Food Allergy Support

Discussion Boards => Main Discussion Board => Topic started by: krasota on September 07, 2013, 09:55:37 PM

Title: Introducing allergens to subsequent children.
Post by: krasota on September 07, 2013, 09:55:37 PM
6yo DS reacts to egg on contact, but not aerosol.  As a result, DH and I do cook and eat eggs for ourselves.  We haven't not given them to 18mo DD because she's still very mouthy and we don't want her to chew on his toys after eating eggs.

So when do y'all introduce allergens to subsequent kids?  I'm not worried about the second kid reacting, of course, I'm worried about spreading the allergen and endangering my older child.

I prefer to expose her to these things while she's still getting breastmilk (I'm still pumping) so that she at least has that protective benefit and there's probably some element of risk in delaying *too* long.

I'm not worried about giving her cashews or pistachios--we just don't have those in the house.  Egg and mango are the two I'd like to offer her when it's safe to do so, I just can't think of how it will be while she's still a toddler or even a preschooler.
Title: Re: Introducing allergens to subsequent children.
Post by: SilverLining on September 07, 2013, 10:32:26 PM
For us it was a bit different because it's me that has the fa's.  My son would vomit anything he didn't like the taste, texture, smell, or colour of.  So, feeding him my allergens was risky to me.  He was given it when I wasn't around.

Does your son visit grandparents or anyone for a few days at a time? 
Title: Re: Introducing allergens to subsequent children.
Post by: twinturbo on September 07, 2013, 11:08:37 PM
My youngest has far more allergens. We have various protocols for eating and washing up. There are some forms we have and some forms we don't. Nothing powdered, spreadable. For egg we just don't have the powdered form in the house, anyone who eats it washes up after, brushes teeth or no kissing DS1.

It's sort of a shared responsibility. Eat at the table, don't wander with the questionable food, wash up after, person allergic to what other ate is careful to keep fingers out of mouth and wash hands when necessary. With egg and milk it's also possible to feed a form high heat treated unless you're really keen on feeding low heat treated overt egg constantly. In general we assume responsibility for guiding the kids on how to deal with it. If it's beyond their current abilities we don't set them up with expectations beyond reason. In other words I don't really make one kid responsible for the other directly but they do have to follow the rules of our guidance in order to reduce risk.
Title: Re: Introducing allergens to subsequent children.
Post by: eragon on September 08, 2013, 06:10:13 AM
I have four children the eldest two have not got any food allergies, its our third that developed food allergies.
However he showed clear signs from birth, eczema , poor weight gain and poor sleep pattern.
The 3rd child did not show any signs at a young age, so we gave her every type of food with out really being worried. We followed guidelines, and gave new foods individually just in case.

at 2 she developed mild eczema, and showed a sensitive skin rather than any food issues. Now a teenager has food intolerance problems and possibly a ige food allergy. Allergies can start at any age, and with our genetic history some form of allergy is common.

our first sons have mild hay fever, one with possible dust mite allergy, but as an adult does not want to bother with getting formal diagnosis.  our youngest daughter also has environmental allergies that need daily antihistamine, like our 3rd son.

So my advice is not to stress too much about new foods, keep simple food rules in the home.
During our children's early years  every mouthful of food was eaten at the table, hands were washed before and after meal time. If the older children were given a treat that was unsafe for their brother, they soon learnt not to touch anything and wash hands quickly after wards.  They also corrected other adults who forgot our family rules.

Title: Re: Introducing allergens to subsequent children.
Post by: Macabre on September 08, 2013, 08:20:07 AM
There have been some studies published about this in the last six months I believe.  We've tweeted them. The AAAAI has a question/answer blog, and I'm guessing this had also been addressed there.

Is girlie still having issues with dairy?
Title: Re: Introducing allergens to subsequent children.
Post by: Macabre on September 08, 2013, 08:28:02 AM
This doesn't match your situation, but what I see here that might be applicable is testing a certain food in a 10 month old before introducing it. Since you've been eating eggs, she already should be sensitized to them since you are BF.

http://www.aaaai.org/ask-the-expert/infant-with-food-allergy-and-difficulty.aspx (http://www.aaaai.org/ask-the-expert/infant-with-food-allergy-and-difficulty.aspx)

But maybe the answer lies there with egg and bf, actually. She's not having symptoms after having what you pump, right?
Title: Re: Introducing allergens to subsequent children.
Post by: krasota on September 08, 2013, 09:48:53 AM
I'm not worried about her reacting to egg.  She's still young enough that I can control what she spreads by touch or clothing, but I cannot control what she puts in her mouth (everything). 

The kids don't go away for days at a time. 

With my contact reactive allergens, DS was not exposed until he was much older (3-4yo).  He was old enough to go a few hours without nursing, so he could have wheat/gluten or low protein soy ingredients while playing with Tom at the park, wash hands very well, then they'd change and go to the pool or sprayground and he'd drink plenty of water and brush his teeth before coming home to nurse.  When we tried it at a younger age, he couldn't go long enough and I'd react when he nursed.

DD reacts to dairy when I eat it, yes.   I transmit proteins in my breastmilk, so my kids definitely get/got exposed/sensitized via my breastmilk.  I'm not going to pump forever, though.  We hates it, we do.

I don't know how long after eggs is long enough for saliva to not be a worry.  I have both kids all day every day, so I don't really have a chance to give her egg when he's not around.  And she's at that wee toddler mouth everything/give kisses stage. 

The deal is that I have an 18mo who weighs 16lbs and I'd like to make sure she has a varied diet and also get some extra protein into her.  Eggs are an easy way to do that, but I don't know how old she needs to be to do it safely with her brother's allergy in mind.   At 6yo, he can eat dairy and be mindful of *her* needs, but she's 15-18mo and can't do the reverse.

DS has reacted to breads/baked goods made with egg in the (distant) past.  So DD isn't getting *any* form of egg given her walking crumb vector stage of development.
Title: Re: Introducing allergens to subsequent children.
Post by: SilverLining on September 08, 2013, 10:19:03 AM
QuoteI don't know how long after eggs is long enough for saliva to not be a worry.

I know I can react a few days after DH eats my allergens, from his sweat.  I would assume if he's sweating it out, it could also be in his saliva a few days after he eats it.  Maybe not everyone releases the protein that way....but I don't think there's a way to tell.
Title: Re: Introducing allergens to subsequent children.
Post by: CMdeux on September 08, 2013, 10:25:51 AM
Baked egg is probably low-risk enough at this point, yes?

That is, even most highly allergic people over age 6 or so tolerate some amount of highly denatured egg protein, so I would think that you might be able to do that with your DD and not leave your DS at high risk from her mouthing objects.

On the other hand, that may simply be much more trouble than it is worth since I'm not sure you'd get enough protein/calories into her to make much difference.



I don't really see a clever way for her to get more pure forms of egg without increasing environmental contact risk to your DS.  Not until she's done mouthing objects, I mean.
Title: Re: Introducing allergens to subsequent children.
Post by: booandbrimom on September 08, 2013, 10:41:49 AM
I don't know if I ever told the story about how we introduced solids to my daughter. Our doctor told us to be very cautious since our son had so many common allergens. So, we had decided to wait until 6 months and then introduce each food with long periods between.

Took her with us out to a Mexican restaurant. I turned my back for ONE SECOND and she had shoveled a fistful of my dinner into her mouth. Rice, beans (to which my son is allergic), cheese, sour cream, CHICKEN! She managed to swallow it all and then broke into this huge smile. She was a much bigger baby than my son and clearly did not want to wait!

Just saying - every kid is different. The current thought seems to favor earlier introduction of solids. If there is an environmental trigger that causes food allergies, waiting to introduce them may give more of a window. My daughter has no food allergies at all and I've often wondered if it was at least partly because she literally took matters into her own hands.
Title: Re: Introducing allergens to subsequent children.
Post by: twinturbo on September 08, 2013, 11:07:48 AM
I think krasota meant how to feed #2 child something #1 is allergic to without spreading it around in a way that #1 reacts to. Aside from my first post, the other way I can think of is child #1 challenges high heat egg then both eat the same thing. That's the lowest maintenance I can think of and both are eating the least allergenic form.
Title: Re: Introducing allergens to subsequent children.
Post by: krasota on September 08, 2013, 11:19:10 AM
A high heat challenge is not on the table.
Title: Re: Introducing allergens to subsequent children.
Post by: booandbrimom on September 08, 2013, 11:27:53 AM
Oh, sorry, Krasota...misread your OP. I'm not a good one to ask because we were very casual about contact hives.
Title: Re: Introducing allergens to subsequent children.
Post by: twinturbo on September 08, 2013, 11:38:18 AM
lol, yeah.  :yes: We did change our tack to switching on the Zyrtec as the filter for further alarm otherwise we had daily hives. I'm not sure I'm casual about it but it did beat me down from immediate Benadryl.
Title: Re: Introducing allergens to subsequent children.
Post by: booandbrimom on September 08, 2013, 11:49:23 AM
Quote from: twinturbo on September 08, 2013, 11:38:18 AM
lol, yeah.  :yes:

I am trying not to read that in a negative way.

Title: Re: Introducing allergens to subsequent children.
Post by: krasota on September 08, 2013, 11:53:20 AM
If his contact hives were localized, I'd be much more casual.  They aren't/don't stay that way. I mean they happen from time to time and we don't freak out too much, but I'd prefer to limit his exposure when it comes to his own toys at home.  Also, I find hives and contact dermatitis miserable and I prefer to spare my kids that misery.
Title: Re: Introducing allergens to subsequent children.
Post by: twinturbo on September 08, 2013, 11:55:34 AM
Quote from: booandbrimom on September 08, 2013, 11:49:23 AM
Quote from: twinturbo on September 08, 2013, 11:38:18 AM
lol, yeah.  :yes:

I am trying not to read that in a negative way.

^Well, I was agreeing with you re: contact hives in the context of the topic, shared household multiple children eating each other's allergens. Is that negative?

Quote from: krasota on September 08, 2013, 11:53:20 AM
If his contact hives were localized, I'd be much more casual.  They aren't/don't stay that way. I mean they happen from time to time and we don't freak out too much, but I'd prefer to limit his exposure when it comes to his own toys at home.  Also, I find hives and contact dermatitis miserable and I prefer to spare my kids that misery.

What would be the best way to assist in this case? The risk is ultimately up to you. Strategically, given age of child eating egg and the nature of the allergen itself if all you're after is the nutritional content could you offer younger child high heat treated egg, often, to (1) get the nutritional content (2) be introduced to food (3) "take the fangs out" of egg in case DS comes in contact (4) talk to DS to see if he can raise his awareness a bit, not put fingers in his mouth, leave younger child's things alone (5) limit area eggy food is eaten.

I don't think you want to do the garage thing like we do. It's not fun.
Title: Re: Introducing allergens to subsequent children.
Post by: booandbrimom on September 08, 2013, 11:57:45 AM
Sorry, Twinturbo. You edited to add content -- all I saw was the initial "LOL, yeah" when I replied. 

Obviously read too much into it. Carry on.
Title: Re: Introducing allergens to subsequent children.
Post by: CMdeux on September 08, 2013, 12:01:06 PM
Quote from: krasota on September 08, 2013, 11:53:20 AM
If his contact hives were localized, I'd be much more casual.  They aren't/don't stay that way. I mean they happen from time to time and we don't freak out too much, but I'd prefer to limit his exposure when it comes to his own toys at home.  Also, I find hives and contact dermatitis miserable and I prefer to spare my kids that misery.

Absolutely.

I think that I probably wouldn't do it at this point.

I've tried to think of some way to have her eat more pure forms of egg-- but given your family's lifestyle (which I'm definitely NOT suggesting should change!!) I don't see a good way to make it safe and developmentally appropriate in terms of expectations.

Asking a child not to mouth objects for his/her own safety = not developmentally appropriate, but regrettably necessary (BTDT, basically)

Asking a child not to mouth objects for someone ELSE's safety = not developmentally appropriate and probably a losing battle anyway.

She's getting egg protein from you as long as she's getting breastmilk, yes?  So no worries on that score.

Title: Re: Introducing allergens to subsequent children.
Post by: Macabre on September 08, 2013, 05:08:54 PM
CM just stole my thunder. :)

I was just going to come back to breast milk. But, you know, finding some way to get it to have extra protein. :)

Other than that, I honestly don't know. I don't even remember how old they are by the time they stop mouthing everything. Oh wait--I do: 14.

Really, I don't know.

I have wondered about egg protein on surfaces--and dairy. There has been some work done to study how long peanut protein remains on nonporous surfaces (and not enough work IMHO), but I've not seen anything about egg or dairy, and I've wondered about it.

And I would also like to see the same research to determine how long it says in saliva, and under what circumstances it is broken down. Frankly for all top 8. That would be interesting and helpful.

Title: Re: Introducing allergens to subsequent children.
Post by: SkyScorcher on September 08, 2013, 10:39:33 PM
Quote from: Macabre on September 08, 2013, 05:08:54 PM
I don't even remember how old they are by the time they stop mouthing everything. Oh wait--I do: 14.


I resent that.  I stopped mouthing things at eight, thankyouverymuch.  ;)
Title: Re: Introducing allergens to subsequent children.
Post by: SilverLining on September 09, 2013, 07:21:47 AM
Quote from: SkyScorcher on September 08, 2013, 10:39:33 PM
Quote from: Macabre on September 08, 2013, 05:08:54 PM
I don't even remember how old they are by the time they stop mouthing everything. Oh wait--I do: 14.


I resent that.  I stopped mouthing things at eight, thankyouverymuch.  ;)

Some never stop.  They just eventually switch to chewing pencils or smoking cigarettes.
Title: Re: Introducing allergens to subsequent children.
Post by: MandCmama on September 10, 2013, 06:57:32 PM
Our situation is opposite yours, but we have our older eat eggs when he is with his grandparents or when we all split up for the day. Our home is egg free, so we take M to McD's or have Nana and Pop scramble some up.

The boys are never apart more than a few hours.  While M no longer mouths things (well not on a regular basis) he does still suck on his fingers when he's not physically engaged. The boys are constantly rough housing and I've never seen C react in anyway. But then again, I have no clue if he is contact reactive.