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instead of copying and pasting my whole story here, I think it would be better to just post a link to my intro post :) Son just diagnosed PA/TNA
So, here are some of my questions.
Is there a way to determine how severe the allergy is? I know some kids can't even touch or smell a nut without a reaction.
Should I be concerned about coconut? Sesame? Legumes? Anything else I should watch out for or try to avoid?
Is he more likely to develop allergies to other foods now?
Are his brothers likely to develop food allergies? Neither of them have showed any signs of environmental allergies or eczema.
Is the allergy likely to get more or less severe over time?
SEE ABOVE. In your shoes, I would absolutely not avoid peanut oil unless/until you see evidence that it is a problem.
Is food cooked in peanut oil, like Chick-fil-a safe? The allergy doctor said it was totally fine/safe, but from what I have read online most people with PA avoid it. He has been eating it for years and I have never noticed any kind of reaction.
How worried should I be about cross contamination? I am still new to reading food labels. Do I just avoid anything that says "May contain traces of" or should I avoid anything that says "manufactured in a facility that also processes" too?
Is there a good list somewhere of snacks that are readily available in stores that are safe for him to eat? If he has been eating things like Goldfish and animal crackers for years now can I assume they are still safe? What about M&Ms?
Sorry for all of the questions, but I have been kind of freaking out for the past few days trying to figure all of this out!
Yes, for now I'd think that keeping a PB-loving toddler/preschooler out of range of a possibly-allergic older sibling is wise. If for no other reason than that you have plenty of other worries! Time enough to bring it back into your house later on if it seems safe to do so, you know?
so should I ask for the blood test for him? to compare the results to the skin test? The allergist said it was an expensive test and she doesn't see the point in doing it. Would it give us more information? Of course I don't want my little one to go through a blood draw if he doesn't need to.
You may want to consider clearing up peanut for more than just mass education. Homeschooling entails more than going solo I know I've done it for a bit. There's playdates, playgrounds, birthday parties, community events, the list never ends.
However, it might be prudent to keep peanut on maintenance in the diet for a child that has true tolerance. While studies on other allergens such as milk, egg and apple (yeah, apple's a weird one but I have it) show that tolerance declines without maintenance I think the most evidence exists for peanut maintenance. So for that reason alone it could be worth determining.
Someone more awake than me may want to massage my words there and correct my inaccuracies.
Some things you should know about labeling: it's not as helpful as it needs to be. Companies only have to label for the top 8 allergens if they are actual ingredients. However, some children have reactions to trace amounts that can remain on equipment--even if the manufacturer says they clean well. Manufacturers are not required by law to label for shared lines--just actual ingredients. Some companies label "may contain." Just believe them. Some of that labeling is CYA, but at this point, just believe them if it says may contain.
However, know that just because a label doesn't say it contains the allergen doesn't necessarily mean that it 100% doesn't.
Some companies are known for labeling for shared lines: General Mills, Keebler (Keebler may be a GM brand), Pillsbury, Hershey.
What our allergist told us:
No Asian food unless you make it yourself (most all restaurants don't fully clean the woks, and the cashew or peanut or sesame or shellfish protein remainPF Chang, and they are good abotu serving folks with food allergies--but at this point, I'd just stay away from all Asian restauratns)
No ice cream parlors
No chocolate unless you know it's safe
No bakery items
Carry the epi everywhere (at least two). Make sure you don't let it be exposed to extreme cold or heat.
Also, it took me a while, but I learned to trust my son's instincts when food causes a reaction even if mild. He whole heartedly claimed he didn't like nuts (diagnosed at 4 with TNA), but I had never given them to him because they were a choking hazard. A couple years after his diagnosis, I made meringue cookies. After he said his throat was scratchy and sure enough on his next skin test, egg was positive...he had never been tested for egg, because again, he didn't like them so didn't eat them as plain egg.