listed in the ingredients, should you still avoid it?

Many thanks.

[Mj12]

---

@wonderfulworld wrote:

What confuses me is this:if I box (say cake mix) says this is manufactured in a plant that uses equipment that processes tree nuts BUT they are not listed in the ingredients, should you still avoid it?

Many thanks.

---

I absolutely don't touch anything labeled that way - it's processed in a facility that uses that ingredient in other products.  Think of peanut dust/particles.  RUN from anything labeled like that.  There is no point in taking a chance, no matter how small.

[adoreqvc]

I have heard about allergies promoting anaphylatic shock and using EPI Pens, but was wondering if after administering the EPI PEN shot should an ambulance with life support be called to get the person right to the hospital for further treatment and observation?

Thanks for any and all replies.

[Mj12]

Any time the epi pen is administered, you must take that person to the ER.  No question.  Sometimes another dose of Epi or a breathing treatment is needed, sometimes hospitalization for observation is needed.  And at a minimum, you'll need a new rx for another Epi to get right away.