Daughter's friend has food allergies?

Question

Our daughter, who is 4, has made a friend this summer who is allergic to peanuts (or maybe all nuts?) and we have a play date with her coming up. I'm scared to death of feeding her anything, and I don't know what kind of foods may contain nuts that I'm unaware of?

Is there anything I should know? Her mother isn't going to be there, but do you suppose she will tell me how to handle it? I only know of this allergy because we were sent home a letter from my daughter's gymnastics class asking us not to give our children foods with nuts to eat after class. I know nothing about food allergies - any advice would be great!

Answer 1

she most likely wont tell you hoe to handle it, shes 4. but just look on th back of food labels. mostly everything with nuts says, contains nuts   but sometimes it doesn't.  

Answer 2

Just read the labels on anything you try to give her.  Almost all foods will have in bold print underneath the ingredients what allergens it contains.  For instance...at the end of the list of ingredients it will say...CONTAINS: PEANUTS, SOY, MILK.  Even things you never thought of may contain nuts.  They also put this warning if it is made in a factory where they also have peanuts.  Just read the labels and you will be fine!

Answer 3

Just call the mom and say what you just said.  She will appreciate your being careful and asking.  I honestly can't imagine a parent of a kid with a serious allergy not taking the initiative and contacting you before a playdate.

Sometimes kids just get a rash or other very mild symptoms, but some kids with peanut allergies can stop breathing and go into anaphylactic shock from just a small exposure to peanut.  Probably her child carries an Epipen to inject epinephrine in case of a serious reaction (then you call 911 because the Epipen does wear off), and someone would need to show you when and how to use the Epipen.  It's kind of a scary concept to think of having to give a child an injection, but it's not complicated or difficult. Most parents would want someone who was supervising a 4-year-old to know how to use the Epipen even if you weren't having snacks on the playdate (in case of contact with crumbs or nut traces on a toy or something).  

As for foods, I'd just tell the parent ahead of time what you're planning to do for snack (I'd suggest fruit so you can skip all the careful label reading).  Don't cut it on a surface or with a utensil that wasn't washed first).

Peanuts and tree nuts are completely different.  Some kids are allergic to both but that's not necessarily the case.

Answer 4

Don't be scared

I have severe Nut alargies (peanut butter) and it is not as hard as people think it is and I HATE when people walk over eggshells about it.

First Take a Breath.....

this is One Day for a couple of Hours

The child is not gonna die

- stay away from pastries and candies unless you are positive they have had no contact with nuts or peanuts

-collect everything in the house that has anything to do with peanuts (peanut butter, peanuts, like i said above pastries and candies, nut crackers, etc.) and put them in a place where the neither kids can not get to it (preferably locked).

- anything you feed them, if you are not sure, read the ingredients. If it contain peanuts it should say in BOLD and/or CAP LOCK on the side of the box.  

- if you feed your daughter anything nut related before the child comes make sure you wash her hands and brush her teeth (some children are allergic to the smell) before she comes.

-Ask her parent if you can have it during the date (probably won't need it . the epipen is very simple to use and the intructions should be on it. Make sure the epipen is nowhere near the children.

Answer 5

see if her mom keeps a spare eppi pen handy

Answer 6

Ask her mother what she can eat, or if she can send something safe for her.  She won't mind.  She'll be glad you're taking an interest in the safety of her child.  

There are a lot of foods that have a Peanut Free symbol on the packaging too...

Answer 7

a lot of children have very severe allergies to nuts. sometimes so severe that they cant even be in the same room with them. my suggestion to you is to be extremely careful. read the backs of labels on food to see if they were manufactured in a factory that makes things with nuts in them. don't eat anything with nuts in it that day, and take things like peanut butter and nuts out of your house for the time. most parent are very careful about educating their kids with allergies about which foods they can and cannot eat.

also, call the girl's mother beforehand to discuss it with her. see if the child has an epi-pen, which is an injection given to a child who is allergic to nuts as soon as they come into contact with the nuts.

take precaution and i'm sure you will be fine.

Answer 8

My son has food allergies so I understand your worrying.  First things first, most snacks do not contain peanuts and you can be sure that fruit doesn't at all.  So you can serve golffish, popcorn, etc.

Answer 9

Read ingredients on everything you plan on serving her. It should say if it contains nut or oil from nuts and it should also tell you if the product you are eating was manufactured in a factory that uses nuts. Her mother should give you instructions, but if for some reason she does not, then ask!  

Answer 10

Yes, mom will tell you what to do.  If she doesn't, just don't have any snacks during the playdate (for either child) and just let them drink water.  Better safe than sorry.

Answer 11

It Can be Hard! Call her mom for good foods for her to eat. You have every right to be scared. Look at the ingredients on the back of the box that might help. hope she is al right