Would you know what to do (food allergy)?

ArcticFox

With DD#1, we waited a really long time to try anything like peanut products (I think almost 3 years - I didn't feel like there was a reason to give peanut butter or anything).  I was really cautious, and then with DD #2 when she was 21 months, she grabbed a spoon that had had peanut butter on it and touched it to her lips and her face immediately swelled up.  We took her to the ER and I remember them asking if we gave her benadryl.

The percentage of kids with food allergies has gone up so much, I'm surprised pediatricians aren't giving more precautions to people.  I think all the stuff I was careful about (honey, peanuts, tree nuts, strawberries, etc) was on my own behalf, educating myself and being vigilant.  Even if we had benadryl, I don't even know if I would have known how much to give a child under 2.  I felt educated - self educated - and not educated enough.  I would have also liked to know what to do in my circumstance/

So just curious, how prepared do you feel you would be if your child had an allergic reaction?  From knowing signs of reactions (from hives to swelling to respiratory) to having something like benadryl on hand.  My DD has been prescribed an epi pen, so obviously that is only because of having gone through a major reaction.

(This is sort of an XP from the Food Allergy board, and I know there are several of you that go on that board and/or have kids with food allergies).