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How careful do you have to be? Re: Peanut allergy

1K views 5 replies 5 participants last post by  Katana 
#1 ·
I'd like some advice, as I am clueless on this.

I watch a boy three days a week who has recently been diagnosed with a pretty severe peanut allergy. He has two epi-pens with him at all times.

My son loves peanut butter. He eats it every day. If he eats a peanut butter sandwich (away from the other boy, of course), does he need to wash his hands before he starts touching toys?

How careful do I have to be? I know this boy is not supposed to eat anything with peanuts in it, and I'm super careful about that, but what about being near kids eatting peanut butter? Do fumes set this off?

Is it better just to not have anything peanut related out at all while he's here, ie err on the side of caution?

Help, anyone.

Thanks.
 
#2 ·
Definitely let caution be your guide here. If your ds has eaten a peanut butter sandwich, definitely wash his hands. Wipe down the counter where you prepared the sandwich and the table where your ds ate.

Check the food labels of everything before you feed it to the boy you take care of. Many, many foods contain invisible peanuts--such as they are prepared with peanut oil. Foods that don't actually contain peanuts, but were prepared in a factory that also processes peanut foods must also be avoided. (M&Ms are an example of this type.)

Ideally, do not serve your ds any type of peanut containing foods while the allergic boy is in your house. Be aware of peanut residue that could be around the house. (Does your ds always eat his sandwiches at the table, or does he walk around the house with them?)

None of my children have a peanut allergy, but my friend's ds does. When I know they're coming over, I clean our table carefully and make sure all dangerous foods are contained and put away. My friend's ds will break out in a bad rash if he touches any peanut butter residue.
 
#3 ·
Good advice above. You can't be too careful. My dd has life-threatening food allergies, and can react from residue on someone's hand, toys, playground equipt., etc. Also from airborne particles.
You're very consciencious to be asking these questions. A lot of people think precautions for food allergic kids are "overprotective" but I can tell you from first hand experience it's neccesary to be "overprotective".
I guess from your question that the mom doesn't know that much about it yet, or she would've been able to fill you in. For information on this subject, a great place to start is www.foodallergy.org, the website of Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network. I went through some very hard years trying to figure out and deal with my dd's allergies, docs were not much help. The place I learned the most was the allergy board at parentsplace.com - if the mom is receptive, you could tell her about those two sites. Good for you for doing what you can to protect this kid. Reactions are not consistant, and what causes a mild reaction one time can cause a life-threatening one the next.
 
#4 ·
i have a good grown up friend who has peanut allergies and yes fumes from peanut butter could and did cause reaction in her and her brother when they were kids.

the other posters gave great advice.
 
#5 ·
my niece and sister have these severe allergies. yes you need to be extremely diligent. but you should be asking the mom of the kid too, becasue she will tell you exactly what she is hoping you can do, and she isnt being overprotective or paraniod.....these reactions can kill. if he has epipens, that means a doctor has decided he needs them in case of a life threatenting reaction---epi-pens are prescrition-only .

be super aware of things like : do you use the same knife in the peanut butter as the jelly or butter ? ( ever) if so dont ever give that kid your jelly or butter.

and i agree, dont eat peanuts when he is there , and keep your kitchen free of it ( on counters, etc. ) when my sister was little, just the residue would set her off, and peanut butter is oily, so be sure to wash your sons hands well if he eats it before the boy comes over.

my neice has even worse allergies than my sister, and when they came to visit, i just didnt eat or use the foods she was allergic to unless she was outside, and then we would immacualtely clean every surface the offending food touched (dairy, nuts, fish, eggs).

their throats can swell shut. its not worth it for a PB sandwich, in my opinion. you should ask the mom if he has been tested for ohter allergies...maybe you can turn your son on to almond butter if it is safe for the other kid...my sister had multiple nut allergies, but she could have sunflower-seed butter, and tahini, for instance. work with the mom to think of alternative snacks.

good luck!
 
#6 ·
Thank you so much, everyone, for all the thoughts and advice. I really appreciate it.


Thank you also for the website, keeksmom. It's great. I'm going to give pass it along to his mother, as I think she could really benefit from some of the information on there.


I will not be bringing out anything at all with peanut butter, peanut oil or peanut products while he is in the house. And I will be sure to clean throughly before he comes. I'm going to keep my son in one spot if he's eating peanut butter on the days the other boy isn't here, so it won't be all over the house, and easier to clean.

I think I'm more worried about this than his mom is, although I do think she's in denial, and I don't blame her.

It is amazing and frustrating, how many things have peanuts/peanut oil in them.

He has shown some sensitivity to oranges and dairy, although no allergies have been diagnosed. One of my friends said he could have problems with corn as well, so I feel like I'm afraid to give him anything.

I definitely see that I have to sit down with his mom before he comes over here again and make a list with her as to what he can and can't have.

Thanks for the other food suggestions, stirringleaf. I'll see what the mom wants to do. Also, I agree, a peanut butter sandwich is not worth his throat swelling shut. Nothing is.

Again, to all, I really appreciate this.
 
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