What do I do now?

[my3girlsjde]

E has been eating Cheerios  (no name brand) for quite some time and has been doing great. I go to toss out the latest box and realize that she's been eating the honey nut kind with almonds in it 

She's incredibly sensitive but we've not had a reaction for a while so I know she's handling it fine but do I stop giving them to her or is it too late where she's had the exposure? Not sure what to do as we debt get to see the paed for another month and my family Dr already admits that I know more than he does in regards to allergies.

Thanks

Vicki

[Buntybear]

Do you mean with regards the nuts? If she is fine why would you stop? I would consider it a success!

[Mom to M&M]

Are you sure there are real almonds in there? Some brands have only almond flavoring but no actual nuts.

If actual nuts, I'm with Buntybear - total success! Being able to have nuts opens you up to a lot of things for her and they are a great source of nutrition going forward.

[MasynSpencerElliotte]

Have you been told not to feed them until she is 3? That is what our allergist recommended for Spencer, but I'm still too chicken to try any nuts.  I know they change the "rules" as to when to feed stuff all the time, so I'm not sure what you should do, since she is okay with the almonds.

[Buntybear]

If we are talking nuts then I have a question . Olly has had cashew on a couple of occasions. If he hasn't had a reaction to them does that mean he is OK with other nuts? Or can you be allergic to walnuts and not cashew for example?

[MasynSpencerElliotte]

Yup, you can be allergic to one type of nut and not another as they all are different proteins...but I think it is pretty common for an allergist to recommend not eating any if you are allergic to one.  (Of course, peanuts & tree nuts are different too as peanuts are actually a legume and not a "nut" per se)

[Buntybear]

OK thanks. He had it once in a dairy free pesto and then again the other day in a fruit bar someone provided at a party instead of brithday cake for him. I gave him a tiny bit and stood by with a syringe of anti histamine but he was OK. As that was the 2nd time he had it then I guess he is OK. It wasn't particulry my intention to expose him to nuts but at least that is one off my list! Won't be tring anymore until I am advised 'safe' to do so.

Sorry for taking over your thread Vicki 

[Mom to M&M]

According to DS' allergist AND holistic practitioner, it's certainly possible but not super common to be allergic to one kind of tree nut but not others. More common is to be allergic to tree nuts but NOT peanuts (or vice versa). Also more common is to be INTOLERANT (but not allergic) to certain nuts. For example, my DS is not ALLERGIC to any nuts. But he is highly intolerant of almonds (blow out diapers and stomach cramps every time) and moderately to peanuts (though he seems to be outgrowing that one). But he can and does eat other nuts very frequently - he has pistachios and cashews for snack often.

[Buntybear]

That is interesting Karen - thanks 

[my3girlsjde]

Thanks for the replies. we were advised to wait until she is three which is why I'm not quite sure how to proceed. And it is almonds I found one on the floor and careful inspection it did look like nuts. she did have a mouthful of a pb cookie once but that's all for peanuts. I have been pretty strict on that.

So hmmmmmm........I'd like to keep going as I've got a shellfish issue myself and there's a lot of things she already can't have. But I don't want to screw this up either kwim?

[MasynSpencerElliotte]

Honestly Vicki, I think the fact that she has eaten them negates the whole idea of waiting until 3 years old.  I have always been under the impression that the reason for waiting is to keep them from ingesting the food at all and thereby lessening the chance of a reaction when they do finally eat it.  Since she has, and with no issues, I'm not sure!  Spencer has never had any type of nut ever cross her lips, but then our allergist considers that her first exposure would have been in the womb or from me BF as I did eat PB frequently.  Allergies suck!

[my3girlsjde]

Hmmm......that's an interesting thought. I really wonder sometimes about the amount of milk I craved when I was pg with all of them esp E.

The other thing, is this is a processed and likely cooked nut. if I continue to give the Cheerios to her I don't know if I'll actively give her the fresh ones kwim?

BUT - Yaaaaaay! A high risking food was fine How often has that happened with this child? May as well celebrate just a little bit.

[MasynSpencerElliotte]

BUT - Yaaaaaay! A high risking food was fine   How often has that happened with this child?  May as well celebrate just a little bit.

   darn right!  Hmmm...I've never pondered processed vs. raw nuts, I wonder if that makes a difference?

[Mom to M&M]

For nuts I don't believe it does really matter, though some nuts (like cashews) aren't generally eaten raw. In terms of the cheerios, I'd say the difference is that the amount of nuts she actually got is much smaller than it would be if you gave her actual nuts. BUT it should still have been plenty to test an IgE allergy (though an intolerance could take longer/more to build up).

You are best off (budget allowing) buying raw organic nuts and then soaking and dry roasting them at home. Otherwise dry roasted are best (that way you don't run the risk of oils going rancid from cooking. And they are best kept in an air-tight bag in the fridge.