A few months ago, my husband was enjoying a piece of gluten/egg/dairy free
toast. He smeared the top with peanut
butter and sat down for his snack. Our
19 month old toddler walked up and demanded a bite. Our older children never had issues with
peanuts. She had experienced some
exposure through breast milk. I figured
it was a safe bet. WRONG.
Within ten minutes, her bottom lip started to swell and she had hives that were quickly spreading from her mouth to her cheek to her chin and beyond. Cue terror. A quick call to our doctor’s office gave us some Benadryl dosing and instructions for what to do and what to watch for. We felt so defeated and, well, DUMB. Food allergies are a mystery for most of us. If you’re like our family, we had no history of peanut allergies. Even though all of our kids have major intolerances, never had we seen a reaction like the day the peanuts left our house for all time.
Within ten minutes, her bottom lip started to swell and she had hives that were quickly spreading from her mouth to her cheek to her chin and beyond. Cue terror. A quick call to our doctor’s office gave us some Benadryl dosing and instructions for what to do and what to watch for. We felt so defeated and, well, DUMB. Food allergies are a mystery for most of us. If you’re like our family, we had no history of peanut allergies. Even though all of our kids have major intolerances, never had we seen a reaction like the day the peanuts left our house for all time.
Food allergies can present at any time with young children
and babies. As parents of sensitive/intolerant
kids “allergy” is a fear for many of us and a reality for some of us. If you have allergies in older children or in
your family, you may already be practicing allergy awareness. When your baby is
starting solids, you may worry that the switch may flip and you may experience
a true IgE-mediated allergic reaction.
Let’s talk about what to look for:
·
Hives
·
Swelling around the mouth
·
Eczema
·
Stuffy nose
·
Dry cough
·
Rejection of food – a toddler may tell you it’s
“hot!”
·
Severe breathing issues (CALL 911 IMMEDIATELY)
·
Vomiting/Nausea
·
Diarrhea
·
Weak pulse (CALL 911 IMMEDIATELY)
Obviously, some of these are more severe than others. But, even if it isn’t a *severe* reaction,
take pictures of any rashes/hives and call your doctor. It is always better to be safe than
sorry.
When starting solids with your baby, it’s a good idea to
keep a food journal. It will help you
pinpoint any sensitivities you may have not realized or potential
allergies. Always try a new food early
in the day. If you have a history of
food allergies or someone in your family does, make a plan with your doctor
about exactly what to do in case of a reaction.
Likely, you’ll get some information for dosing Benadryl and perhaps an
epinephrine injector in case of severe reactions. Wait at least three days between each new
food to monitor reactions before introducing a new food. Also, keep in mind and take note of things
that might make reactions look like bigger reactions – teething, vaccines,
illness, etc.
If your baby does have a fast moving or severe reaction,
keep as calm as you can (YEAH, RIGHT, but try) and take the necessary steps to
get your child back to a safe state. If you have prior instructions from your
doctor, follow them to the letter. If
you are able, take notes of progression and speed. I cannot stress this enough – when in doubt –
make the call. Get your child the
medical attention they need.
Should you become one of the fashionable mommas that carts
around a few Epi-pens and bottles of Benadryl, don’t feel bad. You can’t know. You can’t begin to predict when or if it will
happen – and nor should you try and “pre-reaction eliminate a possible might
happen maybe allergen.” Life is meant to be lived and food is a part of that. We are here to help you cope, listen to the
angst and frustration and live intolerant/allergy life with you.
Since her reaction a few months ago, we have taken steps to
ensure that my daughter is as safe as she can be. We have done allergy testing
and we do intend to follow up with regularity.
We do put her in the church nursery – with an Epi and Benadryl, safe
snacks and drinks and a bracelet that loudly proclaims her allergy status. Our
close friends and family all know what to look for and how to help us keep her
safe. I do keep a close eye on her, but
that’s mostly because she’s convinced she can fly.
Here are some resources:
