Would you take your allergic (anaphylaxis) child on vacation?

[Tofu the Geek]

I've got the opportunity to go to a beautiful city for work. I've got a nursing toddler so figured I'd take my whole family and make a vacation out of it. The toddler has an anaphylactic allergy to some tree nuts. We've already said no to several "all-inclusive" vacations we've been invited to this year because of the buffets and language barriers. I just thought the risk was too great and I didn't want to end up in a hospital in another country where the docs didn't speak English. But, this is in Canada, and I've selected a place that has a kitchenette (and comes with dishes/cutlery, etc.) so we can cook all of our meals in our room and have a fridge to store snacks that we can take when we are out.

Then I thought about the airplane. And the airline says that they serve snacks with the very nuts that could kill her (of course she won't be eating the nuts and I'll make sure that we are sitting beside her and not strangers). And then I worried about the room we would be renting have a bunch of nuts in the couch, or on the floor that didn't get cleaned up. And since she's a toddler, she'll totally pick it up to taste!

So, am I crazy for considering this? Her safey is my #1 concern, so if I am risking it, I won't go. But if I'm overthinking the whole situation, then it would be nice to have the vacation (I think!).

[changingseasons]

Would I? Absolutely. Especially in that situation, with the kitchenette and no language barrier.

Very few (if any) airlines still serve peanuts on the plane. I would check with them before flying.

You have to keep in mind that there are potential exposures EVERYWHERE. For all you know, the mailman could have eaten some trail mix before he delivered your mail. And I'm not saying that to freak you out, it's just to give some perspective that you can't be afraid to live your life or leave your house.

That said, I would also be sure to carry 2 Epipens with me.

[Tofu the Geek]

Originally Posted by changingseasons

Very few (if any) airlines still serve peanuts on the plane. I would check with them before flying.

The airline doesn't serve peanuts but they do serve snacks with walnuts, almonds, and cashews. 2 of which she's anaphylactic to.

Originally Posted by changingseasons

You have to keep in mind that there are potential exposures EVERYWHERE. For all you know, the mailman could have eaten some trail mix before he delivered your mail. And I'm not saying that to freak you out, it's just to give some perspective that you can't be afraid to live your life or leave your house.

Excellent point. That's what I was worried I was doing, over thinking and over reacting. I want to be safe but I don't want us to be hermits.

Originally Posted by changingseasons

That said, I would also be sure to carry 2 Epipens with me.

We've got 3 Twinject pens at all times (one with us, one with my parents, and one at home) so I can take all of them with me if I want to (in separate bags in case one bag gets lost).

[tinyblackdot]

I would go! But i would call and make arrangements. I always thought that you could call the airlines and they would remove the nuts from the plane if there was someone with a severe allergic reaction.

And would call the place that you are staying and talk to a manager,and ask them to be sure to clean the room well and remove all nut products from the room if they would be so kind.

Oh am maybe just in case see if your Dr can get you the name of a good hospital or Dr in the area.

[Tofu the Geek]

Okay, I just thought of something, there *might* be a language barrier. We'd be going to Montreal and I don't know the stats on French vs. English speaking. DH was born French speaking but he doesn't use French anymore so I am not sure if he's confident in his abilities to communicate in French.

[tinyblackdot]

yeah but most people there know english aswell right?

Does your LO have a medical bracelet? If not i would get her one, and if she does, then just be sure that wherever you go you tell them about her allergy, and point to her bracelet.

[greenmom17]

Absolutely. My DD (6) is pa/tna, and while I would take precautions like pp have mentioned, and I would be secretly worried, I would never deny her the right to a fun vacation! I strive every day to make her life as "normal" as possible - and that includes vacations! Such a wonderful way to make memories.

Hope you have a great time if you go. fyi, DH and I went to San Francisco in October and they served bags of &^%$# peanuts on both flights....

[Tofu the Geek]

Originally Posted by tinyblackdot

I would go! But i would call and make arrangements. I always thought that you could call the airlines and they would remove the nuts from the plane if there was someone with a severe allergic reaction.

I don't think they do that in Canada.

Here's WestJet's policy:

WestJet does not serve peanuts on board our aircraft; however, peanut residue or oils may be present in the cabin, and cannot be entirely eliminated despite regular grooming. Some of our snacks may contain other nuts (e.g. walnuts, almonds, or cashews) and other WestJet guests may bring snacks containing nuts.

and Air Canada's policy can be found here. It's longer so I won't quote the whole thing but the part that sticks out for me is this:

Air Canada will additionally not stop the planned service of food to which a passenger may be allergic as this would be unfair to other passengers. If a passenger is allergic or sensitive to products that may be found in the cabin, it is this passenger's responsibility to bring the proper medication and to have the proper protection.Air Canada will additionally not stop the planned service of food to which a passenger may be allergic as this would be unfair to other passengers. If a passenger is allergic or sensitive to products that may be found in the cabin, it is this passenger's responsibility to bring the proper medication and to have the proper protection.

So, it's not fair a passenger to go nutless for several hours but it's fair for a child to need a shot of an Epi-pen and not be able to make it to a hospital in time because the plane can't land. : I think the airline has a serious misconception about the purpose of an Epi-pen.

And Air Canada doesn't serve peanuts (same as WestJet) but they do serve almonds and cashews (WestJet serves those as well as walnuts).

[Tofu the Geek]

Originally Posted by tinyblackdot

yeah but most people there know english aswell right?

I thought so but then today I had to leave a message at the hotel we would like to stay at, and the voicemail was only in French and an email auto-reply from another place was only French as well, so I started to get worried! Maybe someone from Montreal will read this and can fill me in.

Originally Posted by tinyblackdot

Does your LO have a medical bracelet? If not i would get her one, and if she does, then just be sure that wherever you go you tell them about her allergy, and point to her bracelet.

Yes, she does have one. I just have to find it. I was trying to get her to wear it daily, but she took it off one day and it hasn't been seen since (it's around though).

[shannomad]

I would totally take my child on this vacation you describe. Our 5 yo DS is anaphylactic to tree nuts (he has terrible reactions, including choking, passing out, etc) and is allergic to every one of them.

We too have decided that we don't feel comfortable going to Mexico for vacation, for all the reasons you have listed, but Canada, yes go for it! You have to live. It sounds like you've got a great set up with your own kitchenette, etc.

We have flown with our DS many times, including transatlantic, and never had problems on airplanes, even though they sold snacks with nuts. We never let him eat any airplane food -- only food we bring for him. We even eat out when on vacation, cautiously, that is, and only in restaurants where they don't serve many nutty dishes, where we can speak to the chef, etc.

Tree nuts, as opposed to other allergens like dairy or egg, are fairly easy to work around. We even took DS to Hawaii, and everything was fine, even with all those macadamia nuts everywhere -- his most life-threatening reaction to date was to Macadamia nut.

Just take epi with you, find out where the closest ER is, and don't let your guard down. Then, have some fun!

Shannon

[gilamama]

have you read on here abt vit C (alot of it) preventing reactions for ana kids? thank G-d we dont have any ana allergies (as far as i know) but when my dd started geting hives a few months ago (from who knows what) 1 gram of vit C made them stop spreading and shrink in minutes. Maybe pump your son full of C b4 and during the trip incase tehre would be some penut butter in the air he wont react or at least not as quickly or strongly.

[Tofu the Geek]

Originally Posted by shannomad

We have flown with our DS many times, including transatlantic, and never had problems on airplanes, even though they sold snacks with nuts.

My main worry is that someone else will have eaten some nuts and dropped them and my child then picks them up to eat them. If she was older this wouldn't be a worry, but at toddler age, she doesn't always remember (or listen) when told not to touch that!

Originally Posted by shannomad

We never let him eat any airplane food -- only food we bring for him. We even eat out when on vacation, cautiously, that is, and only in restaurants where they don't serve many nutty dishes, where we can speak to the chef, etc.

You've been much luckier than us. We've talked to many, many restaurants and even those that don't use nuts say that the food they get has been processed in facilities with nuts or that they can't guarantee their suppliers don't use nuts.

[txtarheel]

A week ago I read this post and thought, sure, why not take your kid and just control what they can eat on the plane. Then I talked to one of the peanut allergy kids and his mom that I know last week. He's 9 and can't go on planes. Despite the fact that there are no longer peanuts served on planes, the seats and upholstery are apparently saturated enough that he still get sick and reacts the two times he's flown. I know he's incredibly sensitive, but it sounds like your kid is too. He hasn't had any trouble in hotels they've stayed in FWIW, and his family travels a fair amount. He was lamenting the fact that he couldn't go to Hawaii since he couldn't fly.

[jeliphish]

I don't think very many airlines (if any) serve anything with nut products anymore

[jeliphish]

Originally Posted by txtarheel

A week ago I read this post and thought, sure, why not take your kid and just control what they can eat on the plane. Then I talked to one of the peanut allergy kids and his mom that I know last week. He's 9 and can't go on planes. Despite the fact that there are no longer peanuts served on planes, the seats and upholstery are apparently saturated enough that he still get sick and reacts the two times he's flown. I know he's incredibly sensitive, but it sounds like your kid is too. He hasn't had any trouble in hotels they've stayed in FWIW, and his family travels a fair amount. He was lamenting the fact that he couldn't go to Hawaii since he couldn't fly.

Oh didn't see this post before I posted. Call the airlines and talk to them.

[Tofu the Geek]

Originally Posted by txtarheel

A week ago I read this post and thought, sure, why not take your kid and just control what they can eat on the plane. Then I talked to one of the peanut allergy kids and his mom that I know last week. He's 9 and can't go on planes. Despite the fact that there are no longer peanuts served on planes, the seats and upholstery are apparently saturated enough that he still get sick and reacts the two times he's flown. I know he's incredibly sensitive, but it sounds like your kid is too. He hasn't had any trouble in hotels they've stayed in FWIW, and his family travels a fair amount. He was lamenting the fact that he couldn't go to Hawaii since he couldn't fly.

We don't know how sensitive our child is, she's only had one reaction after eating a nut which ended up with her not being able to breathe and hives covering her entire body. She's not allergic to peanuts so I don't think peanut residue in seats should bother her. My main concern is her eating something off a seat or the floor because toddlers are FAST and she's too young to realize what can happen if she eats a nut off of a seat. And the airline we're flying serves the nuts that she is allergic to, so it is probable that a nut could be on the seat. If they didn't serve the specific nuts, or if she was old to understand (and not pick stuff up off the seats and floor!) I wouldn't be worried.

We did book our flights and she will be in her car seat which is clean and nut free, it will be bathroom trips and leg stretch periods where I will have to keep an eye on her. I wonder if they carry those portable hand vacs on board so I could vacuum our seats when we get on.... I will bring a cloth or something to dust off the seats. They are leather seats, so should be fairly easy for me to clean off before we seat her.

[nalo]

I'm glad to hear you're going. Of course your fears are very real and legit but the allergy cannot run your life and you cannot shelter your child from the world, yk? I know being scared that a little one will pick up nuts off the floor is different than having a 10 year old who knows how to be safe but still....glad you're going and overcoming your fear. Hope all goes well.

[Tofu the Geek]

Originally Posted by jeliphish

I don't think very many airlines (if any) serve anything with nut products anymore

Actually, I stated in my first post (and a couple others posts afterward) that the airline we are flying (West Jet) DOES serve nuts in their snacks. No peanuts, but yes to other nuts, and a couple of those nuts are the ones that DD is deathly allergic to. Our other option was Air Canada and they also serve the same nuts (but also no peanuts).

Originally Posted by nalo

I'm glad to hear you're going. Of course your fears are very real and legit but the allergy cannot run your life and you cannot shelter your child from the world, yk? I know being scared that a little one will pick up nuts off the floor is different than having a 10 year old who knows how to be safe but still....glad you're going and overcoming your fear. Hope all goes well.

Thanks! I am sure this will be a fun adventure! I am going to take some natural cleaning wipes with me and give the seats a wipe when we get on the plane (leather seats so should be super easy to wipe) and let the flight attendants know not to offer us ANY food as we've brought our own snacks. (easier for me to have them not offer, than to have a tired toddler begging to try what the flight attendant is holding in her hand! ).

[kjbrown92]

We just went on American Airlines 3 weeks ago and they still serve peanuts (and nothing safe for me to snack on!). I would take wet ones (if those are allowed in your carryon these days) and wipe down the armrests and tray, to say the least. I'm on vacation this week with my two food intolerant kids. We have a kitchenette as well and we've been making all our food (except yesterday when I thought it was safe for DS to have a burger - stupid me). On some of the allergy sites, and I don't know which ones, they have allergy cards that have all the translations that you can send to the chef. Or just find out the translation for epipen, peanut, and allergy.