This is our story (for our records and for other moms). Before I begin, this is just our experience. Your child may do great with peanut butter, and I really hope they do. This isn't for one side or the other of when to give PB. It isn't even a discussion on high allergy foods and whether that exists. This is to inform other moms of what they may see in an allergic reaction. Please take this as "informing" and not "scare tactics."
Background info: I've heard conflicting ideas about when to give children different foods (6mo. or a 1yr. old). I've read about "high allergy" foods, and we've had no problems with eggs or cows milk (both have the potential to be "high allergy" foods). Mr. T has been exposed to peanuts and peanut butter through nursing and has even flown on an airplane. :) I'm sure he's even eaten foods with traces of peanuts or peanut oil in them. One other piece of info: Timothy has eczema. This just means he has very sensitive skin and sometimes looks like he has a blotchy, red skin all over his body. (It has calmed down over the winter but was worse over the summer.)
As you can see, I wasn't too concerned about trying peanut butter out. This morning he was having blueberries and a bagel (he's already had both), and I put a little peanut butter on a few small pieces of bread. He liked the taste and continued to eat. I thought, "Great! We're going to do some PB sandwiches for lunch here soon." Yet, in about 15 minutes, I noticed redness around his mouth. (1st picture below) I wasn't too worried but my husband and I decided he was probably just having a little reaction and should stop giving it to him. Shortly later, he started getting little red bumps on his arms (2nd picture below-coming soon) and the redness was spreading to under his chin.
*Let me stop for a moment. You would think here that I might be freaking out. I really wasn't. I was calm. Said that it would just probably go away. I could just give him some Benadryl (previously okayed by the Pediatrician), and it would just go away in time. He wasn't wheezing, so I really just thought, "Okay, we won't try PB for a while." Honestly, I'm glad that I remained calm and felt that I was able to think clearly.
We did give him 2ml of Benadryl (okayed for his particular weight-24lbs), and I began to carry on with my morning. I took a few minutes to read "Baby 411" which said the following: "Allergic responses occur with in minutes or at most four hours after an exposure. A chemical in the body called HISTAMINE is released in massive qualities with an allergic reaction. Histamine can cause a tingling or itchy mouth, mouth or lip swelling, shortness of breath, and dramatic diarrhea. You may also see hives (raised borders of red plaques that look like mosquito bites with circles around them)." It continues on explaining a worse reaction where breathing is very difficult (ANAPHYLACTIC REACTION). Obviously, if he weren't breathing...I WOULD IMMEDIATELY CALL 911. For now, he had hives. Okay...I'm still doing okay, but wondering if I should give the doctor a call. After a recommendation from Dr. Pence (Franklin, TN Chiropractor), I called the doctor's office.
Here's the bottom line for us (this is after speaking with the doctor):
*He most likely was having an allergic reaction.
*If it would have been "life threatening", we would have seen the breathing problem in the first 30-45 minutes of eating the PB. (We were already at an hour when I spoke with him.)
*We need to get in to see an allergist to see what his reaction was to. It's not 100% the PB.
*And (a bit sad to me), we have to get an EpiPen. And I need to carry two with me every where I go incase someone gives him something or he has a different reaction.
*At this point, we just give him Benadryl for the present reaction.
*I was also given http://www.foodallergy.org/ to do some research into.
All this to say, I'm a little bit more concerned than I was before. :) But I'm thankful for knowledgeable doctors and the reminder to trust the Lord with this little boy he's blessed us with.
I will continue to keep you updated here with our story. Who knows...maybe it wasn't peanut butter. :)
Glad everything is okay, Kristine. Another note for moms -- allergies can develop at any time and just because your child isn't allergic to something now doesn't mean they won't be in the future. Cori loved cats and was never allergic to them until she was about ten years old. She also ate almonds for years, but when she was about twelve or thirteen, she developed an allergy to them with some of the same symptoms as Timothy, red bumps in her mouth, tingling and numbness.
ReplyDeleteSorry we didn't get to see you over the holidays. Hope to next time you visit your mom and dad.
poor bubba!!! you did a great job, kristine! i will never forget when i found out stephen was allergic to cashews. cashews!! lol. he started coughing and said he was thirsty, then his whole body was red with hives and his eyes were swollen and then he started vomiting. it was awful. but now i know! and i dont let him anywhere near cashews. we haven't done the allergy test yet, though i know i need to.
ReplyDeleteOh dear!! I nanny for a child who - when I started - was severely (actually *deathly*) allergic to nuts and many other things. I can't even have a peanut butter sandwich before going to work, as she might react to it. It can be scary, but honestly, I've been taking care of her for two and a half years and have had to do little more than give her a puff on her inhaler when her asthma acts up. The prospect of carrying around an epi-pen everywhere we go also made me nervous, but as long as we steer clear of allergens, she's been A-OK. I haven't yet had to use it, thank the Lord. What I've learned through it is to simply be more aware of our environment, and to trust the Lord to take care of His little ones. It can be a little nerve-wrecking, still, but He gives peace when I ask...
ReplyDeleteBy the way, hello! I'm Carrie - the wife of one of Eric's old roommates - Eric. :)
thanks for your words of encouragement. he's been find since the incident, but i am definitely going to be more attentive. :) and mrs. anderson - thanks for the other note! i didn't know that but it's so good to be informed!
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