just wondering...

My ped told me to wait until 2 for peanut butter but I hear so many others trying it sooner. There are no known peanut allergies on either side of our families so I started thinking...If they do have a peanut allergy, what difference does it make to find out now or when they are 2??? Just wondering what the science is behind that one.

 

i believe that there was just a question to this a few days ago *** it's on the middle of page three*** but, i started these guys at a year old b/c i ran out of ideas for finger foods and I tried it one day and they loved pbj sandwiches...i just put a light layer on to make sure it's not tooo sticky for them and then keep an eye on them to make sure thye arent allergic. I think it's the allergy thing that worries people... my dr. never tol dme anything so i did it on my own. They're still livin so i think we're fine...they love PBJ sandwiches too....

amanda

 

QUOTE
...If they do have a peanut allergy, what difference does it make to find out now or when they are 2???
I think because allergies can be outgrown. Peanut allergies can be deadly.......I would much rather wait until they are older and potentially outgrown it, maybe not even know they ever were allergic than to potentially lose one of my children. We have allergies in the family and to this day neither of the K team have had peanutbutter. Yup, getting closer to 6 years old each day and never had peanutbutter. Just not a risk I am willing to take at this point.

 

There's a chance they'll be just fine, but if my pedi told me to wait till 2, I would. If they get over it before they get it, that would save you a WORLD of hassle in the long run!! People with kids with the allergy have a lot of complications they can potentially have.

We were given the go ahead at 1 as we had zero issues with anything during the first year and DH and I don't have any problems. That was never a guarantee though....we got lucky I guess. :hug99:

 

I was the one that posted the question last week. I had the same question. My ped. told us to wait until 2...never knew why either. There have been no allergies in our family. My babysitter gave them bites of her pb&j sandwich last week and they were fine. I figured if there would have been a reaction, it would have happened then, and it didn't. My thoughts were the same: how is another 6 months gonna make a difference before I introduce it. I too was running out of ideas for lunch and I knew they'd love it. We just gave them a whole sandwich yesterday and it was a hit!

 

I started giving them peanut butter at about 1-1/2. Our pedi didn't have us wait until two years old. We have no history of peanut allergies in the family. They've never had a reaction to peanuts or peanut butter. I DID wait until they were two to introduce berries (strawberries in particular) because my SIL is allergic to them. She doesn't have breathing issues they just make her itchy. Luckily both of my girls are fine with those too.

 

We were also told to wait until age 2 and we don't have any peanut allergies in the family either.

They must just be starting to overly cautious because of all the peanut allergies out there, because we got the go ahead with our oldest DD at 1.5 from the same ped and it has nothing to do with my twins being preemies, they are just telling everyone to wait until age 2 now.

 

QUOTE(double-or-nothing @ Jul 9 2007, 09:43 AM) [snapback]322772[/snapback]
My ped told me to wait until 2 for peanut butter but I hear so many others trying it sooner. There are no known peanut allergies on either side of our families so I started thinking...If they do have a peanut allergy, what difference does it make to find out now or when they are 2??? Just wondering what the science is behind that one.


I didn't read all the other posts but here's my opinion- my girls were what, oh, 18 months when I called the pedi to see if we could do PB- she said their recommendation is 12 months. That same day I took my girls to speech, tried it there thinking the hospital is right across the street and our pedi's office is in the same buidlding as speech and Kaysie had a severe multisystem reaction. We saw an allergist a week later and his advice was: there is a lot of research out there- some looking at what even breast feeding moms eat- there is no conclusion yet as to what they eat starts to expose them- for instance, I ate PB and J sandwiches a lot because I was in the NICU all day long with the girls and needed something that didn't spoil. Anyhow- he continued to say there is a lot of recent research showing that the later in life that you expose them to it- the potential of a reaction or risk of allergy is lessened. His thoughts to me were- did my eating PB increase their risk, research hasn't proven it but suggests maybe, would I have waited till they were 2 to introduce PB- would that have prevented an allergy- no one knows for sure- but his recommendations based on current research is that parents wait until after 2 years of age for PB.

I wished we had. I do. THere was no rush- we can't eat it now anyhow- or anything that is near, processed or potentially contaminated with peanuts, peanut flower, peanut oil. It's hard- we have to carry epi pens everywhere- yes, it may not have prevented it- but he feels the reaction would have at least been less severe.

 

I should probably add this- I don't know what difference 6 months, etc., as the pp said makes- but I do know that my girls were exposed to peanuts MANY times throughout the first year of life. DH and I love chickfila- and eat their fries when we do go- and I even gave the girls a couple once- they fry them in peanut oil. I ate puppy chow- that snack with PB and chocolate and powdered sugar- and then kissed on them before. Many times they have been exposed. We at Christmas ate "bark" - which is chocolate, peanut butter, and PEANUTS! Never before did they have a reaction- but then with PB- they did and immediately reacted when they did the skin test. He did say that with EACH exposure to it- like the first, they may not have reacted, the second- maybe internally, the third maybe worse but with just hives, the fourth- the full blown multisystem- so just because they didn't react the first time doesn't mean they aren't allergic- but doesn't mean they are either!!! hope this helps!

 

My pediatrician said to wait until 2 as well. If you're comfortable introducing other nuts, I've found that almond butter makes a great lunch. It's a little bit more expensive, but I get it in bulk at WinCo. My 16-month old daughter has almond butter/jam sandwhiches for lunch probably 3 times a week. It's so nice when we're out on the road during lunch time. I also have given her tahini (crushed sesame seeds) sandwhiches and I'm thinking of getting cashew butter next time for a change.

 

I gave all my kids PB around 11 mo, as we have no family allergies and everyone has been fine.

 

I know not many people follow links in posts but I think this is a really great article. It actually mentions waiting until 3, not 2. The Peanut Butter Controversy

 

QUOTE(Dianne @ Jul 10 2007, 01:00 AM) [snapback]323760[/snapback]
I know not many people follow links in posts but I think this is a really great article. It actually mentions waiting until 3, not 2. The Peanut Butter Controversy


I haven't had a chance to read that article yet, but our ped recommends 3 for peanut butter. As much as I would love the ease of giving them PB&J, I feel like the potential consequences (as described so well by kaysyd) are just not worth the benefit. I have had plenty of other moms tell me there's no reason to wait, their kids are fine and they had it at 12 months, etc. But no one can predict with certainty which kid is going to react, and I am just not willing to take the chance.

 

There is some new research out of England that is debating the whole 2 year thing. They are finding that more kids are developing allergies because they has been exposed here and there in tiny quantities so that when they do get full exposure their bodies have antibodies and react. They are now suggesting that AS LONG AS THERE IS NO HISTORY OF FOOD ALLERGIES IN THE FAMILY that you do not, nor should you, wait so long. We waited until 2 with our first DD but I gave these guys PB around the 1 year mark (11 3/4 mths??) because we have no food allergies and older DD was "sharing" her lunch with them anyway.

 

Wanted to add that Almond butter can be very dangerous too. Its a tree nut. We have the rare privilege of Maddox having peanut AND Tree nut allergy. Almonds are a tree nut. The only thing that he can have is SUNBUTTER which is sunflower seed. Maddox is the only person that we know of in both sides of our family with this allergy. We found out accidentaly he had an allergy. His first was he found a peanutbutter cracker that my older child had dropped and boom hives. The second we gave him 1 honey nut cheerio which has almonds in it and boom hives. So just because there is no family history , Just like there are no twins in the family , doesn't mean it won't happen

 

QUOTE(SharonH @ Jul 10 2007, 12:23 AM) [snapback]323999[/snapback]
There is some new research out of England that is debating the whole 2 year thing. They are finding that more kids are developing allergies because they has been exposed here and there in tiny quantities so that when they do get full exposure their bodies have antibodies and react. They are now suggesting that AS LONG AS THERE IS NO HISTORY OF FOOD ALLERGIES IN THE FAMILY that you do not, nor should you, wait so long. We waited until 2 with our first DD but I gave these guys PB around the 1 year mark (11 3/4 mths??) because we have no food allergies and older DD was "sharing" her lunch with them anyway.



dh nor i have any allergies- mine still have Peanut allergy.

 

QUOTE(reggs55 @ Jul 9 2007, 02:14 PM) [snapback]323237[/snapback]
My pediatrician said to wait until 2 as well. If you're comfortable introducing other nuts, I've found that almond butter makes a great lunch. It's a little bit more expensive, but I get it in bulk at WinCo. My 16-month old daughter has almond butter/jam sandwhiches for lunch probably 3 times a week. It's so nice when we're out on the road during lunch time. I also have given her tahini (crushed sesame seeds) sandwhiches and I'm thinking of getting cashew butter next time for a change.



We buy soynut butter. Not bad if you have tasted soy nuts in the past- you won't be so indifferent to it.