Hello!
I'm a bit frustrated and not sure what to do next. I really appreciate any help and ideas you can give me!
A few nights ago my son ingested a portion of a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup. Almost immediately he started having a cackling cough and gagging. His eyes glazed over and he became pretty lethargic. We kept an eye on him and when his breathing seemed more crackling we decided to take him to the ER. At the ER, they were not sure it was an allergic reaction but did say his throat was a bit swollen and decided to give him Benadryl and Epinephrine. Almost immediately he started to feel better and was back to his old self. We were repeatedly told that this was not a typical reaction to peanuts. They gave us an EpiPen prescription and asked us to meet with out pediatrician the next day.
We went to our appointment yesterday and basically the doctor brushed it off saying she would put it in his charts and didn't seem to want to talk about it.
Well first I am not happy about our doctor's visit, but that is a tangent. I feel like I need to know if my son is indeed allergic to peanuts and how severe. I am starting to really believe that we have to advocate our health needs to the medical community. I'm not sure what I need to do next. My friend today suggested he get a blood test taken to test for allergies.
Is this the next step and does anyone else have any words of wisdom? I just need to know how serious this is for my son(and make sure it was indeed an allergic reaction, although it seemed like it after the epinephrine worked wonders)and what I need to do to make sure he does not have any allergic reactions again. Now I am wondering if is is any tree nuts or just peanuts.
Thank you so much for your help!!!
Thank you everyone for your responses!!! I do know how serious this is and he is definitely not going anywhere near peanuts anytime soon. I did schedule an appointment with an Allergist that is highly recommended and we are going to change pediatricians. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that he does not have any other food allergies. This is a such a scary world to be entering and one I was hoping we could avoid! Thank you everyone for the recommendations and websites!!!
B.,
My son has multiple severe food allergies. Found Dr. Spergel at CHOP to be the most thorough-would make an appointment with him. Nuts are in everything, situation should not be taken lightly....
Good luck.
K.
Hi B.,
I really don't know if your son had a reaction or not. I can offer my experience. My daughter is severely allergic to peanuts. She can't even have contact with someone who has eaten anything or she will react. It wasn't always this bad. When she was a few months old, I kissed after eating a Reeses peanut butter cup and she broke out in hives. HAd her tested and sure enough she has a peanut allergy which has gotten worse as she got older. She is 4 now. she also has egg and tree allergies but being allergic to peanuts doesn't mean your son will be allergic to anything else, but he does need to be tested by both skin testing and blood testing. Neither one can be said to be 100% accurate, so having both doen can give a better overall picture. If he tests neg. on both tests then it was not an allergy but it does sound like a reaction to me. Some people don't even get hives in an anaphalactic reaction, sometimes the only symptom is a drop in blood pressure. Which will eventually lead to death if not treated. It sounds by his lethargy that he had not only a drop in BP but also respiratory aas well as throat mouth symptoms, this all points to allergy especially combined with a positive response to treatment. Do not ever give him anything with peanuts in to test him as a pp said. His reaction next time could be worse and he could die if not properly treated. People don't always realize the severety of allergies and think it is okay to ingest just a little. Even if you give him benedryl and an epi-pen he may need a second dose of epi in order to recover and a trip to the hospital could take to long. Do not ever risk that. Have him tested, find a new ped. or demand to be refered to an allergist if you can't find a new one, but be an advocate for your child. If in the end you find out it is not an allergy, at least you know you did what you needed to and if he does have an allergy then it is better to know now. Good luck! Email me if you want to talk and check out the FAAN website at http://www.foodallergy.org
Glad to hear that you are going to an allergist. NEVER test your son at home by giving him some peanut butter or peanut products with Benadryl close at hand, leave that to the doctor's at their office where they have Epipens and other emergency products to help in case it would be needed. Also I carry the TwinJect epi pen for my son, it's smaller to carry then the epi pen jr. and has two doses of the epi if needed, sometimes one shot does not help enough to stop the symptoms so it's always nice to have another dose on hand. Good luck, you will find your way through the allergy world and you and your son will be fine. My son loves to eat Soy Butter sandwiches (almost tastes like peanut butter) and we have two great cookbooks for allergy cooking, let me know if you would like the titles of the books.
It sounds like an allergic reaction...the allergy can surface even after eating the allergen many times before. My son has peanut and tree nut allergies. Carry an EpiPen Jr and avoid all nuts, including labels that say "manufactured in a plant..." and small bakeries. You want to avoid even trace amounts since they can cause serious reactions. Do this until you get in with a pediatric allergist and get tested. Good luck. I know it can be overwhelming to get thrown into the confusing world of life-threatening allergies. Everyday diligence will be the best way to keep your little guy safe.
p.s. Holiday gatherings can be the trickiest, since they are just around the corner, and a 2 year old is going to be all about grabbing cookies and things. Be careful. Feel free to contact me since we recently went through this tricky stage. I would be happy to share how it went for us.
Hi B., Go to a good allergist and have your son tested for allergies. Better safe than sorry. Many food products have nuts in them and you need to know. Now, it could have been a fluke, or a reaction to something he had eaten or been exposed to before the piece of candy...typical food poisening takes 48 to 72 hours to be apparent despite popular belief. (Which is why it's so hard to figure out what food was really to culpret in food poisening cases.) I would, after seeing an allergist, tell your doctor that you were not happy with the way she treated you...Doctors make mistakes too! Best wishes.
I agree with the other posts...looks like you may need to find another doctor. The only reason why your doc may be dismissing it is if your child has had peanuts multiple times in the past without any issues. Then - it could potentially be something else in the reese's cup that got to him. Some allergic reactions appear after the first time someone is exposed to a particular food....but many do not show until someone has had the food in question 2 or 3 times. If your child has never had peanuts or minimum exposure - it is likely he is allergic. Best of luck to you!!!!
Hello B.,
How old is your son? The chances are extremely high that he probably has had peanut products many times before - they are in many, many, foods. Did he ever have a reaction to them before? Does he eat peanut butter?
What I would do is give him a tiny bit of peanut butter, with benedryl close at hand. If he has a reaction, give him the benedryl and go to the doctor. Then you at least know that he has the allergy, but he is safe as well.
My daughter loves Reeses Peanut Butter cups, and she often goes through the coughing like your son did. Did you ever eat one of them too fast? The same thing happens to me. Somthing about the texture or something - not sure, but I usually need a drink nearby when eating them.
Good luck, and I hope your son is okay,
L.
My son has a peanut allergy and they can be quite serious. I would get an appointment with an allergist and until then read all ingredients to make sure there is no peanuts. When you eat out find out what kind of oil is used, it could be peanut. That is how we found out.
Thanks,
T.
I would take him to see an allergist. As an expert in this field, he/she should be able to determine if in fact your son is allergic and the severity of the allergy. And, yes, we, as moms, are advocates for the health of our family, especially our children.
Hi B.,
I am a mom of 4 and my oldest (8 yrs old) has a peanut allergy. Do not brush this off. A peanut allergy reation, as you saw, can be serious. It does not always take on the same symptoms or severity. Some are more reactve than others, but that does not mean that can't change with the next reaction.
I would schedule an appt with a ped allergist and have your son tested as soon as possible. Peanuts are legumes, not nuts, so often times the allergy does not cross over to tree nuts, but I would avoid all nuts until tested.
My son has not had a reaction since the initial reaction when he was 2.5 yrs old, however, you need to be exteamly dilligent in what he eats to be sure there are no peanuts and also that the food he eats was not prepared on equipment where peanuts are used, etc. You will learn over time what is safe and what is not and all the things you need to do to be safe.
Good luck!
I would definitely schedule an appt with a pediatric allergist. We go to Dr Beausoleil at Main Line Allergy in King of Prussia. I really like her. Allergies are serious business and I can't believe that the ER and your ped brushed it off like that. And as for that not being a typical allergic reaction, I am not sure how they can say that. It sounds pretty typical to me and even if it isn't there are a ton of different allergic reactions.
My son is highly allergic is peanuts, and he is also severely allergic to eggs and tree nuts. My advice to you is to completely eliminate these things from his diet, and anything else you may be suspicious of. My son had several reactions (not anaphalactic! he had hives, welts, rashes, etc.) to many different foods before his pediatrician finally "allowed" me to take him for a blood test. The blood test showed all of his allergies, and then we were sent to an allergist to have a skin/scratch test. He tested allergic to just about everything under the sun. Still, doctors have differing opinions on which of these tests is accurate. My advice to you is to follow what your son's body is telling you. If he spits something out, do not force him to eat it (he may be having a burning/tingling in his mouth.) If he develops any kind of rash, assume it's the food he is eating. Do not buy anything that has been processed with nuts, and make sure to keep your house nut-free. These things, along with a "whole" diet (as in, very little processed foods) will make all the difference. My experience with all of the doctors I've dealt with from pregnancy to birth, through the first/second year, have been so terrible that I rarely trust what they alone have to say. There are a lot of things that doctors are not taught in medical school. And food allergies are a growing problem with the children of today. Trust your gut- you're his mom, you know when something is really wrong, if even they say "it's not typical."
Good luck to you, I hope your son grows out of his allergies. :)
And as far as Laurie M's advice goes:
IF YOU THINK YOUR CHILD HAS A NUT ALLERGY, NEVER NEVER NEVER GIVE THEM NUT PRODUCTS JUST TO "SEE." That is one of the most ridiculous things I've ever heard. Should your child have an anaphylactic response, Benadryl is not going to save his life.
the epinephrine will work wonders for any number of conditions, not *just* anaphylaxis. however, if you wanted to get testing, you could contact an allergist.
Absolutely what Sharon said. Considering how many children have severe peanut and tree nut allergies (my son and daughter included), your pediatrician's attitude is shocking. See an allergist and stay away from peanuts and nuts for now just in case. My daughter ate tree nuts her whole life with no problem, then one day a walnut half almost killed her. Her allergist said that sometimes that's the way it happens. I kept saying "but she eats almonds and walnuts all the time"...it was a real wake-up call. And sure enough, once they tested her, it turned out she had a severe allergy to tree nuts. Pediatricians aren't allergy specialists, so it's important to see an allergist who can recommend the appropriate tests, whether it's a blood test or the scratch test. Good luck!
I'm glad to hear you made an appointment with the allergist. My pediatrician ordered a blood test and after it came back positive for some food allergies, than we where told to make an appointment with an allergist.
In the meantime, make anyone that watches your child aware of the situation (teachers, caregivers, etc) so that he does not have anymore nuts until you have determined if he has a true allergy (you may need to provide his own snacks, etc in the meantime too).
Food allergies can be overwhelming for a parent at first but get easier with time. If he does have an allergy, post another message on this sight & I'm sure you will find lots of support.
My son was diagnosed with an egg & shellfish allergy at the age of 8.
absolutely take hime to an alergy specialist. It surely sounds like an alergic reaction to me. Trust your gut feeling, Moms aren't usually wrong. Remember, he will only get worse the next time he is exposed to peanuts, and you may not be as fortunate to be near to medical care. Good luck.
Hello! A peanut allergy is serious and should not have been brushed off like that. I have a daughter with food allergies. You need to take your child to an allergy specialist. They do several test and walk you thru how to handle an allergy and how to read the labels to know how to spot allergens. You need to take this seriously since the doctor did not.
You should absolutely have him tested for peanut allergy.
On the other hand, I know that sometimes when I take a bite of a really sugary food, it kind of goes down the wrong way and I choke and hack and gasp and make all kinds of scary noises (and if this had happened when I was a little kid, I'm sure my parents would have, quite correctly, taken me to the ER), so it could be as simple as a throat full of gooey spit down the wrong hatch. But definitely insist on a trip to the allergist to be safe.
Hi,B.:
Take your son to an Allergy Doc.
Get a second opinion.
Good luck. D.
Hi B..
You already got all the good advice here, so I will keep this brief. My son has a peanut allergy, and after his first reaction, I read lots of info about peanut allergies, and there is some indication that reactions can become more severe with each occurrence, so I would be very careful until you get a more definitive diagnosis. Keep your Epi-Pen with you at all times, and make sure you have practiced using it. And definitely follow up on this. Both your pediatrician and ER were extremely careless to dismiss your sons reaction. These reactions can be life threatening. Shame on them.
Hi! I'm a pediatric nurse and while your son's presentation does not sound typical of an allergy, one thing I have learned in my years of peds is that no two kids are the same and you never know what they are going to do! It does sound like an allergic reaction, especially given his response to the benadryl and epi. Besides keeping your epipen and benadryl handy, I would start with either looking for a new pediatrician or having another appointment with your current pediatrician. Depending on your insurance, you can contact an allergist yourself or ask for a referral to one. Like I said, keep the epipen and benadryl handy and be persistent....you are the best advocate for your child's health!! Good luck!!
I think you should really consider finding a new pediatrician. Allergies can be life threatening and should not be dismissed. (ANY of your concerns should not be dismissed!)
I took my kids to an excellent allergist who tested on their backs while they laid down and watched a little portable video. It was so easy I could not believe it! I am sending you the link for that doc, although I am not sure where you are located. Any questions, feel free to email me. In the meantime act as if he is allergic to all nuts. The doc below in case the link doesn't work is Dr DeAngelo on Fort Couch Road in the South Hills. He is GREAT.
http://maps.google.com/maps/place?hl=en&source=hp&...
