I have a question - how do parents of potentially severe reaction pn/nut allergy parents handle allowing their child around others who are consuming the products? I have gotten to the point where family members just completely disregard my daughters nut allergy and while she will not sample everything, i find myself restricting everyone in bringing potentially harmful foods around her for fear of contact/cross contamination. Some feel this is overboard/ocd behavior so I am curious to see how...

That's a great question and one that gets raised a lot around here. A lot of times, it will depend on the age of the child and if they have known contact or airborne reactions. Sometimes others just don't understand and need to be educated.

In our house - no. Out and about - we try to avoid places/gatherings where people are eating nuts. However, I am not as concerned with others eating a peanutty dessert. I just don't serve her food from a common table, get things from a fresh package, etc.

In our house - no. Out and about - we try to avoid places/gatherings where people are eating nuts. However, I am not as concerned with others eating a peanutty dessert. I just don't serve her food from a common table, get things from a fresh package, etc. Btw - welcome to posting.

Hi and welcome! When my son was younger I was more restrictive (he is multiple food allergic and was contact reactive to dairy, and has needed epi several times). Now that he is in middle school - far less so...

We are dealing with a similar situation to the person who posted the question. We host a lot of gatherings and I request that people do not bring items that have peanuts, tree nuts or sesame to our house. People are fairly willing to comply. I see it as a part of a communications campaign about food allergies. Most people really just don't know and no one wants someone to react to food they make. No one! So, I do my best to phrase things in a pleasant way and not come off like a compulsive,...

Nice to see you pop in! Sorry to hear that her last reaction has caused heightened anxiety Your methods for dealing w social situations sound great! It can be very difficult to trust other people's food - we've definitely had issues w/ that. Sometimes they don't know how to read a label for hidden ingredients or it's just a cross contamination issue in their kitchen.

This is a valid question. I have found that the people who disregard my respectful requests either 1. Don't understand the problem or 2. Are a little antisocial, lacking empathy or a sense of caring. If you explain again, in easy to understand terms, and get the same reaction again: consider that the 2nd item is what is happening. Then, go read "The Psychopath Next Door," book by Martha Stout. You will be amazed!

Thanks for the book recommendation Kimberly!

I am really glad that there will be a webinar soon on anxiety in children with food allergies. My 13 year old daughter is suffering terribly from anxiety related to her food allergies. She was restricting food because she was only eating things she felt were 'safe" at school --which amounted to very little. She lost weight, was very labile in her moods and was eventually hospitalized for weight loss/restricted eating back in June. She is doing a little better and has regained weight but her...

Hugs Colleen - what a tough spot for your dd. Anxiety can really be crippling to where no amount of reasoning can turn it around. I'm glad she's doing better, but it sounds like you still have a long road. Teens have so much stress on them these days and then add on FA's to that and it can just be too much.

Hugs, too, Colleen! Having trudged through therapy for food allergy anxiety a few years ago with my daughter, I understand your struggle. It sounds as if your daughter eats school lunch - is this true? We tried this, but it was extremely stressful to the point where she would not touch the school trays and picked holes in her hands from the anxiety; needless to say, she didn't eat. We have moved more to a more natural, plant-based diet (especially after watching the documentary Fed Up on...

Constance, I never realized how much American culture centers socialization on food until I had a child with severe peanut and tree nut allergies. We have fought long and hard to rethink food as nourishment, not entertainment, and our daughter has grown to see food in this way. When we visit others, we choose not to eat, to arrive after people eat (or to leave before food is served), or to bring our daughter her own food. When we entertain and decide to include food, we provide all food and...