Would you attend this event

[littlenuts]

Hi,
So I would like to take Ds to a large event tomorrow. It is a symposium for type 1 diabetes, there will be youth activities and motivational speakers.  Ds would benefit from this but I'm torn because I obviously don't want to risk a reaction

I called the event planner at the hotel, the menu is chicken fingers that are cooked in oil that is shared with nut items, and cookies that do have actual nuts in them.

I am bringing lunch for DS so he won't even be in the dining room. But, after lunch there will be 100 or so kids who probably won't have washed their hands and will have eaten nutty cookies.

Just a refresher since I'm not here often, ds is 12, peanut and tree nut allergy, peanut level 100+. He hasn't been to school since he had an anaphylactic reaction there in first grade, so he's never been in a situation like this before.

I'm anxious to hear what you think.  Thanks

[becca]

What is his reaction history?  Ingestion only?  Contact?  Unknown where the exposure was from?  That would influence me greatly. 

My dd is 14, and she would be very anxious knowing all the kids just ate nutty cookies.  However, she eats daily in a cafeteria with kids who may and do have PB, or granola, etc...  Not *all* of them, and typically not her friends. 

Will you be with him at all times?  Or do you separate for some activites?  That would also influnce my decision.  If you are not expecting an immediate severe reaction, you could go knowing you can walk away at any time if he has any symptoms. 

[Macabre]

I think at least going to the morning part should be okay.  I understand your fear. 

Given his age, it will be good for him to begin navigating new situations, and this could be a good trial--especially with you there if he needs to leave.

[CMdeux]

Given the potential benefit to attending, I'd do it.  Unless you have reason to think that an inhalation reaction would be severe.



I might even do it with my DD14, and it's likely (for her) that it would be VERY high stress and cause a reaction of some kind-- probably asthma, but could be something worse, even.

She has a need to be able to (somewhat) navigate situations like this when necessary-- so practice at it when parents are around to help and provide an escape route?   Pretty good training opportunity, really.


Take:

wipes, food, water (that nobody has touched with nutty hands) a fully charged cellular phone each (in case you get separated), and a plan for a meetup spot OUTSIDE of the event hall/location (in case of feeling the need for air, or a need for 'getting out of there' a rapid escape and a text/call is the best plan).

[twinturbo]

Pretty much what everyone else said. Only thing I'd add is prep him that you'll go to what you can, lane change if you have to.

[littlenuts]

Thank you for all of your replies.
D's has a strong reaction history. I believe that he has had contact reactions from touching his face.  He does have asthma. He will get hives when he is at a play place or somewhere where
There is residue.

I just received another email from the event planner and the cookies have actual prices of peanuts in them. Ds could have an anaphylactic reaction in this type of situation, I guess.

But, yes I agree he needs the practice.  Yes, we would be separate from his group, but I could have dh stay with him after lunch.

Knowing that the cookies are peanut make me want to say forget it, but I also feel like D's needs to be there since the focus is on research and it may give us a glimmer of hope.

[Macabre]

Oh yikes. I would also have him self carry if he doesn't already.

And give him a few packets of wet ones wipes.

If he doesn't feel safe after lunch--the as TT said, change plans.

[hedgehog]

Am I the only one who thinks it odd that they have cookies at a symposium for type I diabetes?

[momma2boys]

Isn't a big part of diabetes control a healthy diet? And they are serving deep fried chicken fingers and cookies??

[twinturbo]

I was wondering about that too!!

[CMdeux]

Oh yikes. I would also have him self carry if he doesn't already.

And give him a few packets of wet ones wipes.

If he doesn't feel safe after lunch--the as TT said, change plans.

   Absolutely.

Gut level minute-by-minute decision-making, probably.

[littlenuts]

Well, after dinner with DS and Dh and talking this whole thing over, we have decided not to go
I am very disappointed, but it seems like having him around all of those kids, eating peanutty cookies is too much of a risk.. FYI, this event is not close to home, it's about 3.5 hours each way, so a long distance if we had to leave after lunch.

Thank you for all of your thoughts, they were carefully considered and very helpful.

For those of you mentioning the food choices at the event... I was a little surprised by the fried food, and the nut choices really surprised me in this day and age.  But from a type 1 perspective, they can eat as they always have, it's just that their pancreas doesn't produce insulin anymore because type 1 is an auto immune disease. So, we have to deliver the insulin for him, but we dose according to how many carbs he eats... Just like your pancreas delivers insulin to you as you digest your food.

It's true that some foods will cause a spike in blood glucose, but for instance, apples will send his glucose sky high with a dramatic fall, while ice cream is a nice slow rise with a slow decent.. And that's what we want.  It's about timing the digestion and dosing the insulin to make sure that carbs are available when the insulin is in the blood stream. It's a science that I have not mastered yet.

Oh well guys, thanks for help. Bummed about nut allergy today. Darn it.

[Macabre]

Oh, with that distance, it makes sense not to risk it. 

[CMdeux]

I agree.  90 minutes is about our outside limit for events like this.  It's just too maddening to have to leave after only a few minutes there, otherwise.

[twinturbo]

There will be other chances. I think I just gave myself some advice I need.