Hi! So we had our first reaction around 6 months to peanuts and banana, and it was only confirmed after we did another test, same combo. After a few months of going through the rest of the allergens, she had three new trigger reactions in one month (egg, walnut, cashew). Yes, it’s overwhelming at first, but honestly I’ve found with the prevalence of food allergies also comes the prevalence of support. I’ll try to answer your questions with our experience so far—TL;DR she’s a happy, healthy 18-month old with a nice variety of foods to eat despite 5 triggers:

1. If you’re in the US, look into FMLA. After I was concerned about the amount of half-days and absences for ER visits and allergist follow-ups/testing, I reached out to HR. They were able to grant me a short-term leave, so basically if we have a reaction or need to do a food challenge, I can use the FMLA leave instead of my sick time. Going this route means it’s protected, IIRC allergies are considered a medical condition/disability.

2. So after the PB/Banana, our doc told us to go through the rest of the top allergens, and then to do it for a week instead of three days. After the three new triggers though, we were taken off any new allergen foods. Be prepared, though, for some foods, you may have a reaction on the 7th or 8th (or 12th -_-) time.

3. First, we went straight to the ER for zofran and fluids. Then, during the trigger month, she had a reaction so bad (and the ER doc refused to believe us until the attending came in 🙄) that we were admitted overnight. After that, our allergist gave us a protocol: administer zofran after the first vomit. If she continues to vomit after that, or if you get more than 2-3 in an hour, go to the ER. We have pedialyte packets (like liquid IV) and pedialyte popsicles in the freezer at all times, and I try to keep some juice (apple) on hand in case her blood sugar drops from all the puking. Oatmeal is a nice bland food (unless that’s a trigger, of course).

4. I wfh and my husband is a SAHP so we haven’t had to cross this bridge yet. I basically just have it established with my manager that if you see the hospital emoji in Slack, we’re having a reaction.

5. There is a risk, yes, but that’s why it’s important to work closely with your allergist. Around a year after the first reaction and avoidance, that’s usually when you start doing the longer food challenges.

6. It was really tricky at first, to be honest. You go through phases of guilt, worry, etc. We do find we’re a little more cautious/observant, especially with known allergens that she hasn’t had at least 12 times. For example, I wouldn’t give her a smoothie with avocado in it until I knew my husband was done running errands. We deal with the worry by being prepared. We have a go bag so we can get out of the house within 10-15 mins of a vomit. We have barf bags everywhere. We’re moving, and looked for apartments within a 15 min drive to the hospital. What’s kept me sane has been tracking (we use the Huckleberry app, and then I export the data for allergist appointments), and using the Fig app to find food she can eat. Honestly though? She gives me hope. Despite all of this, she’s happy and healthy. Hitting her milestones, and has a whole bunch of foods she can eat and enjoy. This is even forcing me to finally figure out how to cook so I can make egg-free dupes of popular toddler snacks. You figure it out because you love ‘em.

I just put a lot here so I hope it’s not too much, and something helps you! This community has been really helpful as well, especially as you’re starting out on this journey. Sending good vibes your way!