Hellobee Boards

Ditto @LulaBee's response

-see an allergist for a full work up. At ours, if skin tests are positive they will follow up with blood work and based on all of that info may or may not order a food challenge at some point

-be sure to get a clear "allergy action plan" that makes it easy for you guys to decide whether to use Benadryl, epi pen, etc based on symptoms. Ours says a few hives, give Benadryl and monitor. Multiple body systems = give epi pen immediately.

-find articles for your husband about how reactions can increase in severity and how Benadryl can mask symptoms of anaphylaxis. Our allergist also sent us home with tons of info and handouts.

-you will learn what your "safe" foods are and adapt quickly! Most products are well labeled for treenuts. Out and about I would for sure avoid baked goods from unknown sources. Carrying the epi pen isn't so bad. We have an LL bean tote we take everywhere we go with a safe snacks, his water bottle and epi pens + Benadryl + action plan.

It gets easier, I promise !

@Corduroy: I'm so sorry you have to deal with this! My son had an egg allergy that he grew out of and a tree nut allergy. He's also had a few tree nuts before without a reaction, but when he had cashews, that's what made him have a severe reaction and warrant a trip to the hospital.

As an FYI, you should keep the 2 pack of epi-pens together. They're made in a 2 pack because if your child has a reaction, and the single dose of epinephrine doesn't resolve his issues, you have a second dose you can give him on the way to the hospital. If your son ever has a reaction in which you need to use an epi-pen, you need to take him to the ER immediately, and the second dose is there in case you need it.

I would also take your son to see an allergist. They can do the skin test, then the blood test to see what the allergens are. I had LO tested for all of the common food allergies once he had the reaction to cashews. The most common are dairy, egg, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, shellfish, sesame, and I think I'm missing one or two. He tested positive for cashews, pistachios, and mildly for walnuts and pecans. I'm going to keep monitoring him for the walnuts and pecans with his allergist so that we can eventually do a challenge in her office.

Food allergies are definitely nothing to mess around with. If he truly is allergic to walnuts, you'll want to check everything he's eating to be sure there aren't any tree nuts in them. If you have an allergist, they will give you a sheet to give to day care called an allergy action plan. It walks them through the steps and gives them instructions on what to watch out for if they suspect they've ingested an allergen. Your DCP is not a medical professional, so she isn't the one who is to determine whether or not he had an allergy based on what she's given him to eat. DH will also need to get on board if the allergist does come back with severe allergies to a nut.

PM me with any questions you might have!

The problem with allergies is that you can have your allergen several times with no reaction and then one day have a severe reaction. Also you might have a mild reaction (say mild hives) when you are exposed to the allergen so decide to avoid the allergen and then are accidentally exposed... you body then can go into overload and you can have a much more severe reaction then before (anaphylaxis).

I knew I sensitive to walnuts and pecans because I knew when I was accidentally exposed to them. (My mouth would get raw and tender) So I wasn't militant about avoiding them since it was such a minor reaction. But then I ate something - and I can only assume it was the pecans in it - and started mildly swelling up in my mouth and throat. Benadryl took care of it. I then went to an allergist and did a skin test. And came up negative. I didn't react to anything. But I know I can react because even that accidental exposure that I don't know about causes an reaction! And I was tested for apples which I know trigger migraines (I did a lot of self testing) and had no reaction to them as well. So just be carefully because even if test come back negative there still can be a sensitivity to it.

Additionally how the food is prepared can effect the allergy too. I know cooked apples don't effect me as much as fresh ones. And I have a friend who is allergic to garlic but can handle it better if it's cooked or served with a high vinegar dish. So that may be why he didn't react in the past.

You may also want to check into something called Oral Allergy Syndrome. Essentially it's where you react to a food but you're not allergic to it you're actually allergic to a pollen. And the food you ate was just cross contaminated with your allergen. For example walnuts are often associated with a birch allergy.

Good luck with your son and getting your hubby on board! Hopefully he'll understand how important and serious allergies like this can be.

@Corduroy: Anything under 0.35 kU/L is considered normal. Looks like you probably are dealing with a walnut allergy.

@Corduroy: Great update!! It's always good to have a concrete plan. And it's great that your DH is on the same page now and gets it!

As far as the other nuts - my son is allergic to peanuts and a bunch of tree nuts (though technically not all of them) and we're just avoiding all peanuts and tree nuts together. He has another allergist appointment coming up December, so we might reevaluate then.