Dining out with peanut/tree nut allergy

[twilkerson]

ktschris that is awesome! I wish more schools would adopt that idea.
Allifun, I don't know if she is allergic to airborne particles. She is only 2. We found out at 8 months old that she was allergic to peanuts, and about 6 months ago found out that she was allergic even to traces of peanuts in food, when she ate her first "store bought" cookie at my 5 year old's Christmas preschool program. I had kept her away from all of that until my husband said he was tired of her not being normal and offered her a cookie. Within 5 minutes she reacted. It was a iced oatmeal cookie that had been prepared in the same facility that processed peanut products and she went into anaphylaxis. I don't take her into restaurants that throw peanut shells onto the floor and we don't eat in restaurants that fry in peanut oil. I also never sit her at a table where anyone is eating anything with peanuts in it.

 

[GoodWitch58]

Hi all, I have been away from Internet on a trip. This is a serious situation I'll share more ofour experience later. I am also curious about why it is becoming more common. In our case, it is a life threatening situation and there is nothing to be done except the Epipen to administer the antidote...if one is exposed and to try and avoid. Very difficult situation,.

 

[Allifunn]

In your case then you are probably ok. Speak to the manager or chef and I am sure they would be more than willing to accomodate you. I know our restaurant does not fry with peanut oil, so you are safe with the fries. You also have the option of grilled fish or chicken. We do incorporate hazelnuts (dessert), pecans and walnuts in our menu, but they are confined to the salad station. A responsible restaurant should be careful of cross contamination of products in their meals.
Glenda, I am like you, I wonder why this has become such a common health hazard. What has caused this?

 

[twilkerson]

Studies suggest that it is possible that because we dry roast our peanuts as opposed to boiling them, it is causing them to be more allergenic. There are also some that say it might be because we are much cleaner than we were years ago and our antibodies have turned on something else. I've also read that eating a lot of peanuts when pregnant could cause it. I ate peanut butter A LOT when I was pregnant and nursing my daughter. When she was an infant she would wake up crying in the middle of the night and she would be covered in a rash from head to toe. I would put her in the bathtub because I didn't know what was wrong with her. I took her to the Dr over and over and they kept telling me it was eczema. I knew she had eczema, but this was not eczema. Later when I found out she was allergic to peanuts and I quit eating them, her rash never came back and her skin cleared up. Every time one is exposed to peanuts, the reaction gets worse and worse. The last time she reacted with the oatmeal cookie,her mouth swelled, her blood pressure dropped, and she started projectile vomiting, so I used the epi pen and we went to the hospital. I wish someone could come up with a cure or at least to make reactions not as severe.