My oldest son is in school. Obviously he won’t be eating peanut butter and jelly from home this year, but I’m not sure how paranoid to be when he comes home every day, in case he had exposure to peanuts/peanut products. There will be times when he eats things that have peanuts in them, I’m sure of it. Like, what if he has a peanut butter cookie for dessert with his hot lunch? Do I just make a practice of sending him straight to the bathroom for a wash-down and new clothes every day? I’m just so afraid of the possible contamination, and I don’t know how strict to be, I guess.
Yes, peanut residue is notorious for lingering on skin and clothes. In addition, younger children are not known for their "neat" eating practices. If I were you, I would have him wash up (hands and face, possibly even arms) and put on new clothes when he comes home if he ate something with peanuts.
If he resists, try to make it as fun as possible (fun cartoon soap, some of his favorite clothes, etc) and explain how important it is to protect your daughter. I bet he will get in the habit very quickly with no problem. It's said when it affects the siblings, too. He might even try to stay away from peanuts to keep her safe. My other child is only 21 months so he doesn't understand but I still feel bad for him. Someday he will have to be just as cautious as your little guy.
It is true that a peanut allergy affects the entire family, even the littlest members
3 comments:
This is a tough one! It's my oldest that has peanut allergy so we haven't had to deal with that yet. I'm hoping that when my youngest starts school (and if he is still neg to pa) that he will not want anything with peanuts in it. He doesn't have it at home, so maybe he won't even like it. If so though, I'd stick him in the shower and change his clothes when he got home for sure! Karen
The younger of our two children is peanut allergic. So, none of us eat peanuts in any form, ever. The older child knows not to eat foods containing peanuts. That way he can hug, kiss, and wrestle his brother whenever the impulse strikes him. Even when attending parties or trick-or-treating, the older brother does not eat nuts or peanuts. This is made easier by the fact that the older brother detests the taste of peanuts too! :)
I agree with Jennifer B--try to keep everyone in the family peanut-free. My youngest does not have allergies--my oldest does. My youngest has never even had PB and she goes around telling people "my sister has an allergy--don't give her nuts."
If your child has been at school, handwashing is a must. Plus, it has the added benefit of keeping your kids healthier!
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