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peanut allergy and birthday parties

LBJplus3LBJplus3 member
in Food Allergy
My son is approaching the age where he will be invited to "drop off" birthday parties. He has severe nut and tree nut allergies and we always carry an epi pen. I am very nervous about not being there with him. I worry about the cake, goodies, and snacks that will be available. Does anyone have suggestions or advice on how I can prepare for these birthday parties? Thank you.
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Re: peanut allergy and birthday parties

  • funchickenfunchicken member
    I don't feel comfortable dropping DD off yet, so I explain her allergy to the parents and ask if they mind if I hang around. They always seem happy to have an extra adult to help out, and I think it's too much to expect them to recognize if DD is starting to have a severe reaction and to know how to administer the epipen. DD has a good friend whose mom is an EMT, and she's pretty much the only friend we do drop-off play dates with.
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  • EmR22EmR22 member
    My DD2 has the same allergies. It's a pain in the ass but I just stay at the parties. I always call to RSVP and ask if it's ok if I hang out and ask what the food plan is. I've never had a parent deny me coming and by knowing what they are eating I can pack an alternative if I need to. I almost always have to bring a "treat" because most bakery cakes could be cross contaminated from nuts. 

    She has had two play dates at others houses where I have left her. Both times the parents were familiar with symptoms and epi pen usage because they are teachers. And we knew the parents and they were fine with it. So I guess it depends on your relationship with the parents and their comfort level of having that responsibility. 

    That being said we have an alert bracelet for her and have drilled into her head what she is allergic to and that she cannot eat any food someone besides mom/dad give her when we are away from home. She has to ask us if it's ok to eat. By the age of 4 she was very aware of it and now at 6 it's just a way of life. 
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  • LBJplus3LBJplus3 member
    thank you so much! 
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  • EXL311EXL311 member
    DS will be 9 in March. We have yet to just drop him off at a party. We were going to let him try making the decisions regarding food on his own at a party recently. I was going to drop him off and then have the mom let me know when food time was coming. I planned to be close by, like in the parking lot, for that time but DS preferred I stay for the whole party. I think the saying "better safe than sorry" couldn't be more true than with allergies.
    Dee Dee DS Elijah Xin 3/11/05 DD Evangeline Mei 8/24/06
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