Question:
In a family, one child is allergic to tree nuts (it is quite severe,
he has to carry an Epi Pen), but for the other kids in the family and
parents who do not suffer from the allergy - is it OK for them to eat
nuts? They do not have nuts in the household but they do attend
parties and luncheons where it is not always a nut friendly
environment?
Can a family member who is not affected eat a buffet where the food
'may have traces of nuts' but no nut specifically, and be safe for the
child affected at home. Right now, the rule is no eating nuts for any
family members - which is quite tough on the kids.
However if nuts or foods that 'may contain nuts' (like baked goods)
are consumed by the non affected members, what are the chances of
contaminating the child that does have the allergy?
Answer:
I would think: no eating foods where nuts are a visible ingredient,
since the other kids could well bring bits of nut home in their
clothing or whatever. But the risk of "may contain nuts" foods is
so much lower there seems no point in prohibiting them. Most of
the time that caution is merely a legal disclaimer - it doesn't
indicate a genuine hazard. Multiply that by the improbability of
the other kids bringing a significant amount of contaminant home,
and the fact that you've got an EpiPen handy anyway, and you've got
a risk in the same category as having an eagle drop a tortoise on
the kid's head. I am not sure what an allergist would say in this case. It seems reasonable that the whole family should be have to have the
same dietary requirements as the sufferer. But at the same time that
is the most safe. But then again, if I stay inside my whole life, it
greatly reduces my chance of being in a fatal car accident.
