Introducing Nuts to toddlers

the_monkey

Hi,
At what age should one introduce nuts to toddlers , My son is 2.

I hear varied reports from 12-36 months.

Since reading about this tragic story of the 14 year old girl who died in Dublin the other day, it has me thinking, if it's so dangerous - one of these reactions, shouldn't you have the medication on standby the 1st time your kid tries a peanut ?

I'm not trying to be funny here - peanut allergies seem pretty common.

liliq

I introduced nuts pretty early, softer nuts, like walnuts, he probably had well before 12 months. He would have had peanut butter/ almond butter etc. from 7/ 8 months. He's 2 now as well, so around the same age as your little one, and would eat most nuts now.
If there's a history of nut or related allergies maybe have a chat with your GP and see what they recommend? Otherwise I would be more worried about them as a choking hazard for very small kiddos- I think the recommendation for whole (I guess hard nuts, like hazelnuts?) is from 5 years on because of that.

ted1

I used to think it was because of allergies, however its actually nothing to do with allergies that they don't recommend them for kids.

Its down to choking hazards. 24 months+ for smaller nuts is the recommended time to start giving nuts to kids. then larger ones as they develop.

Moonbeam

My 2 year old is addicted to peanuts and cashew nuts. A visitor left out a bowl and she ate them and asked for more. she knows you are only allowed them with mammy there though.
We have dairy allergies but not nut ones thankfully:)

MurdyWurdy

My HSE weaning booklet the PHN gave me says 5 years but that seems a bit OTT to me! It says it is due to choking, not allergies though.

Chocolate fiend

If your child is allergic the first reaction will apparently be mild enough and get worse with more exposure. I would start with peanut butter and that should give you a good indication if they are allergic or not.

How Strange

My almost 3 year old hasn't eaten hard nuts yet.

LeinsterDub

the_monkey wrote: »

Hi,
At what age should one introduce nuts to toddlers , My son is 2.

I hear varied reports from 12-36 months.

Since reading about this tragic story of the 14 year old girl who died in Dublin the other day, it has me thinking, if it's so dangerous - one of these reactions, shouldn't you have the medication on standby the 1st time your kid tries a peanut ?

I'm not trying to be funny here - peanut allergies seem pretty common.

Surely there are trace amounts of nuts in so many products you'd be aware of an allergy by now. For example manhatton popcorn is made in the same place as their peanuts.

sari

My lo has had lots of differnt nuts. He had pecans, walnuts, almonds all around 7 months, they were blitzed in food processor and then used in bun or cake recipes. Nuts are excellent source of goo fats and vitamins. I didn't pay much heed to the HSE guidelines on introducing foods the only 1 I did was wait till 6 months

pwurple

You would have seen a reaction if baby is eating the same food as you by now I'd say. We saw a reaction from pesto on a pasta salad at about 8-9 months so we had a clue then there was a nut allergy. Reaction is usually the second exposure we were told in allergy clinic, so she must have been exposed before that too, but we had not realised. They did skin prick test and discovered cashew allergy. Other nuts are ok for her. Peanuts and cashew are the cheaper nut ingredients, so they will be in a LOT of foods. A 2 year old would have already encountered it.

Not all nut allergies are as severe as that girls. Ours is luckily quite mild. Still need to carry medication just in case.

clappyhappy

My husband has a severe reaction to kiwi and melon, so I was worried about my kids having the same. I was out shopping one day, bought both fruits, drove to my hospital car park, mashed up both fruits gave them to eldest. Thankfully nothing happened. Think I spent 40 mins in car park. Looking back it was crazy. With other two, fed them early in morning with both, knew my dr was open, but again nothing thankfully.

Neyite

clappyhappy wrote: »

My husband has a severe reaction to kiwi and melon, so I was worried about my kids having the same. I was out shopping one day, bought both fruits, drove to my hospital car park, mashed up both fruits gave them to eldest. Thankfully nothing happened. Think I spent 40 mins in car park. Looking back it was crazy. With other two, fed them early in morning with both, knew my dr was open, but again nothing thankfully.

I'm smiling reading this, because it brings me back to giving my little one peanut butter for the first time. Luckily I live under 5 mins away from the hospital, but I did eye up the car keys the first time I made his sandwich. Different in my case as there are no known allergies in either side of the family. I'd say if there was, I'd have done exactly what you did, while it sounds crazy to some, I would see that as pretty logical considering the reaction Dad has.

Moonbeam

I giggled too:) not at you but because my 2nd had a bad milk allergy for the 1st 2 years and I would have visions of her never growing out of it and eating blocks of ice cream to rebel.
Luckily now she has 0 reaction to it.

uck51js9zml2yt

There was a case a few months ago where a toddler in a creche died from choking on a popcorn kernel.
They had a ban on nuts etc in the creche but there had been an older group of kids in the previous evening watching a movie and having popcorn. The toddler found a piece of popcorn on the floor and ate it unknown to the staff with tragic results

lonestargirl

Damian Flaky Log wrote: »

There was a case a few months ago where a toddler in a creche died from choking on a popcorn kernel.
They had a ban on nuts etc in the creche but there had been an older group of kids in the previous evening watching a movie and having popcorn. The toddler found a piece of popcorn on the floor and ate it unknown to the staff with tragic results

That explains why popcorn is on the banned list in our crèche. Poor child :-(

angelfire9

There would be severe enough nut allergies in our house so the girls had their first taste of peanuts in the hospital car park

Nearly everyone I mentioned it to thought I was crackers :rolleyes:
Glad to see now tht I'm not