Peanut Allergy

[MarinaVanessa]

I have a new client starting in 2 weeks. The DCG is almost 3yo with a peanut allergy and will be going to her pediatrician soon for another allergy test to check for severity and other possible allergens. Since she'll start before we know more I wanted to ask you all for advice.

We commonly have peanut butter sandwiches but obviously I won't provide them to her and actually I'm thinking about not serving peanut butter at all while she is here (she'll be here PT 3 days a week) to prevent any accidental mixing up of the food etc. I was wondering what a good replacement for peanut butter would be, any ideas? As far as I know the mom didn't mention any other allergens to other types of nuts but I'm still leery about using something nut based like Nutella as a replacement KWIM? Is there something else that tastes similar that kids would like that isn't made with nuts?

Anything else that is commonly given to kids that have peanuts in it that isn't really obvious to me? I wouldn't want to give her something that had peanuts in it on accident. I already checked my bread (12 grain) but I was wondering if there was something else.

[Angelwings36]

I take children with peanut and nut allergies. I also grew up with a younger brother who had severe allergies to peanuts and nuts. There is traces of nuts in most everything! Peanut/nut allergies are really serious allergies and need to be taken seriously with all precautions set out.

When you have a child with peanut allergies and especially if nut allergies has not been ruled out yet it would be best to check the ingredients in everything you serve and do not serve fresh baked bread or anything from the bakery because they use nuts in their facilities and the baking can become contaminated.

Also children with peanut/nut allergies can have a reaction not only from consuming the food but from just the smell. So if you are going to accommodate a peanut/nut allergy I would suggest changing your daycare to a peanut/nut free facility fully. Meaning at no time during daycare hours would there be peanuts/nuts offered or around the children at any time.

I will also not accept a child with a peanut/nut allergy UNLESS I am given an epipen in case of an emergency. No epipen equals no care here and no exceptions!

Have you ever dealt with a peanut/nut allergy before?

This is not an allergy where a child MIGHT get an upset stomach, the runs or a rash. This is an allergy where the child's throat can close in minutes making it impossible for the child to get oxygen.

[joysjustlikehome]

There is sun nut butter or almond butter. I get asthma from just the smell of peanut butter.

[Solandia]

I would not take a child with a peanut allergy. I would be completely unable to keep my house safe for that child. Each and every one of my daycare kids has something peanut buttery for breakfast most days. I would have to require all the kids change clothes, brush teeth & wash up every single morning upon arrival...because, based on previous experience...one cannot restrict this from home a guaranteed 100%. My own kids also eat PB&Js frequently, my 13yo takes those for after track meets (virtually the only cheap thing that stays good for 12hours and the PB alternatives are gross to her except the sunbutter & that is hit or miss at the store). I would be completely unwilling to accommodate a major lifestyle change in order to keep a peanut allergic child safe at this point in my life.

[wdmmom]

My son's teacher has a severe peanut allergy. Apparently so bad the smell makes her sick. She sent home this HUGE note saying not to send snacks with any kind of peanut butter in them. They can't even be brought into the classroom!

I would talk to DCM and have her ask the child's pediatrician to see if there is a another type of "spread" you can use.

I would think that Nutella would be an option. Our school system serves Sun Butter. It's "peanut butter" made from sunflower seeds. It smells like peanut butter but I think the taste is horrendous. It takes like imitation peanut butter. I don't think it would be a good substitute.

If all else fails, make it loose meat sandwich day.

[Crazy8]

you need to do A LOT of research - as of now I would assume you can not serve anything w/nuts of any kind or anything made in factories that have nuts. Many children can not come in contact with PB or even be near it and the severity of the allergy can change without warning at any time. Start reading labels big time, you will find so many things that you don't expect will be "processed in a factory that may contain nut products" - I remember one time looking for a snack for my son's class and even things like pretzels weren't safe!!!

Personally I do not take children with peanut allergies as all my families bring their own lunches and I do not want the liability it brings.

[saved4always]

How peanut-free you need to be really depends on the child's sensitivity to it. My 10 yo dd has a peanut allergy but she actually has to ingest something with peanuts or peanut butter in it to have a reaction. She can safely eat things that have on their labels that the item was packaged in a facility that processes peanuts. If an ingredient is peanuts or nuts though, we stay away from it. She has an epipen here and at school just in case. Peanut allergies do seem to get worse each time the child ingests peanuts and has a reaction. My dd's first couple reactions only needed benedryl...the last one a couple years ago required an epipen and a trip to the ER. That was a very scary one we are trying very hard not to repeat.

Her brothers still eat peanut butter but they know not to leave the utensils used for it on the counter and wipe up after themselves. She is fine being at school with other children who bring peanut butter in their lunches. She knows to ask if there are peanuts in something before she eats somewhere else...she just stays away from all nuts because that is easier. We go through her halloween candy and remove all peanut items (they go to dad and her brothers).

At the beginning of the year, the school tried to put her at a peanut free table at lunch...this was totally not necessary in her case and kept her away from her girl friends during the only time they got to visit during the day. Luckily, that only lasted a week. While her allergy is severe when she ingests peanuts (hives, trouble breathing, nausea, vomitting, itchy/swollen lips and closing airway), she shows no sign of smelling another person's sandwich affecting her. She is older of course, so she knows enough not to touch it. Younger kids would not understand the danger, so I would definitely be peanut free during daycare hours. When I was doing daycare in my home, I never fed the daycare kids anything with peanuts just because they are more likely to get it on themselves and track it more into the house...a very unlikely danger in my dd's case since she is at school while they were here, but still a precaution I took just to be absolutely safe.

Definitely communicate closely with the parents about what is safe for thier child and what is not. And definitely insist on an epipen.

[MsMe]

I take children with peanut and nut allergies. I also grew up with a younger brother who had severe allergies to peanuts and nuts. There is traces of nuts in most everything! Peanut/nut allergies are really serious allergies and need to be taken seriously with all precautions set out.

When you have a child with peanut allergies and especially if nut allergies has not been ruled out yet it would be best to check the ingredients in everything you serve and do not serve fresh baked bread or anything from the bakery because they use nuts in their facilities and the baking can become contaminated.

Also children with peanut/nut allergies can have a reaction not only from consuming the food but from just the smell. So if you are going to accommodate a peanut/nut allergy I would suggest changing your daycare to a peanut/nut free facility fully. Meaning at no time during daycare hours would there be peanuts/nuts offered or around the children at any time.

I will also not accept a child with a peanut/nut allergy UNLESS I am given an epipen in case of an emergency. No epipen equals no care here and no exceptions!

Have you ever dealt with a peanut/nut allergy before?

This is not an allergy where a child MIGHT get an upset stomach, the runs or a rash. This is an allergy where the child's throat can close in minutes making it impossible for the child to get oxygen.

This is a great response and exactly what I would have said ( I too have a little brother who is deathly allergic.)

I take PB allergy DCK bc my daycare and home is complety PB free. Peanuts are in SO many things you wouldn't even think to check (that is why you have to chack everything!!!)

I would not feel safe with a PB allergy of ANY level in a home that is not 100% safe!

Like this poster said they don't get sick they DIE. Please be safe and if you need any help or advice on being PB free I would love to help.

[MarinaVanessa]

Angelwings36
I was leery because I had heard that there was traces of peanuts in a lot of food and that is why I want to prepare myself now. I've never known anyone with a peanut allergy before so I don't have experience with it however I see it as a "special need" and just like other special needs I'm willing to work with it. The allergy isn't severe and the girl is fine around the smell and is fine even when touched by someone that has peanut butter traces on their hands or if she touches a surface that has traces of it but if she eats it she can get athsma like symptoms.

Mom says that they found out about the allergy when she gave DCG peanut butter at age 2 and so far she hasn't shown any allergic reactions to anything else and eats normal things that a family usually does. I still asked DCM to make a list of what they normally eat which she will bring tomorrow. Thanks for the heads up about the baked bread. I sometimes give the kids garlic bread from the bakery section of the grocery store when we have pasta so I think I'll bake croissants or biscuits instead from now on.

The mom does have an epipen that she will leave here just in case of an emergency. I told her the same thing, no epipen ... no care. DCM wouldn't have it any other way either.

Joysjustlikehome
Is there something that isn't made from nuts that I can use as a spread? I'm just leery that I offer something to her made of nuts and she also gets a reaction from them. DCG is having a full allergy panel done but it's not for another month and in the meantime I just don't want to risk it. I suppose I can serve yogurt as the protein and just serve jelly sandwiches.

WDmom
Thanks. I'll stay away from the Sun Butter ::. I'll wait until they get their results back before I try the Nutella. It's made of hazelut so I'm assuming it'll be fine but DCM has never given it. I thought of asking DCM to try it at home first before I serve it to her here.

Crazy 8
Thanks for the heads up on pretzels. It's something that we commonly have here for snack. I'm going to start pulling everything out and marking everything that can contain nuts.

Thanks again ladies. Keep it coming.

Solandia
I understand your concern and appreciate your viewpoint. I can understand where you are coming from and you have deffinetely given me something to think about. I personally feel that just because I do not know about something doesn't mean that I personally should reject it. I can become peanut free without any trouble and nut free after some arranging and some additional changes but I don't think either is impossible and won't effect me financially at all. Meals will change a little bit but not to the point that it makes my life difficult. I will however take it seriously and will educate myself as much as I can before the child even starts care with me. Your concerns do give me a lot to think about though and I will keep them in mind.

Saved 4Always
This DCG has only had one reaction so far (the first time she was given peanut butter) and the reaction wasn't severe but serious enough that they took her to the hospital. She was just turned 2 and got what they thought was athsma. I clean surfaces and utencils immediatly after meals and even if I didn't if she were to touch peanut butter she wouldn't have a reaction (according to mom) so I'm thinking that it's doable. I would deffinetely not serve peanut products on the days that she was here and I'm thinking that nixing peanut products altogether for all DC kids is probably better, thanks.

All in all I think that I will send a note home to the other parents just to make sure that they do not send any food from home at all.

MsME
All of the tips, opinions and info so far have been great. Anything else you could add would be appreciated too. I do really take this seriously and I in no way think that this will be a walk in the park, but I won't turn someone down just because they have an allergy. If all DCG is allergic to is peanut products then I'll stop serving peanut products and replace it with something peanut free. If it turns out that DCG is allergic to all nuts then I'll have to reevaluate the situation and maybe ask DCM to provide the food. As long as DCG doesn't eat it she's ok to smell and touch it.

[MsMe]

Walmart used to sell a Soy nut butter that I thought was just like PB (but keep in mind I have not had PB in 13 years so minght not be the best judge)

I odn't allow pB in my home but got this as an alternitive for my roomate.

You can still get it online (Amazon)

If you are interested I can dig up the info.

[joysjustlikehome]

After I posted I realized that Almond Butter probably is not a good choice at all. Sun Nut Butter is like peanut butter but it's made from sunflower seeds and it is pretty good. ~Joy

[WImom]

soynut butter is what we use here for everything that calls for peanut butter since I have one peanut allergy dcb. The kids love the stuff!

[KDC]

Not all nut allergies the same...

My Son has a peanut allergy. We found it early (just before his 2nd b-day). It is just a 'slight' allergy. His throat did not close up, and he can be around peanuts, just cannot touch, or eat peanuts. He has been tested and CAN have tree nuts. His brother has not given up peanut butter and jelly, however I have color coordinated the plates (dishwasher vs. peanut butter - dishwasher does not always win) He will break out in hives, and will require a dose of benedryl immediately. Although it could get worse with every episode, or get better, I've heard so many conflicting details of peanut allergies. We steer clear of actual peanuts or anything that may contain peanuts for his consumption. I've determined facilities that process peanuts or anything made on equipment that processes peanuts is ok (quite a rigorous process to clean the machines!)

In my opinion communication of what snacks are appropriate, feel them out for what they're comfort level is, how severe the allergy is. If you still want to continue to have peanuts in the house, are they ok with this? I would be, but other parents/kids with more severe allergies might not.

I would ask for demonstration of Epipen, and instruction of WHEN to use it if you're unfamiliar with it. I had a peanut allergy DCG before my son had it, and she just breezed through the instructions and left... DCG broke out in 2 hives and I seriously wondered what to do. Benedryl was the answer, but I didn't have a good tutorial of the whole situation. Turns out DCD had a peanut butter bagel for breakfast and it left 2 hives on her cheek when he kissed her goodbye!

[Sunchimes]

I have an almost peanut butter free house. Hubby buys peanut butter crackers for his lunch, but I keep them on a high shelf.

My dcg can't have tree nuts or things made in a factory that processed nuts.

The good thing is that now, manufacturers (at least all I've seen) list ingredients, then at the end, in bold, they say This may contain traces of wheat, soy, milk, eggs, peanuts, pecans (or whatever common allergens it contains." That is very helpful.

And it will surprise you where it shows up. I buy Great Value brand drink mix (like Koolaid). I had never checked the label because I don't give it to dcks. I happen to notice one day that it said it might contain traces of peanuts. Really?!!

DCM said that you even have to watch things like sun screen.

I've been successful with her since last August. She has had one trip to the ER since then, but it happened at her house on the weekend.

The doctor won't give her an epipen until she turns 2-which will be in September.

[MarinaVanessa]

DCM said that you even have to watch things like sun screen.

Wow really?? Thanks. Okay so now I'm going to check EVERYTHING.

KDC
Yes, we will go over the epipen tomorrow. DCM didn't seem concerned with me serving peanut products in DC as long as I did not serve them to DCG. The FCC she is in now which he has been in since she was 3 months (closing in 2 weeks and yes I called to talk to the provider ) serves it to the other kids but gives her an alternative and leaves out the peanut product and there has not been an incident. I prefer to be safe .