Mom to Mom

[LTT1]

@Nataliesgramma as a teacher who liked to give out goodies for rewards, I found over the last four years that allergies were more commonly made known to us by the parents.  The students who had sensitivities to various foods (Peanuts/strawberries/red dye) would remind me and I would get treats that were different for them.  

Rarely would a treat be allergen-free (most, even plain chocolate, was produced in a "factory that processes peanuts and soy")... 

I agree with the idea that in order to keep your child safe, the more information they have the better they can help protect themselves.  

[adoreqvc]

Thanks MJ12....

Calling an ambulance and explaining what happened makes sense, so they can come quickly and transport the patient to the Hospital ER, and meanwhile also to ensure the ambulance has everything they may need to administer to the person, while they are transporting them to the ER.

[LTT1]

@Nataliesgramma
Take the epi pen with you at all times.
It came to me just now that it is true, according to my training at school and our allergist, an epi pen used once is considered to be a holdover situation. Yes, call 911 immediately. Often one epi shot is not the end of the treatment.
Disney Workd, I am guessing, is very aware of allergens and food reactions. I'd call the park ahead of time and see what recommendations they may have. Treats/ meals out would be limited to the restaurants which the park tells you can guarantee that their nut-free items are exactly that. They may have a medic number to call while at the park if an emergency should happen. I would also call your grandchild's allergist for more recommendations.
Hope you all will have a fun, safe time!

[adoreqvc]

Many thanks lovestoteach!

[LTT1]

@adoreqvc  May I add that ANY chocolate is a suspect until PROVEN innocent!

I'd love to know how you do on your trip... would you please update when you find out new information? TIA

[wonderfulworld]

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@wonderfulworld wrote:

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@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.

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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.

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I wanted to clarify and error I made in my posting. My son had a massage with ALMOND oil in it and broke out in a rash. He is fine with coconut. I am sorry for the error.