I've become quite terrified of a little peanut. Maybe I read too much, but knowing that my kid is a level 6 on the RAST test to peanuts scares the hell out of me--that's the highest one can show allergic to. Oh yeah, and the fact that I've seen him go into anaphalatic shock after he took a supplement containing peanut (before the RAST test.) It caused him immediate asthma and diarrhea. I also recall reading in Dr. Kenneth Bock's book Healing the New Childhood Epidemics: Autism, ADHD, Allergies, and Asthma (which I highly recommend) that one of his colleagues had a daughter that could immediately tell if a peanut was in the room, as her chest would tighten and she'd have trouble breathing. That poor child passed away after an anaphalatic shock to nuts. How heartbreaking.
So yesterday as we're on the airplane, just as our tires start to roll to take-off, the man in front of me & my son opens a bag of peanuts. My heart sunk. They had such a strong aroma. We were going to quickly learn if my kid's peanut allergy was the airborne type. Thankfully it wasn't, but those few minutes were shear terror for me. There's only so much protection you can provide your child, and it's a constant up hill battle.
It must be terrifying. I used to laugh off the idea of a peanut allergy (I've eaten peanut butter almost every day of my life) but the more I learn about it the more serious I understand the issue is. I'd quit peanuts in a heartbeat if I knew someone around me was at risk. Airlines should just provide pretzels instead.
ReplyDelete