peanuts

Zya Juliana Ventinilla (9 years old)

When Zya was a baby, she had severe eczema, and we struggled to find a formula that wouldn’t aggravate her skin. Around age two, she ate kiwi for the first time and became extremely itchy, which raised concerns. Our family doctor then referred us to a skin allergy specialist, and she was officially diagnosed with allergies to peanuts and kiwi. There was an incident where she accidentally ate a snack containing peanuts. We had to use the EpiPen she always carries with her and rushed her to the emergency hospital for treatment. Unfortunately, she has not outgrown these allergies yet.

We used various websites to understand and manage her allergies. Sites like Mayo Clinic and WebMD were especially helpful for learning about symptoms, triggers, and treatment options. While online resources were useful for general guidance, we relied on a specialist for formal diagnosis and personalized care. We also found support groups and parenting forums helpful for practical tips and shared experiences from other parents dealing with similar issues.

Hannah (@letstalkfoodallergies – 18+ years old)

Hi, I’m Hannah and I have severe, potentially life-threatening allergies (“anaphylaxis”) to peanuts, tree nuts, sesame, and legumes/pulses. When I was a baby I reacted to peanut butter, and then when I was 5 years old (16 years ago!) I experienced an allergic reaction to a sesame seed roll while on a holiday in Portugal. After this reaction to sesame, I’ve had several tests done and now carry epipens with me wherever I go for use in the event of a reaction. I’ve been very cautious in the way that I live after these experiences, and have been very lucky not to have had any further reactions.

Florence (3 years old)

I found out Florence had allergies at 7 months old. She reacted to a bit of scrambled egg. Since then, she has gained 5 more allergies. These include peanuts, cashew nuts, pistachio, cherries, sesame and dust mites. She has overcome almond, coconut egg and tomato. I went to a general practitioner who referred us to an allergy doctor.