ADVICE Regarding Peanut Allergies

[Ariana]

Ask the mom how severe the allergy is. I once had a child who was allergic to peanuts, but only if he ingested them. The child next to him could eat peanut butter and it wouldn't cause a reaction.

He once reached out and took a bite off another child's plate (he was 18 months old!) His outer mouth area got red and splotchy, but that was all. But it scared me. What if he had been deathly allergic? Kids are quick and he grabbed the food before I could stop him.

I was more than willing to serve him something different....but to be honest, I would not take a child who had a severe allergy. I could not guarantee that other kids wouldn't come with peanut butter on their clothes, in their mouth etc. and I couldn't count on the parents to tell me if they had just had any nuts.

Too much of a risk for me to be willing to take.

I would also caution that often times being able to ingest a substance with a slight reaction can be the beginning stage of a severe reaction. Eventhough a child isn't severely allergic he could develop a severe allergy to it at any time. This is often the time when it is most fatal because there are no epi pens and no one is expecting it. We were very versed in allergic reactions when I worked at a centre. All of this stuff was told to us by a pediatric allergist. This is why so many places just go "peanut free". It's pretty scary stuff My advice would be to request an epi pen no matter what.

[saved4always]

I would also caution that often times being able to ingest a substance with a slight reaction can be the beginning stage of a severe reaction. Eventhough a child isn't severely allergic he could develop a severe allergy to it at any time. This is often the time when it is most fatal because there are no epi pens and no one is expecting it. We were very versed in allergic reactions when I worked at a centre. All of this stuff was told to us by a pediatric allergist. This is why so many places just go "peanut free". It's pretty scary stuff My advice would be to request an epi pen no matter what.

Yes...each time a child ingests peanuts when they have a peanut allergy, the reaction gets worse. That was the case for my daughter. It is not an allergy that kids seem to outgrow. If he has a peanut allergy, I would insist that she bring you an epipen. It only takes a little bit to cause a reaction.

[Sunchimes]

I have a toddler with a peanut allergy. I went peanut free and all of the other parents know we have a peanut allergy.

One word of caution, peanuts hide in unexpected places. I provide her food, because I'm the only one in my house who eats PB, and I gave it up when I got her. There hasn't been PB in my house since last July.

But, I have to read every single label. She was here for dinner the other night and I was going to make shake n' bake chicken using a store brand coating. While it was cooking, I remembered to look at the box and it was made in a plant that processed peanut products. When we eat lunch out, I have to ask if they use peanut oil. We took her to the State Fair and she couldn't have a corny dog because they use peanut oil. I have a cabinet for my day care food, and I know that everything on that shelf is ok. If I fix something not on that shelf, I've trained myself to read the labels.

This one is also allergic to milk and eggs. She seems to have outgrown the egg problem, and milk products are ok. She can have yogurt and cheese and butter. We hope she will outgrow the milk part soon. My little sister did.

[SandeeAR]

If I ever have a child in my care, develop peanut allergies, I sadly, would have to give them up. I am type II diabetic. Peanut butter is a staple in my diet. When my sugar drops, I head for the peanut butter. I have it in various forms in my home, crackers, granola bars and from the jar. My health would come first. It just wouldn't be safe for a peanut allergy child to be in my home.

[WImom]

I have a peanut Allergy DCB and a Tree Nut Allergy DCG here. They are both mild allergy's though. I just don't serve anything made with any nuts or processed on equipment with nuts. (Both parents are okay if it's process on equipment with nuts but I just don't want to take that chance).
I also made all the parents aware and remind them when they offer to bring treats. We use Soynut butter for anything that normally would call for peanut butter.

I do have my dc seperated from my house otherwise I don't think I could do it. I LOVE peanut butter!

[MsMe]

I have a peanut Allergy DCB and a Tree Nut Allergy DCG here. They are both mild allergy's though. I just don't serve anything made with any nuts or processed on equipment with nuts. (Both parents are okay if it's process on equipment with nuts but I just don't want to take that chance).
I also made all the parents aware and remind them when they offer to bring treats. We use Soynut butter for anything that normally would call for peanut butter.

I do have my dc seperated from my house otherwise I don't think I could do it. I LOVE peanut butter!

Where do you get your soy nut butter? I used to get a walmart brand with an orange lid, but they stopped making it

I have been PB free for 13 years. The smell of PB actually really bothers me now and I can pick it up from amile away. My boyfriend loves pb and as I am even pb free at home (so my brother has a safe enviroment to visit) I would like to get him some more.

[momma2girls]

I once had an older girl with a milk allergy for the summer only. It was very hard!! I don't know if I would ever do that again!! She was deathly allergic to all milk products!! She has to sit at a seperate table in the lunch room at school, she has had milk accidentally spilled on her, and she instantly needs her epi pen given to her. She will stop breathing, has done it before. Way too much risk involved.

[SunshineMama]

I was eating cereal this morning and read the side of the box, that said my peanut free cereal was made in the same place where peanuts and soy are processed.

i thought about your post, and how, if you provide food for a child with a peanut allergy, how stressful that would be. You would literally have to read every single label of every item in your house and police everything. I wouldn't go through that, personally.

[KDC]

Depends on Severity...

My son has a peanut allergy (not tree nuts). His is only a 1.2 on a 5 point scale, with 5 being the worst. If he gets peanut butter on his skin, a hive may appear and Benedryl will need to be administered. If he eats it, well... it's only happened once and he broke out in hives and Benedryl took care of it, but there's no guarantee of what will happen as others have said it could be worse the second time around. I'm a licensed daycare provider, & my son is around peanut butter, but I'm his Mom... I can make sure everyone around him has washed their hands & I use special plates/cups to avoid cross contamination. It's worked for me for the past 1.5 years. I probably would have a peanut free zone if it were another DCK.

His parents may have reacted the way they did because, he may have a 'slight' allergy. Where anything processed or made on same equipment may NOT give him a reaction. They're probably not negligent parents... but may be a bit naive to what is at risk. It's such a common allergy, I felt the Dr.'s assumed a lot during the consultation. I needed to ask they he be tested so I could be sure it was just peanuts & so that I could asses the severity.

If you're not willing to make the changes to keep it a safe environment (which, I understand ... it's not easy -- not judging!) but it would probably be best to let them go. Cost benefit analysis 101... Is keeping a full-time child on the roster worth going peanut free? If the answer is NO... might be time to have the difficult conversation.

My son realizes at 2.5 years old that peanut butter makes him sick. His brother can have something he can't, but he gets grilled cheese and he's more than fine with that. Everything else on the plate would be identical. I can't imagine how the kids would react if someone else brought their own food and had a yummy yogurt with crumbled oreo's, and chips while they had cottage cheese and rice cakes. Just thinking about it makes my blood pressure rise!!

Good Luck!

[WImom]

MsMe - I get it at Woodmans. Not sure where your at but you probably don't have one unless your in WI/Il.

The brand I get is: I.M. Healthy Unsweetened Creamy Soynut Butter
You can order it online places too.

[KDC]

PB Alternative...great reviews

This is a soy butter that used to be at Walmart... Great reviews and kids LOVE It... tastes like the real stuff=)

http://www.amazon.com/Clown-Gysin-Bu.../dp/B001EPQMMK A little more expensive than JIF though

[Ariana]

I was eating cereal this morning and read the side of the box, that said my peanut free cereal was made in the same place where peanuts and soy are processed.

i thought about your post, and how, if you provide food for a child with a peanut allergy, how stressful that would be. You would literally have to read every single label of every item in your house and police everything. I wouldn't go through that, personally.

My friends kid has a peanut allergy and she has to call the companies and ask how they clean their machines in between production lines. It's pretty intense!

[Sunchimes]

[QUOTE=SunshineMama;191975

i thought about your post, and how, if you provide food for a child with a peanut allergy, how stressful that would be. You would literally have to read every single label of every item in your house and police everything. I wouldn't go through that, personally.[/QUOTE]

That's what I do. I have a bookcase in my kitchen for peanut-free dc food. Nothing goes on those shelves until I've read the labels. If it is on that shelf, I know it is safe. In the refrigerator, I have some plastic bins for DC things. If things are in the yellow bins, they are safe. Hubby knows the rules and is very careful in the kitchen. I spend a lot of time in the store squinting at labels. ::

Even with all that, she had dinner with us last week. This isn't unheard of but isn't common either. Without even thinking, I fixed that chicken and was almost ready to serve it before I realized that I hadn't read the label.

We don't know if she has tree nut allergies. She hasn't been tested for them yet, so I don't take any chances.

Do you know how many places don't seem to know if they use peanut oil when they cook? I don't know how many restaurants couldn't tell me. It's weird.

[Crazy8]

If I ever have a child in my care, develop peanut allergies, I sadly, would have to give them up. I am type II diabetic. Peanut butter is a staple in my diet. When my sugar drops, I head for the peanut butter. I have it in various forms in my home, crackers, granola bars and from the jar. My health would come first. It just wouldn't be safe for a peanut allergy child to be in my home.

same here, minus the diabetes. I would not be willing to make that drastic a change in my household for a daycare child and would unfortunately terminate services. God forbid another child even came in after having PB on toast for breakfast - you just never know and I am not willing to take that risk.

[MsMe]

This is a soy butter that used to be at Walmart... Great reviews and kids LOVE It... tastes like the real stuff=)

http://www.amazon.com/Clown-Gysin-Bu.../dp/B001EPQMMK A little more expensive than JIF though

THANK YOU!!! I don't know if you saw my earlier post but I was just talking about the soy nut butter they used to have at Walmart!!!


Thank you!!!!!!