I want to mention about other nut butters, I thought it was ok to eat cashew butter during breastfeeding since they give warnings about not eating peanut butter. Now my child is very allergic to cashews and I read that the it is just as severe as peanuts! So pls beware of the other nut butters!

My daughter was diagnosed with food allergies (eggs and nuts)when she was 9 months old. Then one night she was given peanut butter on toast by a baby sitter and reacted with swollen face and hands and rashes all over… After that I was so worried about people giving her food that I dreamt up a range of allergy awareness badges and stickers to alert others. The designs are really cute and the range has grown to include many other helpful products for allergy kids. The website is at http://www.starallergyalerts.com.au.
When my daughter started at Day Care, they were very strict about being a ‘nut free zone’ and I felt confident sending her, but now she has entered the public school system, well that’s another ball game! I have come across the same problem with parents having the attitude “my child doesn’t have allergies, so why shouldn’t they be able to eat what they like… ?” How would they feel if they were responsible for my child’s death because their child ‘only likes peanut butter sandwiches’… ? Thankfully my daughter still has not had an Anaphylactic Reaction, but who knows, all it takes is for one care-less person… It is like living with a ticking time-bomb!

Thanks to all who are posting! It is encouraging to me, as the mom of a highly-allergic child, to see this kind of discussion going on!

I am amazed by the ignorance and cruelty I encounter on a regular basis because of my daughter’s allergies. We have even had issues with family members who just refuse to put nut products away at the holidays or who keep saying that “a little bit wont hurt.” A little bit can KILL an allergic child! Just having someone touch her skin with peanut or egg protein could kill my daughter.

To other parents – hang in there! We’re all in this together when it comes to educating other parents, educators and school administration!

(And by the way – we have found two great products to substitute with. “SunButter” is made out of sunflower seeds and my kids really like it…I actually like it better than peanut butter! Ironically, the only place I’ve found it is at a health food store with so many “unsafe” products and bins of nuts that I can’t take my daughter into the store. We also use “Vegenaise” to replace our mayonaise because my hubby can’t live without it! It is a vegan product – but egg-free!)

I am hoping that more mainline grocery chains will start carrying more “safe” foods for us!

Ann,
There are many alternatives to peanut butter, like other nut butters, soy butter, seed butters. I know that Walmart carries Great Value brand soy butter, in a sandwich it tastes the same as peanut butter (just don’t eat it straight from the jar, that’s when the taste difference is more noticeable.) It’s not that much more expensive than a jar of GV peanut butter. I know if either of my girls were allergic to peanut butter (it doesn’t look like it so far, knock on wood!) I would be suing anyone that knowingly brought peanuts or peanut butter to school in their kids’ lunches if they had a reaction. It’s unfortunate, but sometimes you have to get litigious to get a point across that something is serious.

When my son was diagnosed with a peanut allergy seven years ago, I had a mourning period. I felt so bad for the little childhood rituals that he would miss – like Halloween & visits to the ice cream shop.

But things have changed a lot in the last seven years. His allergy is now much easier to manage. The new law that requires manufacturers to plainly list whether an allergen may be present (before I would have to call companies to find out if “natural flavorings” really meant nuts)has been extremely helpful.

We are also able to eat in a restaurant now because people seem to be more knowledgeable.

Halloween is still tough because my son knows he can’t have half of the stuff he gets, but I’m happy to say we are now able to enjoy the ice cream shop!

I just got back from a GI appointment for my son and they are suggesting an allergy test for him based on eczema. While we were waiting I noticed a really cute flyer advertising apparel, etc. for kids with allergies. http://www.allergators.com

Two of my four children have food allergies (including peanut allergy)… I can see both sides of the fence.

Trace Adkins has done amazing work advocacy wise for the food allergic community.

The low income issue that Jill brought up is specious. Peanut butter isn’t the only inexpensive source of protein out there. In the area I live in, a jar of generic peanut butter is about $3 for a 18 oz jar, the same as the 3 cans of store brand tuna, and about $1 more than a pound of store brand bologna. I pay about $3 for a 1 lb jar of sunflower seed butter.

I do have to say that I have never asked for a peanut ban at our school, and that I can completely understand having to pinch my pennies on groceries.

I honestly cannot believe how insensitive people can be. It never ceases to amaze me. I have never known anyone with a severe food allergy, but I can I see the severity of it after reading all your posts. It was good of Trace to bring awarness to this issue. I will certainly be sensitive about this should I ever meet someone with a severe food allergy. And thank you to all of you who have posted. I definintely feel more educated and aware of the severity of this issue now!