Parenting Children

My friend, Monica has a two and a half year old son, Nicholas. Nicholas is allergic to peanuts and most tree nuts. How did Monica find out her young son was allergic to nuts? She was eating peanuts herself and handed him something. Just from the peanut residue on her hand, he had an allergic reaction.
How scary is that?

After she told me this, I wondered why food allergies are so common in kids these days? Peanut butter and jelly was a staple in my lunch as a child, now as I walk the halls of R & L’s preschool I see signs on the doors declaring it a “peanut free zone”.
When did this happen?

Kids are most likely to have a reaction to food the first time they come in contact with it, so some scientists think it is because the child has been “primed” to the source either from a mother ingesting it while pregnant or via breast milk.
That is why it is important for women to stay away from nuts while pregnant or nursing.

Of course, nuts aren’t the only food that kid’s are allergic to, the list also includes milk, eggs, wheat, soy, shellfish and fish.

Most allergies first appear during infancy or childhood, even though they can appear at any age.

High allergy risk children have a reduced incidence of food allergy and eczema in the first two years of life when they are not given cow’s milk, eggs, and peanuts during infancy and when their mothers didn’t consume these foods while pregnant.

Children with food allergies are several times more likely to develop a respiratory allergy as they get older, according to Robert S. Zeiger, M.D., Ph.D.

Any new item introduced to your child should be given while you are able to watch them for signs of anaphylaxis shock. Always keep the number of your doctor handy and benedryl in the house.

As for why it is so common nowadays, I am still waiting for an answer. The environment plays a big part as does heredity.
I do hope scientist can figure out a way to reduce the food allergies in children and how to avoid it all together.

Because a childhood without PB&J isn’t really much of a childhood.

allergies, food allergies, peanut allergies, infants, children, babies, parents, moms, parenting