Could This Be an Allergy?

Sounds like a reaction to me. My daughter accidentally ate something that came into contact with peanuts (but not actually peanuts or PB) when she was 12 mos and that was her first reaction. Similar occurrence when a PB cup was touched to her lips accidentally at 14 mos (but not ingested). We had her tested and she is off the charts allergic so thank god she never ingested it. The "accidents" happened at a daycare (stupid people when I gave instructions of no nuts/peanuts till age 3) -- she hasn't been there since the 2nd occurrence and we have had au pairs pretty much since then.

Just as FYI- you or your husband or family do not have to be allergic to foods for your kids to get them. A lot of times, kids of allergic people (even hayfever for example) can wind up with food allergies (in fact, if you and your husband both have ANY sort of allergies, those allergies can manifest themselves in any way -- including food -- with an 80% chance your kids would have allergies). Then there is always the odd ones where the parents have no allergies at all and kids end up with them too....so there are no guarantees. My recommendation is to have her back-scratch tested at the allergist (takes all of 30 minutes) for foods -- does the major ones (soy, egg, milk, gluten, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts). Our daughter turned out to be milk, egg, peanut, fish allergic (explaining her eczema she had from birth). Best wishes and hope it was just teething but better to be safe than sorry! Peanut allergies can progress/escalate from hives to worse reactions over time.

I am allergic to peanut butter. Mine is a very severe allergy. The first few times my parents gave it to me as a toddler it started with hives, but it progressed from there. I would not give your daughter peanut butter again. And at your next pediatrician's visit you should mention her reaction. Maybe her allergy will not be severe, but some are. I would be very careful to wash your hands and any utensils/dishes you put peanut butter on and make sure she does not touch it, at least until you know how severe her reactions are. I cannot touch it and cannot sit at a table where a bowl of nuts is without having some kind of reaction. So please please be very careful.

Honey,dont wait on an answer from us...call your pediatrician right away!!! Please keep us updated!!

I answered a question very similar to yours a few days ago. The answers might help you. I'll let you read my personal answer there, since they'd be the same!

http://www.mamapedia.com/questions/17641518531340271617

yup, sounds like a reaction. If we have any doubt with our 3 year old's food, we rub a little on the sensitive spot on her lower back. If she reacts within 5-10 minutes, we don't give it to her.

I have heard it is safest to refrain from giving children nuts until they are 3 years and up. We gave our daughter a skin test last month with no reaction, but my husband wants to wait till she's 4.

Just hold off on giving her any for a couple of more years. If you want to eat it, then eat it. Give her something else that she loves to eat while you have your PB. Our daughter understood at a very young age that she can't have somethings because they give her "ouchies". (milk and egg) Now she's asks us if things have milk in them because she knows she can't have milk. She has no problem watching us eat things she can't as long as she can have her favorite foods too.

Good luck!!

I bet she is at least a little bit allergic. Way too coincidental that it is happening twice. I would wait a couple years until trying again -when she can communicate with you and tell you how she is feeling. My son is allergic and he knows if he has had something because he gets a funny feeling in his mouth and tells me right away.

I wouldn't not eat PB myself though. I eat it all the time and my son is never affected. I think it is probably pretty rare that they are allergic by the smell or simple touch-its just blown out of proportion to its incidence.

Hello,

My daughter is almost seven now and haven't had any issues with PB . . . but I remember hearing and reading that you should wait until a child is 3 years old or older before introducing peanut. It's one thing if they come in contact with it without knowing . .. but straight peanut butter, I heard 3 years old. I think the reason they gave was that there is more of a chance of a reaction when the child is younger . .. I think the longer you wait the more tolerance he may have for those foods that people are prone to being allergic to. I don't know how true this is . . . but it's what I was told. I waited until my daughter turned three. We had a doctor's appointment for a check up and I gave her some peanut butter in the parking lot before we went in for our appointmen. I figured if she had any kind of reation .. .what better place to be than a doctor's office. Hope this helps. Take care.

T. M.