What Are Tree Nuts?
Tree nuts (for the purpose of food allergies) include the following and if any of these are present, a warning will be included on food labels stating that the product contains tree nuts:- Almonds
- Beech Nuts
- Brazil Nuts
- Butternuts
- Cashews
- Chestnuts
- Chinquapins
- Coconuts
- Filberts
- Ginko Nuts
- Hazelnuts
- Hickory Nuts
- Lichee Nuts
- Macadamia Nuts
- Pecans
- Pine Nuts
- Pinion Nuts
- Pili Nuts
- Pistachios
- Shea Nuts
- Walnuts
If There's No Family History of Allergies
If you don't have any allergies in the family (including related conditions like asthma and eczema) and your child has never had a food-related reaction previously, you can introduce tree nuts when your child is 1 year of age. Some of these nuts can be choking hazards, so be sure to chop them into appropriate sizes or grind them into butters or milks before serving.If You Have Allergies in the Family
If you have allergies in your family, then you should wait to introduce these nuts until your child is at least 3 years of age. When watching out for tree nuts, also be careful about cooking oils and additives that are in soaps, lotions and other things you might be putting on your baby's skin.For instance, I am allergic to coconuts (though other tree nuts do not bother me). Sodium Lauryl Sulfate is a common soap ingredient and it causes me to immediately break out into a red, itchy rash. Shea butter is also a common lotion ingredient from shea nuts. If your baby is breaking out in an unexplained rash, even if there doesn't seem to be an offending food, be sure to keep soaps and lotions when talking to your health care provider. Even mild, environmentally friendly brands like Ecover contain coconut oil and surfactants derived from coconuts.
Whether or not you have a history, the first time you introduce tree nuts, be sure to watch for the signs of an allergic reaction (hives, difficulty breathing or asthma symptoms, swelling of the mouth or throat, vomiting or diarrhea and loss of consciousness), know how to respond and be ready to call 9-1-1 immediately.
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