Posted by: PurpleCat
« on: April 26, 2014, 06:49:09 AM »Hi! and Welcome! Your instincts are spot on! It is worth finding an allergist the first of all has experience with children and food allergies and second of all, will give you the time of day to explain things. It is a disservice to you to send you to the internet.
Having said that, you've found a great group of people here who unfortunately have a lot of experiences to share as both parents and patients. Some of us have been chatting since our kids were young, and now those same kiddos are in High School or off to college!
It is possible your child is only allergic to drupes and not actual tree nuts or seeds. And drupes are related to some pollen allergens such as birch. So if your child has pollen allergies, she may be more sensitive at this time of the year to foods that have not bothered her before. Or as we have experienced, my DD has added allergies over the years as her tree pollen allergy cup got too full and her body said NO MORE!
An easy to read explanation of what a nut and what a drupe are is here: http://www.seriouseats.com/2010/04/what-are-the-differences-between-nuts-and-drupes.html
One of my favorite web pages for nuts is: http://waynesword.palomar.edu/ecoph8.htm
But you really need to know specifically what your child is allergic to and only avoid foods she is allergic too. And it sounds like it is possible the trail mix might not be the culprit.
But do know, trail mix is notorious for cross contamination from other nuts and dried fruits that could potentially be in the manufacturing plant. Nuts and seeds can be caught in equipment and get loose when another batch is mixed and packaged.
When children with food allergies are so young, they can not really tell you what they are feeling and you will be guessing to fill in the blanks. Better to know for certain what allergens you are dealing with so you can make the best choices for your daughter.
It's a interesting road and you can navigate it. Information and knowledge give you the upper hand.
Having said that, you've found a great group of people here who unfortunately have a lot of experiences to share as both parents and patients. Some of us have been chatting since our kids were young, and now those same kiddos are in High School or off to college!
It is possible your child is only allergic to drupes and not actual tree nuts or seeds. And drupes are related to some pollen allergens such as birch. So if your child has pollen allergies, she may be more sensitive at this time of the year to foods that have not bothered her before. Or as we have experienced, my DD has added allergies over the years as her tree pollen allergy cup got too full and her body said NO MORE!
An easy to read explanation of what a nut and what a drupe are is here: http://www.seriouseats.com/2010/04/what-are-the-differences-between-nuts-and-drupes.html
One of my favorite web pages for nuts is: http://waynesword.palomar.edu/ecoph8.htm
But you really need to know specifically what your child is allergic to and only avoid foods she is allergic too. And it sounds like it is possible the trail mix might not be the culprit.
But do know, trail mix is notorious for cross contamination from other nuts and dried fruits that could potentially be in the manufacturing plant. Nuts and seeds can be caught in equipment and get loose when another batch is mixed and packaged.
When children with food allergies are so young, they can not really tell you what they are feeling and you will be guessing to fill in the blanks. Better to know for certain what allergens you are dealing with so you can make the best choices for your daughter.
It's a interesting road and you can navigate it. Information and knowledge give you the upper hand.