Scary Allergies

Most food allergies can just be avoided, but the PEANUT ALLERGY is just scary.  At least now I know that just touching a peanut doesn't cause a reaction in Kellyn, my 2 1/2 year old. But that sure was a scary thing to find out.

We took Kellyn to an allergist at 10 months old because she had already shown allergic reactions to eggs and red food dye (in medicine). On the prick test, she also tested positive for the dreaded peanut allergy. It was a borderline reaction though, so we just were told to avoid giving her any peanuts or peanut products. A blood test at 2 years old confirmed she still has a very low level allergy to peanuts.

Our home has been peanut free for almost 2 years now, we just don't have it in our home, and I don't let anyone in our family eat it when she's around. We found a great almond butter, called Barney Butter, that tastes just like peanuts butter, but is made in a completely peanut free way from start to finish.

We put out warnings at our church too, because she and another little boy her age are allergic to peanuts. But group gatherings are always a little scary for us. The boy's mother carries an EpiPen for him just in case.

Yesterday, the kids were in the Firestone store in Lubbock with me picking up the van after having some maintenance work done. There was about an inch gap between 2 of the cushions on the couch in the store, and Kellyn reached down in between them to pick something up. She held it up to me and asked, "What is this?"

Oh, no, a peanut. Of course, she wouldn't know what a peanut looks like because we go the other direction anytime we see them.

I took it from her and threw it in the trash can. I told her not to touch anything, while I grabbed a wipe from the bag. The only thing she did touch was her other hand, so I wiped them both thoroughly  Then I picked her up and took her to the bathroom to wash her hands with soap.  I watched her carefully for the next 15 minutes, ready to dose her with Zyrtec I'd brought in the van. And then I watched her for reactions all evening too, I couldn't help myself. What kept going through my mind was the news story last week about a 19 year old dying from eating a cookie that contained peanut oil, but didn't have a proper label.

I thank God that she did not have a severe reaction to the peanuts, in fact she didn't show a reaction at all. I'm also very thankful that she asked what it was without just eating it first. There were probably a dozen peanuts down in between those cushions. I told the manager, and he said he would clean it up soon (but he didn't do it in the next 10 minutes we were standing there avoiding the couch).

I don't think you appreciate the Fear factor that comes along with this particular allergy until your own child has it. So please, if you know a child with a peanut allergy, take it seriously and help their parents protect the child.