AAHH! Peanut allergy moms

[Melaine]

I think I know the answer to this already but just to make sure.

We were at a playdate today with the girls best friends, one of whom is 4 years old and has a fairly serious nut allergy. DDs were playing with some of her toys and the friend offered to let them borrow them. Normally I am not big on borrowing, but I wanted to encourage the kindness of offering from a 4 year old so I said ok.

We came home and DD was eating a snack and she picked up the horse with PEANUT butter on her hands. ARGH! This is not a hard plastic horse, but a soft velvety horse figure. It was from some kind of show and is not something I can pick up at Target. I wiped it clean with a wipe but I guess I need to give it a soap and water bath.

Question being, even so, will it be safe to give her? Do I need to find a replacement, the price on the box is $30 and I cannot find it by googling. I guess I will just tell DF and see if she is worried about it. The thing is, I hate borrowing for just this kind of reason, but said yes just to be nice.

[Green_Tea]

I think I know the answer to this already but just to make sure.

We were at a playdate today with the girls best friends, one of whom is 4 years old and has a fairly serious nut allergy. DDs were playing with some of her toys and the friend offered to let them borrow them. Normally I am not big on borrowing, but I wanted to encourage the kindness of offering from a 4 year old so I said ok.

We came home and DD was eating a snack and she picked up the horse with PEANUT butter on her hands. ARGH! This is not a hard plastic horse, but a soft velvety horse figure. It was from some kind of show and is not something I can pick up at Target. I wiped it clean with a wipe but I guess I need to give it a soap and water bath.

Question being, even so, will it be safe to give her? Do I need to find a replacement, the price on the box is $30 and I cannot find it by googling. I guess I will just tell DF and see if she is worried about it. The thing is, I hate borrowing for just this kind of reason, but said yes just to be nice.

I would ask the mom if it's OK to give back to her. My DD1 (8 years old) is allergic to peanuts, but would be completely fine if I gave that kind of toy a soap and water bath. No harm, no foul. But she doesn't have a huge contact reaction - her issue is ingestion. Other kids have contact issues, though. Try not worry about it until you know if you need to!

[robinsmommy]

Is this a tree nut allergy that she has or a peanut allergy? We have lots of friends with one or the other, but not necessarily both. If friend is allergic only to tree nuts, it should be ok. If she is allergic to peanuts, I'd talk with her mama and see what she says.

[Melaine]

Yes, she is specifically allergic to peanuts. I am definitely going to tell her mom about it, I just want to know if she is going to say it is fine to me and then have to throw it away. I don't think she will tell me to go buy another one, but if she can't have it back then I do want to replace, if that makes sense.

[MSWR0319]

DS breaks out in hives from peanut contact. Our only reactions have been after DH ate PB and then picked up DS out of the high chair. This is how we found out about the allergy. That being said, if you washed it well and see no signs of the PB, I "think" I would be ok with it as long as someone told me what had happened. The reason I'd be ok with it is because our ped. allergist said a peanut protein is "active" to touch for up to 4 hours. So, I'd just tell her what happened and let her decide.

[BabbyO]

Yes, she is specifically allergic to peanuts. I am definitely going to tell her mom about it, I just want to know if she is going to say it is fine to me and then have to throw it away. I don't think she will tell me to go buy another one, but if she can't have it back then I do want to replace, if that makes sense.

I think I'd tell the mom just what you said here. If her daughter can't use it anymore, you'd like to replace it (and of course apologize). Maybe she can tell you where/how it can be replaced. If not, I'd just give her a GC or $$ toward the replacement of a similar item.

I had a different, but similar situation happen when I somehow got bleach on a nursing pj top that my friend lent me. I'm usually VERY good about lent clothes/items...this was such a fluke thing and I felt HORRIBLE, because I knew she wanted it back for when she got pg again.

I looked and looked, but couldn't find the item in her size (it was out of season when I returned it to her...so not much on the racks or even online). I got her a GC for the store that I knew she got it from, returned the damaged item, and apologized profusely. I figured if it were me, I'd still use the top since it was just pjs...and I only wear them around the house...but I'd also be grateful that my friend recognized she ruined something of mine and she respected me enough to want to replace it.

[MamaMolly]

It would be outside my comfort level to give it back to Lula if I were in the other mom's shoes, but I also wouldn't want you to worry about it. We don't loan out things that are so precious that it would be a lot of drama to replace. You are kind to offer.

[Melaine]

Thanks everyone. She called about something else so I told her and she said she thinks after a bath the horse will be fine. I told her I will sort of scrub it with a sponge and she can inspect it of course afterwards. She did not seem to be worried about it and I am really glad to hear about the 4 hour thing. Just so ironic that the ONE thing we borrow gets PB on it, when the owner is allergic! Hate borrowing and lending!