While every relative might have only the best intentions for the little ones running around them, it’s ultimately the parents who carry the responsibility and call the shots.
In a now-viral Reddit post, platform user SuchRestaurant8545 shared the emotional toll of managing their toddler’s severe peanut, pistachio, and cashew allergies, made all the more difficult by a beloved grandmother who can’t seem to stop bringing those very nuts around.
The issue started as small, sparse incidents, but over time, it became a continuous conflict over boundaries and trust.
Some say grandma knows best, but this story proves that even the most loving relatives can make dangerously thoughtless choices
Image credits: astreltsova / envato (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Nicola Barts / pexels (not the actual photo)
Image credits: SuchRestaurant8545
As the post went viral, its author clarified the most common question people have had
A peanut allergy is a dangerous thing
Simply put, a peanut allergy is a condition that arises when your body’s immune system overreacts to proteins found in those peanuts and treats them as a potential threat.
(It’s important to point out that a tree nut allergy isn’t the same as a peanut allergy. Peanuts grow underground and are classified as legumes, like beans and peas. But roughly about a third of people with a peanut allergy are also allergic to at least one tree nut.)
This medical emergency requires treatment with an epinephrine autoinjector (EpiPen, Auvi-Q, others) and a trip to the ER.
Anaphylaxis is no joke and its signs and symptoms can include:
- Constriction of airways;
- Swelling of the lips, tongue, and throat that makes it hard to breathe;
- A severe drop in blood pressure, also known as shock;
- Rapid pulse;
- Dizziness, lightheadedness, or loss of consciousness.
Treatment for nut allergies
Treating nut allergies often involves a mix of measures aimed at preventing exposure and knowing when to take action and get treatment. That list includes:
- avoiding all tree nuts and peanuts, as well as products that contain them and products that have undergone processing in the same facilities as these foods;
- recognizing nut allergy symptoms and taking prompt action if they develop;
- taking antihistamines to address mild symptoms, such as itching or swelling, if they arise;
- carrying an epinephrine injector if you have a severe allergy so that you can treat anaphylaxis immediately if needed;
- working with your doctor on food immunotherapy, where you’re intentionally exposed to increasing doses of the allergen over time to train your immune system to tolerate it;
- informing loved ones about your allergy (including teachers, caregivers, and coaches of children with nut allergies);
- asking about medications like Palforzia to help manage peanut allergies in children.
Studies show that peanut allergies in children are on the rise. In the United States, for example, the percentage of the adult population living with it has been estimated at 3 percent in 2015–2016, compared to less than 1 percent in 1999. In England, there had been a 72% increase in the number of hospital admissions for children caused by anaphylaxis between 2013 and 2019, from 1,015 to 1,746.
The grandma may have had a hard time adjusting the diet she had been so used to, as nuts can be found in so many of our foods without us even realizing. But it’s the effort that counts, and the author of the post believes it’s missing.
Most of those who read what happened said they had every right to confront the grandma
But some believe the parent was out of line
