DD has peanut allergy and need advice on dinning with the other kids in our group

[2littleprincesses28]

This is the first trip we have made since dd(she'll be 3 at travel time) was diagnosed with peanut allergy...so I am very nervous in general. When we go to WDW in Dec we're traveling with our friends and there will be 6 kids in our group and we're all dinnig together...I NEVER want to be a pain in the*....so I am not sure how to handel this...
I know all of our kids are going to be in close contact all trip and sitting by each other while we dine...so how do I handle other kids(in our group) eating something like a PB sandwich for lunch? My dd does react to contact and she is anaphlyactic...we're not sure what will casue her to have a reaction(and DON'T want to find out)
I know that there will always be someone somewhere eating a PB product so I can't and wouldn't try to stop that(although I wish I could) I just feel that she's at a higher risk for a reaction from the kids in our group eating PB....so the question is...do I ask the parents(also my dear friends) to not let their kids eat PB while dinning with us...or just ask that if they do they have to wash them right away after....I don't want to be a pain,but I wnat my dd to be safe and have a fun trip without a reaction and I also want the others to have a fun trip without feeling"controlled or resrticted" So...please help mw with this...give me advice! Thanks so much! Dana

[james'mommy]

I would ask the other parent to not allow their children to eat peanut products. No one is going to die by going a week without peanut butter. With people I know I ask them not to eat peanut products around me since I react to airborne particles.

[Mrsjvb]

just as your child has the right to be safe/have a fun time.. so does the other kids in the group..

what if one of those kids is on a "I only eat Peanut butter sammiches ever' kick and will otherwise not eat?

or somebody like my nephew who absolutely requires a big ole spoonful of the stuff to function normally during the day?

or the families are on a budget and can only afford PBJ that they make and bring in themselves.

absolutely tell your friends of the issues you have, but to insist that they conform to your need is putting them in the position of having to be inconvenienced. or running the risk that feelings will be hurt or whatever.


Ye sit is important to you, as it should be, but you cannot expect everyone else to care about it as much as you do, or to have someone else have to make adjustments that will negatively impact THEIR enjoyment.

[james'mommy]

Originally Posted by Mrsjvb

just as your child has the right to be safe/have a fun time.. so does the other kids in the group..

what if one of those kids is on a "I only eat Peanut butter sammiches ever' kick and will otherwise not eat?

or somebody like my nephew who absolutely requires a big ole spoonful of the stuff to function normally during the day?

or the families are on a budget and can only afford PBJ that they make and bring in themselves.

absolutely tell your friends of the issues you have, but to insist that they conform to your need is putting them in the position of having to be inconvenienced. or running the risk that feelings will be hurt or whatever.


Ye sit is important to you, as it should be, but you cannot expect everyone else to care about it as much as you do, or to have someone else have to make adjustments that will negatively impact THEIR enjoyment.

This may be the case with normal kids but it doesn't fly with an allergy kid. Worse case peanuts could kill her. Even without my own experience of food allergies I would take a child's allergies into account. If the other parents aren't open to a no peanut eating request I would suggest you eat sperate and ask that everyone wash their hands after eating to avoid cross contamination.

[ireland_nicole]

Originally Posted by james'mommy

This may be the case with normal kids but it doesn't fly with an allergy kid. Worse case peanuts could kill her. Even without my own experience of food allergies I would take a child's allergies into account. If the other parents aren't open to a no peanut eating request I would suggest you eat sperate and ask that everyone wash their hands after eating to avoid cross contamination.

I agree completely. I would sit down with the other parents and just explain about your DD's allergy, and that coming in any contact w/ peanuts could kill her. I would be very surprised if anyone you know well enough to go on a trip with would be unwilling to keep your child safe. But I would offer the option if someone's child is somehow unwilling to live w/o peanuts for one week (and it's a good chance for them to learn some awareness and sensitivity) that you suggest your family eat seperately, or at least keep your daughter at the opposite side of the table, and that everyone wash up thouroughly after- and if a young or messy child is eating the peanut products suggest they change shirts after.

At the end of the day, you are not asking for a convenience, or diva treatment... you're trying to keep your child from an ER visit or worse. Please be sure to carry an Epi pen as well, it sounds like your DD has a very serious allergy.

[2littleprincesses28]

Originally Posted by Mrsjvb

just as your child has the right to be safe/have a fun time.. so does the other kids in the group..

what if one of those kids is on a "I only eat Peanut butter sammiches ever' kick and will otherwise not eat?

or somebody like my nephew who absolutely requires a big ole spoonful of the stuff to function normally during the day?

or the families are on a budget and can only afford PBJ that they make and bring in themselves.

absolutely tell your friends of the issues you have, but to insist that they conform to your need is putting them in the position of having to be inconvenienced. or running the risk that feelings will be hurt or whatever.


Ye sit is important to you, as it should be, but you cannot expect everyone else to care about it as much as you do, or to have someone else have to make adjustments that will negatively impact THEIR enjoyment.

Thanks for your input. I am truely not insisting that they don't eat it and I am not asking for diva treatment or wanting to inconvience anyone...but it is a very serious allergy that could kill her and it only takes the smallest amount...maybe not even visible to the eye to cause a reaction.

In this situation I know that no one in our group is bringing in food...we are all dinning in parks...but if someone were doing this and needed to be bring the PB due to strick budget I would handle that differently...but in this case we are all eating together...and none of the kids are on that "I only eat PB" kick.

I also can say that before it was my child with the serious allergy I didn't understand the true seriousness of food allergies...but be considerate to the allergies of a child(or adult for that matter). We have eaten in the homes of the freinds we are traveling with on a few occasions and they have been considerate of my daughters needs which I truely appreciate...we have just never eaten out with anyone else yet since her diagnosis so it hasn't been an issue yet...and like I said I don't want to be a pain or cause hard feelings....BUT I want and need to protect my child from a veryserios reaction.

[cclovesdis]

Remember that in school you have the right to insist that your child is in a nut-free or even food-free classroom. I have been in classrooms where students have to "wash" their hands with a wet wipe/baby wipe upon entering the classroom and then again after entering the classroom post-lunch. I would not be surprised if parents were accustomed to peanut-free situations. Also, as someone else said, your daughter's allergy sounds severe. Can she eat food that has been "Manufactured in a place that processes peanuts" or "Manufactured on shared equipment that processes peanuts," etc. because if not, that may reduce what she and the others can eat. You also mention being concerned about children eating PB and J, which is understandable. There are nuts in desserts as well, so I know I would be concerned about adults as well, espcially in light of the "May contain peanuts" warnings and if your daughter cannot eat anything that says something like that. I cannot eat nuts or peanuts due to a medical condition and I was told not to eat rolls at a restaurant in WDW. Just my two cents. Best of luck!

[2littleprincesses28]

Originally Posted by cclovesdis

Remember that in school you have the right to insist that your child is in a nut-free or even food-free classroom. I have been in classrooms where students have to "wash" their hands with a wet wipe/baby wipe upon entering the classroom and then again after entering the classroom post-lunch. I would not be surprised if parents were accustomed to peanut-free situations. Also, as someone else said, your daughter's allergy sounds severe. Can she eat food that has been "Manufactured in a place that processes peanuts" or "Manufactured on shared equipment that processes peanuts," etc. because if not, that may reduce what she and the others can eat. You also mention being concerned about children eating PB and J, which is understandable. There are nuts in desserts as well, so I know I would be concerned about adults as well, espcially in light of the "May contain peanuts" warnings and if your daughter cannot eat anything that says something like that. I cannot eat nuts or peanuts due to a medical condition and I was told not to eat rolls at a restaurant in WDW. Just my two cents. Best of luck!

Thanks so much!! I was wondering about the rolls/bread too....I thought we were told by the dietary depart it was safe depending on what resturaunt it was....but then again maybe we just asked about the hot dog/hamburger buns. We were told by our Dr to avoild things made in the same facility and on the same equipement...so it really does limit the food choices...but Ia ma not as worrried about other eating those items...it more the things that are PB or contain nuts!!

[livndisney]

You do know that most counter service places in the parks serve PBJ's right? And food courts at the resorts have small containers of PB near the condiments.

And several places have open containers of peanuts, Goofy's Candy company, the candy shop on Main Street, Candy Cauldron just to name a few. Peanut covered candied apples are also sold in the parks.

[MSSANDRA]

I can not imagine that friends good enough to travel with would even consider allowing their children to eat peanut butter at the table with your DD. DGS, whom we have most of the time, is going to be three this month and was diagnosed just over a year ago. His allergy sounds very much like your daughter's. Our friends know, no peanuts when Beto is around.period. They are all so glad to help keep him safe!
As for products than are questionable, (made on the same equipment) we do allow him at the same table but he sits next to me, at a cleanly wiped place and the eater washed hands well before touching him!!
We are quite careful and have had not reactions! Please put her first, good freinds will understand and the ones who do not are not good friends.

[Schmeck]

Having worked with a student who would only eat peanut butter crackers (Asperger's Syndrome) and at a different time, a student with a peanut allergy, I've been exposed to both sides of the peanut ordeal. Luckily, there are ways to co-exist!

Now, since you are vacationing with dear friends, yes, ask them to limit the peanut butter to times that your child is not present, and kindly remind them to wash after exposure. I don't know what you're going to do about the people eating near you though - kids tend to scoot all over the place in WDW restaurants - maybe make sure your child is sandwiched between two adults? I mean, I can't count the times a child popped up at the top of the booth, covered with whatever he/she was eating, sometimes with a fist full of it as well.

[disneycruising]

I have 2 DS with life threatening NUT allergies. Mine are older now...14 & 11. We have been to WDW many times and have NEVER had a reaction. But we do take precautions.

I don't think there is anything wrong with asking them to avoid the peanuts while they are with you and washing up if they eat "it" when you are not around.

I would be more worried about an 'accidental exposure'. I wipe down: all surfaces of our hotel room, all the tables when we eat and even the chairs. I NEVER let my children touch the rope/chains while waiting in line for the rides.

Have you contacted (I think it is) Brenda Bennett in WDW Dining about the food allergies? She will be able to send you lots of great info about what is 'safe' for your DD to eat.