How did peanut allergies present in your DC?

[jgenie]

We gave DS2 peanut butter today for the first time. He had a small amount on a piece of bread at lunch. He didn't seem to have any reaction immediately but when I was rocking him to sleep for his nap a short while later he was rubbing his nose and eyes furiously. He took a nap and wasn't rubbing when he woke up. We gave him a small amount at dinner and he had the same reaction with the rubbing. We have no history of allergies in either family. We won't be giving him any more peanut butter until we can get a definitive answer but I wanted to check in here for BTDT. TIA

[MSWR0319]

The first time he had a smal little amount of pB on his finger and licked it. About 15min later I noticed one or two hives. I wasn't even sure if they were hives because they weren't really that raised or big. Two weeks later DH ate PB and picked DS up and he had hives on his trunk where DH had touched him. it couldn't hurt to talk to the pedi, I'd rather be safe than sorry.

[AnnieW625]

sending hugs and hope that everything goes well and that your child doesn't have an allergy. Now I too am informed :bag goes over head and leaves forum.

[DrSally]

I personally wouldn't try it again until you talk to your ped. Most people I know, it presents initially as rash/hives, but you never know. You don't have an epipen at home, so I would play it safe until you get your peds advice.

[MamaMolly]

Not in a million bajillion kazillion years would I ever recommend anyone give a peanut product to anyone they suspect might possibly even have a whiff of an allergy. Never, ever. Because peanut allergy reactions are a total crapshoot.

Logically, you'd think that exposure 1 would be rubbing the nose, exposure 4 would be hives, and not until exposure 10 or something, or if eating a while jar would the reaction go anaphylactic. But nooooooooooo. That is where peanut allergies totally suck. They don't follow a logical, linear progression. They don't gradually get worse. You *never* know, from one exposure to the next, how severe the reaction will be. So it is within reason that exposure 1 and 2 could be nose and eye rubbing, and exposure 3 can be tragic. Or nothing at all, just to lull you into a false sense of security.

Now, it could be that the sun was in your darling's eyes. Or dust. Or angel kisses. But why would you ever take a gamble like that?

FTR: Lula's peanut allergy presented as a +blood test, then an accidental exposure in a cookie. She started coughing and shoved her whole hand in her mouth trying to scratch the back of her throat. Then her bottom lip swelled up really, really, big. Then we had a +scratch test. We tote epipens everywhere we go.

[justlearning]

DS had a small bite of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich when he was 1, which he immediately spit out. He then almost instantly began getting hives all over his face--huge hives and his face completely puffed up.

So his reaction was extreme but I would still be very careful in your situation and would advise getting your DS allergy tested before giving any more nuts (as it sounds like you're planning on doing). In our family, we have absolutely no history of food allergies (immediate family as well as extended family) yet DS is still severely allergic to most nuts.

[Mom Magic]

When my son was about 18 months old I gave him a little peanut butter on a cracker. Soon after, he was rubbing his eyes, which looked very red and runny and swollen. His nose also got very runny. I described his symptoms at the next ped appointment and we were sent for a RAST blood test, which came back positive for peanut allergy. We have no family history of any food allergies. We carry an epi-pen everywhere, but have never had to use it.

So yes, the symptoms you describe could definitely be a peanut allergy.

Andie

[bubbaray]

Not in a million bajillion kazillion years would I ever recommend anyone give a peanut product to anyone they suspect might possibly even have a whiff of an allergy. Never, ever. Because peanut allergy reactions are a total crapshoot.

Logically, you'd think that exposure 1 would be rubbing the nose, exposure 4 would be hives, and not until exposure 10 or something, or if eating a while jar would the reaction go anaphylactic. But nooooooooooo. That is where peanut allergies totally suck. They don't follow a logical, linear progression. They don't gradually get worse. You *never* know, from one exposure to the next, how severe the reaction will be. So it is within reason that exposure 1 and 2 could be nose and eye rubbing, and exposure 3 can be tragic. Or nothing at all, just to lull you into a false sense of security.

Now, it could be that the sun was in your darling's eyes. Or dust. Or angel kisses. But why would you ever take a gamble like that?



:yeahthat:

[brgnmom]

I personally wouldn't try it again until you talk to your ped. Most people I know, it presents initially as rash/hives, but you never know. You don't have an epipen at home, so I would play it safe until you get your peds advice.

I agree with this. peanut oil allergy runs on my side of the family - my sister has to carry around an epi pen w/ her at all times. I was with her when she had her first reaction. We were at a restaurant and I remember her face starting to swell up w/ hives after she tried a dish, and she started to have trouble breathing. It was scary, and I fortunately took her to the ER just in time.

DS doesn't seem to have peanut allergies, but I rarely offer him peanut butter or anything w/ peanut oil. I think he tried peanut butter around the age of 2 for the first time b/c of the family history of allergies. He does have eczema though - and I'm still not sure whether it may be related to some food sensitivities.

[veronica]

I have to echo all PP's: do not give or try a product with peanuts again.

Go to your ped and explain what happened. They likely should not do a skin/blood test for a few weeks, until the current exposure is out of the system.

And, a family history of ANY type of allergy (i.e. seasonal, dust, grass, etc.) can predispose you to a food allergy. We found this out with DD, when neither my nor DH's family have any food allergies, before DD's peanut allergy.

[SASM]

Rash around mouth and a few hives. Good luck, sweetie! :(

[alexsmommy]

I get a burning/ itching sensation, the swelling.... Do not give it again, each reaction will become more intense if he's allergic. I'd call for testing asap.

[almostamom]

DS' first exposure to nuts was a cookie that was cross-contaminated (no nuts in the actual cookie it had just been on a sheet where peanut butter cookies once were). He had hives all over his neck and torso and was itching and scratching. His second exposure was in the allergist's office for a food challenge. He went into anaphylaxis on step one (an amount of peaut butter smaller than a grain of rice).

I agree with all of the pps who say do not give your child any peanut butter until you have allergy testing done.

Linda

[Purple18]

I couldn't agree more with the PP - please don't give your DC any nut products until you see a pediatric allergist for testing - reactions are totally unpredictable. My son's first exposure to peanut (a peanut butter cookie) resulted in a full on alaphylactic reaction about 10 minutes after he got up from the table. It started with a hoarse sounding cough and within minutes he literally could not breathe, was drooling, swelled up to the point that it looked like his eyes were sunken, had rashy hives all over his body causing him to rub his entire body into the carpeting to scratch, etc..... We live literally 5 minutes from a hospital and DH & I just threw him into the car and drove him over there and ran in with him ranting and raving like a lunatic until someone stuck him with an epi pen. He was 2 1/2. It was the scariest moment of my life. I don't want to scare you, but I would rather you didn't have your DC scare you! It's not horrible to avoid peanuts/nuts at least until you know more, but the reaction can be. Good luck and I hope it is not an allergy!

[Pinky]

Wow, I had no idea that peanut allergies could be so severe even on the first exposure. I'm glad that I read this thread and OP I hope that your DC isn't allergic.

This thread makes me wish I could request peanut allergy testing before we ever let her try it... don't suppose they'd go for that?

[AnnieW625]

Wow, I had no idea that peanut allergies could be so severe even on the first exposure. I'm glad that I read this thread and OP I hope that your DC isn't allergic.

This thread makes me wish I could request peanut allergy testing before we ever let her try it... don't suppose they'd go for that?

honestly just try it. I am in the camp that I'd rather try it early than wait because IMHO the longer you wait the more likely you are to have an allergy to something. We tried peanut butter with both of my girls at about 10 months.

[Pinky]

honestly just try it. I am in the camp that I'd rather try it early than wait because IMHO the longer you wait the more likely you are to have an allergy to something.
My dad keeps telling me that he thinks more kids have allergies to nuts nowadays because so many people wait so long to let them have PB etc... I often wonder if there is any truth to that.

After reading this thread I'm petrified that her first association could be anaphylactic. I just can't even imagine!

[AnnieW625]

My dad keeps telling me that he thinks more kids have allergies to nuts nowadays because so many people wait so long to let them have PB etc... I often wonder if there is any truth to that.

After reading this thread I'm petrified that her first association could be anaphylactic. I just can't even imagine!

You have to try it once and I was in the opinion both times that it was better just to get it over with vs. having her get a hold of a sandwich and breaking out at preschool and me not being there.

Trying not to hijack but outside of this board I know of one adult with a peanut allergy (and his kids 5, and 3 who haven't been tested yet), and one 6 yr. old who has peanut allergy who we see on a regular basis. I have one cousin who is allergic to walnuts. It could just be the area that we live in and it's not that prevalent, but I think it's more prevalent here because the people who parent children that just happen to have peanut or other nut/food allergies know where to research stuff and know where to get answers here like message boards so honestly I always think that the results here are going to be way more skewed than they are in real life. DD1 starts elementary school in the fall so I am sure we'll run into more down the road, but honestly I thought by now if food allergies esp. nuts were such a huge epidemic (and I am not downplaying allergies at all) that I would've run into more people with some sort of allergy other than fish or shellfish.

[Pinky]

You have to try it once and I was in the opinion both times that it was better just to get it over with vs. having her get a hold of a sandwich and breaking out at preschool and me not being there.


That's a very good point! Thanks.

[Purple18]

I too was extremely happy this reaction occurred at home as opposed to at day care. I think there are currently so many opinions among allergists about whether to expose a child to allergens early vs. late. We were advised to wait since we have allergies in our family - some food, some seasonal, but no peanut. We were told that allergies more generally are what run in families, but they may manifest differently (i.e. DS1 with peanut and crab, me & DH with seasonal, my mom with seasonal, my brother with bee stings and seasonal, my dad's mom with cantaloupe). I believe the current thinking is that if you don't have a family history of allergies, you can just introduce nuts like you would any other new food but I would check with your pediatrician if you are concerned. But with our history, we knew that the recommendation at the time was to wait and I would rather have the reaction we had at age 2+ vs. <1 year.

The important thing to remember is that if your child is eating something new and seems to be having a reaction that involves a breathing issue, please don't hesitate to call 911. These reactions progress so quickly it's just not worth the risk.

I've read so many theories about why there is such an increase in severe allergies even among kids with no family history (environmental factors, lack of exposure, etc..????) but nobody really knows yet. I do know that research is being to done figure it out so that a "cure" can be found.

I should add to my "story" that DS1 had hives intermittently prior to his reaction, but on his legs and arms, etc. They were never able to find the cause but we were seeing dermatologists for it, but I wonder if it was that he was getting trace amounts of peanut in things like regular M&Ms, restaurant food, etc...In retrospect, I cannot believe I wasn't advised to have food allergy testing done. I also ate a ton of peanut butter while I was pregnant and nursing so he did have some exposure - there have been studies showing both sides of this as well - some say there's a link and some say there isn't. I know it's not scientific, but I ate minimal peanut while pregnant and nursing DS2 and he seems to only have seasonal (technically too young to conclude on this) and a kiwi allergy - he reacted to kiwi with an itchy tongue and throat at home as well, but no breathing issues involved. We need to have him tested to confirm.