peanutbutter

[Ryan&HollysMom]

so when exactly CAN they eat peanutbutter? my lo is 12 months, and there are no allergies in the family. he's also had an accidental microscopic amount of hazelnut in my nutella on day.

[sophiems]

depends on who you listen to...   

my ped said 2 yrs.  We have no allergies, and my lo accidentally had some (he helped himself to it on the counter when I was busy with #1) at 17 mos and so I just went from there.  I gave him natural PB only, though. 

American Peds usually say 2 yrs. but until 3 yrs ago they said 1 yr, so I think it's a matter of what you are comfortable with. 

[Ryan&HollysMom]

would a reaction to a microscopic amount be the same as to say a teaspoon of it? if there were a reaction that is.

[sophiems]

I don't know for sure.  It's my understanding, though that with food allergies, they don't have a reaction until the 2nd time they are exposed.  Allergy happens when your body has something and treats it as toxin or something so the next time there's a reaction.  I could be wrong though, I'm not very familiar with this stuff. 
Where are you and what does your doc say? 

[Samuel's mum]

It gets a bit confusing because hazelnuts and peanuts actually are completely unrelated. Although we call a peanut a 'nut' it actually isn't - it's a legume. I'm not making this up! So whatever happens with a hazelnut will not tell you much about his potential peanut allergy (which I really doubt he has but I guess you never really know).

The advice seems to vary so much. I still haven't given it to Sam as DH has some allergies but I know I'm being overly cautious. I'm not sure I would have at 12 months though.

[Hunter & Sithia's mom]

Dh and I have no discernable allergies to nuts, so Hunter has had Peanut Butter since about a year old, and some days it is the only protein he gets, sigh.

It's true that peanuts are not nuts, and are legumes.  That said, however, ,u mom's neighbour is allergic to peanuts and all other tree nuts with the exception of Pecans, Cashews and Pistacios, and the allergies were acquired in adulthood.

I say, if there aren't any allergy issues like that in the family, don't be so uptight about it.  Personally I believe that there are so many more allergies to nuts nowadays because we are told not to let them have anything till they are 3, better yet, teenhood!!!!!!!!!  They don't have a chance to build a resistance so to speak.

Just my 2 cents worth
Beth

[VickyB20]

My 8 month old twin boys have peanut butter on toast for breakfast and had peanut butter sandwiches for tea yesterday!!  They absolutely love it.

I hadn't intended to give it to them so early but their big sister kindly gave them (i.e. shoved in their mouth) some of her sandwich one day when I had my back turned... and then did the same a couple of days later.  Since they had no anaphylatic shock, I figured it must be ok for them!!    

Great source of protein and sticky enough to stick to their hands as they feed themselves!   

Vicky
xx

[Jocasta]

I say, if there aren't any allergy issues like that in the family, don't be so uptight about it.  Personally I believe that there are so many more allergies to nuts nowadays because we are told not to let them have anything till they are 3, better yet, teenhood!!!!!!!!!  They don't have a chance to build a resistance so to speak.

I completely agree!  For the last ten-15 years pregnant women in the UK have been told to avoid peanuts as there was found to be a link to peanut consumption during pregnancy and peanut allergies etc.  Childhood peanut allergies in the UK have almost doubled in the last ten years and guess what?  We're now told to eat peanuts during pregnancy as it's believed to help build a child's tolerance!!! 

Sophie is nine months and I can't eat without her pestering me for some of my food.   She has had a mouthfull of soggy crunchy nut cornflakes on about four separate occasions - it only occurred to me this morning that she shouldn't have had any as they contain peanuts    I'm just so sleep deprived right now...  I intend on letting her have peanut butter sandwiches from about 12 months. 

[Kimberly®]

new research shows early exposier (sorr I really can't spell  ) to nuts is actually helpfull in avoiding nut allergie. Including during pregnancy and breastfeeding, unless there is a known allergy of course, thats a different situation.

DD has had nuts since about 11-12 months. She's fine.

for what its worth microscopic or teaspoon amount will cause the same reaction. I have a friend who is allergic to eggs (adult onset) and she can't even have food that was touched by the same utencil.

Allergies have actually gotten worse in the last 10 years when peanut free zones and diets were pushed. They've also gotten more deadly then they used to be. When I was a child 1 child had a nut allergy in our school (900 students) they didn't make the other 899 students stop bringing foods with nuts, they set up a safe room. That way if you brought PB you could eat there then you washed your hands.

Sadly for many families who are having financial issues PB is the only thing kids get sometimes as it all you can aford. Go to any food bank and see if you leave without any. Its so loaded with protine that you really want to give it to your child, especially if they're picky about meats or other foods.

We had a situation in our city with a resently widowed mother of 5 who had no income because she was a stay at home mom and dad suddenly wasn't there. The school wouldn't let her give her children PB sandwitched because there was a child who had an allergy (again school of 900+ students) her kids never even had contact with this child. Turns out his mild reaction is a slight rash and an itch, no anafilactic raction not even an epi pen. His parents faught to keep PB out of the school, well the judge over ruled it saying there was not immidiate danger to this child as there was 0 contact between the students and suggested a peanut safe room be set up. Well now ALL our schools are doing that, and over half the schools have 0 nut allergies in them to start with. Talk about over kill.

Then you have people like me. I have an anifilactic reaction to oranges. Yes oranges, but you never see me telling people don't bring your oranges around me, don't eat with me, or any of that. I'd be considered rude then. Instead I calmly let them know to not touch me untill they wash their hands (also been taken as rude btw) and explain to them I have an allergy. I can't expect the world to know I am allergic to them, and I can't expect no one at work to eat them or bring them because of me. I can move.

[Hunter & Sithia's mom]

Well said Kim, you are so articulate and that is what I was trying to get accross.  Now, if we can only get you to use the spell check 

Beth

[momofclaire]

As a mom of a child with a nut allergy (tree nuts, we haven't tested for peanuts) I have to say that I would be careful introducing them.  It is important to at least know when your child has one of these foods for the first time.  Claire had a mild reaction the first time but it took us serveral times to figure out what it was! She had toast and the bread had walnuts of which I was unaware.  The next reactions were progressively worse.  Mild reactions can become more serious the more times an allergic child is exposed.  Our last reaction was rapid breathing and swelling of the face!! So, don't let a mild skin reaction make you feel that it isn't serious.  It is best if a child has an allergy to totally remove the food from the diet for a few years in the hopes that the reaction won't get more serious.
I wouldn't give any child nuts or peanuts before a year simply because if you do have a serious reaction it is worse for a little one.

[Hunter & Sithia's mom]

momofclaire

Please don't get us wrong.  Of course, as with any other food you introduce, be very careful with the introduction of peanuts and discontinue if any ANY reaction occurs and consult a dr.  I just don't believe in waiting till they are 3 to introduce new foods like nuts.  Heck, if it weren't for peanutbutter, Hunter wouldn't get protien some days ... lol.  Will eat veggies and pasta and potatoes.  But aside from nuggest and the occasional pogo, will not touch meat.  Sigh. 

Beth

[momofclaire]

I do think people are becoming a little oversensitive about the peanut/treenut thing and if your child doesn't have an allergy it is a GREAT protien to give them.  I guess I just spend a decent amount of time around those with serious allergies that I wouldn't want someone to take it too lightly.  I met a woman at the allergist's office whose son had such a bad reaction that he might have vision problems.     Her daughter just touched his eye after having a pb sandwhich and within minutes the white of hit eye swelled up and surrounded the colored part. I know, gross. We all have different perspecitves and I guess since I am the mom reading EVERY food lable for abot 50 ingredients    I am a little sensitive about it. 

[Hunter & Sithia's mom]

I can understand totally love.  My sister has that reaction to peas, strawberries and kiwi as they all apparently have the same natural dye in them ... according to her dr anyways.  I never take anyone lightly when they say that they or their lo have an allergy, and make a point to ask at gatherings too.

Beth

[Kimberly®]

Please don't think I am taking it lightly either. Especially as a person with an anifilactic reaction to a food. I fully understand and appreciate the seriousness of the situation. I also know however that just like introducing foods to early (like in infancy) introducing foods to late can lead to allergies which can in fact become worse. Most allergies children have actually they grow out of. Like milk for example, even eggs. When the Nut/treenut allergies really became a big issue fear was used to tell parents not to give the food item. Understandable of course, but now they are seeing the link between the 2. There is an alarming rate of growth in the deadliness of an allergy (like nuts) in the last 10 years. By not giving children nuts/treenuts who usually would have little to no risk of allergy they are in fact finding these children are not getting the immunities they should. Not sure if I can explain it as well as a scientist, but I think you can get what I mean.

Doctors are now finding that introducing nuts/treenuts, through pregnancy, abreastmilk and earlier exposuer (1 year) introduces the bodies natural immunities to these nuts. If there is a history of allergy then 2 years is recommended. I would always tell a parent do what feels right. If your gut says no then don't do it. No one knows your child better then you.

Lets use oranges as an example. I ate oranges regularly as a child with no issue. At about 23 I had a glass of orange juice (after not having any for many years cause I wasn't eating right) and my face and hands swelled. I have since had simmiler reactions to them including the closeing throat. DD had orange juice at 14 months from Nana because Nana didn't know about my allergy. She had no reaction to it at all. I have requested then the daycare wait untill DD is 2 to introduce oranges fully, but have also stated unless she shows sevear reaction there was no need to cut them for the rest of the group. She has not successfully been able to have oranges. My hope is that its a fluke and that neither of my children will have this allergy.

Well said Kim, you are so articulate and that is what I was trying to get accross.  Now, if we can only get you to use the spell check 

Beth

Spell check is overrated