why is our allergist telling us this?

[JustSo]

DS had his first skin prick test back in December and tested positive for eggs (he gets extreme hives) but negative for all other major food allergens, including nuts and seafood. Why, then, would our allergist STILL recommend staying away from nuts and seafood/shellfish until the age of three? I asked her and she just said "to be safe." I suppose that should satisfy me enough, but it just doesn't... I want to know why.

Are there any MDC moms out ther with food allergic kids who've BTDT who can advise?

Thanks so much!!

[kjbrown92]

Because the academy of pediatrics or whoever still says that everyone should avoid those things because they're the most allergenic. and everyone listens to "them".

[Handsomesmomma]

That sounds about right
I would play it safe just in case though, kwim?

[Chinese Pistache]

I actually think that's a really smart approach. We avoid nuts and shellfish for the same reason. Allergies can develop at any time, but that's especially true for a young child whose immune system is still in flux (we plan wait until age 4, though).

In our case, dd tested negative for soy at 15 mths, so we gave her soy products, including soy milk. At 25 mths, she started flaring up again, but we hadn't changed her diet. After a week or so, I started to suspect soy, so we eliminated it and her eczema went completely away again.

[Boobs]

This is actually a piece of advice you should take. All children, especially those with other known allergies, should avoid nuts until they are over 3. My peanut allergic son is 3 and we are still avoiding shellfish, just in case. I'll introduce it to him when he's old enough to tell me if it makes his throat itch or tongue tingle or anything else that might be an indicator of a reaction.

[4Blessings]

Originally Posted by Boobs

This is actually a piece of advice you should take. All children, especially those with other known allergies, should avoid nuts until they are over 3. My peanut allergic son is 3 and we are still avoiding shellfish, just in case. I'll introduce it to him when he's old enough to tell me if it makes his throat itch or tongue tingle or anything else that might be an indicator of a reaction.

I would also recommend another negative SPT and/or RAST before introducing nuts or shellfish after age three.

[nalo]

Yep I have to agree as well. I would wait.

[mama1803]

Originally Posted by kjbrown92

Because the academy of pediatrics or whoever still says that everyone should avoid those things because they're the most allergenic. and everyone listens to "them".

To be honest, I find this comment a bit offensive. My son's allergist advised delaying the introduction of tree nuts and shellfish when allergy testing revealed anaphalytic allergies to milk, eggs, and peanuts at age 14 months. Given the severity of ds' allergies, as well as additional positive test results to dust mites, cat dander, timothy grass, and sesame seeds at age 3 years, dh and I have decided it is in our son's best interest to heed the doctor's advice. Ds is clearly atopic and he certainly doesn't need to deal with additional potential life-threatning allergies if we can at all avoid it.

It has been four years now since ds' first allergy diagnosis and I have spent countless hours speaking with doctors, nutritionists, and doing my own research. You may not think that this recommendation has any merit, but please do not assume that everyone who heeds this advice does so simply because the "academy of pediatrics or whoever" says so.

[momofmine]

Originally Posted by Chinese Pistache

I actually think that's a really smart approach. We avoid nuts and shellfish for the same reason. Allergies can develop at any time, but that's especially true for a young child whose immune system is still in flux (we plan wait until age 4, though).

In our case, dd tested negative for soy at 15 mths, so we gave her soy products, including soy milk. At 25 mths, she started flaring up again, but we hadn't changed her diet. After a week or so, I started to suspect soy, so we eliminated it and her eczema went completely away again.

I think this can definitely happen. My oldest had eczema that cycled thorugh a couple of different foods. For example, he was not allergic to eggs, but when he went through a time of eating more eggs, he developed eczema from eggs. And it stopped almost overnight when I stopped the eggs. After a few months of no eggs, he was then able to eat them again, I just was careful not to go overboard. And now, at 8, he has no eczema. I think eczema is definitely related to gut issues.

[Chinese Pistache]

Originally Posted by mama1803

To be honest, I find this comment a bit offensive. My son's allergist advised delaying the introduction of tree nuts and shellfish when allergy testing revealed anaphalytic allergies to milk, eggs, and peanuts at age 14 months. Given the severity of ds' allergies, as well as additional positive test results to dust mites, cat dander, timothy grass, and sesame seeds at age 3 years, dh and I have decided it is in our son's best interest to heed the doctor's advice. Ds is clearly atopic and he certainly doesn't need to deal with additional potential life-threatning allergies if we can at all avoid it.

It has been four years now since ds' first allergy diagnosis and I have spent countless hours speaking with doctors, nutritionists, and doing my own research. You may not think that this recommendation has any merit, but please do not assume that everyone who heeds this advice does so simply because the "academy of pediatrics or whoever" says so.

I don't want to speak for Kathy, but I don't think she meant to give offense. It's just that she's got 3 kids with tons of food allergies and intolerances to things that you're not *supposed* to be allergic to (zucchini, pears, etc.). I think her point was that you can be allergic to anything, not just peanuts and shellfish.

But again, because those particular foods can be so serious, I do think it's wise to avoid them while kids are little.

[4Blessings]

In addition, peanut and shellfish allergies tend to be life-long, life threatening and are rarely outgrown.

[elanorh]

:

I think the largest issue is that in children who've already demonstrated a tendency towards allergies, they want to avoid sensitizing and creating an allergy to those foods which children are least likely to outgrow (and most likely to be severe as well).

I think the recommendation, for kids with known allergies or a family history of allergies (sibling etc.) is:
No dairy 'til at least 12 months (assuming the allergy isn't to dairy)
No eggs 'til 24 months
No peanuts, treenuts, fish, shellfish 'til 3 years.

Ina is still allergic to eggs, but we waited to try pn/tn/fish/shellfish 'til she was three. And she's fine with all of them.

We have enough allergies in my (extended) family, I'm pretty cautious about the foods we introduce - I would've been without Ina's multiple infant allergies, but I am definitely more so now. My uncle and a first cousin are both ana to bananas; we don't give bananas to the girls 'til they are 12 months.

I think allowing the child time to be able to communicate that a food 'tickles' or 'tingles' or etc. is definitely a good idea. And it takes awhile for a child to develop that verbal ability. Ina acted like eggs were carbonated/fizzy when we gave them to her, which was one of our tip-offs that she was possibly reacting (followed of course by her projectile vomiting a couple hours later, rash, etc.).

[JustSo]

Originally Posted by elanorh

I think allowing the child time to be able to communicate that a food 'tickles' or 'tingles' or etc. is definitely a good idea. And it takes awhile for a child to develop that verbal ability. Ina acted like eggs were carbonated/fizzy when we gave them to her, which was one of our tip-offs that she was possibly reacting (followed of course by her projectile vomiting a couple hours later, rash, etc.).

THanks, mamas, for your opinions and experiences. Sounds like the verdict is clear. I especially find the above advice useful... DS's verbal skills are blooming right now and I can see that in a year he'll be even better able to describe any symptoms he might be experiencing. I guess I was just feeling pressure from non-allergic friends/family to have DS try nuts/shellfish... "everyone else's kid is doing it..." Not that anyone specifically said that to me... I think it's more MY impatience to have him try these things (which is very unwarranted and needs to stop). It's just that non-food allergy playgroups are so tough to be in nowadays...they are SO food centered and DS wants to try everything.

Anyway, thank you for the clarity of responses and reality check.

[elanorh]

Originally Posted by JustSo

<snip> I guess I was just feeling pressure from non-allergic friends/family to have DS try nuts/shellfish... "everyone else's kid is doing it..." Not that anyone specifically said that to me... I think it's more MY impatience to have him try these things (which is very unwarranted and needs to stop). It's just that non-food allergy playgroups are so tough to be in nowadays...they are SO food centered and DS wants to try everything.

Anyway, thank you for the clarity of responses and reality check.

Yes, that is one of the most difficult parts of being a parent of a food-allergic child IME -- the spoken and often unspoken pressure to "just let the kid TRY it." I know that even within my own family (who really is quite informed and supportive) there's a bit of a "Well, elanorh is over the top about when she introduces new foods to her kids," etc. And the ILs are pretty much convinced that it's all in our heads (apparently I give Ina food poisoning each time she's exposed to eggs, and no one else gets it because we're older ).

I think people who don't know and aren't familiar with allergies, just assume we're helicopter parents and unnecessarily restricting our kids from foods they'd enjoy.

Be strong. I have let people pressure me into thinking it's OK and I'm overreacting twice, and both times I've seriously regretted it (and Ina has paid the larger price by having an allergic reaction).

[JustSo]

Originally Posted by elanorh

Yes, that is one of the most difficult parts of being a parent of a food-allergic child IME -- the spoken and often unspoken pressure to "just let the kid TRY it." I know that even within my own family (who really is quite informed and supportive) there's a bit of a "Well, elanorh is over the top about when she introduces new foods to her kids," etc. And the ILs are pretty much convinced that it's all in our heads (apparently I give Ina food poisoning each time she's exposed to eggs, and no one else gets it because we're older ).

I think people who don't know and aren't familiar with allergies, just assume we're helicopter parents and unnecessarily restricting our kids from foods they'd enjoy.

Be strong. I have let people pressure me into thinking it's OK and I'm overreacting twice, and both times I've seriously regretted it (and Ina has paid the larger price by having an allergic reaction).

Sorry that happened to you and Ina.

I hate being seen as a helicopter mom (like yours, my ILs see me that way), but we all have to be strong and trust our intuition, which is almost always right