Briton's Peanut Challenge

When Briton was 15 months old he had two incidents where he had what appeared to be an allergic reaction to peanut butter. Because of this we have been very cautious and had none in the house for the last four years. Much to the dismay of the rest of the children.

About a year ago, he had a blood test done that would show if he showed up something in his blood that made him seem susceptible to peanuts. The test came back negative, but we were still vigilant because I knew he had had a reaction to something when he was a baby, and it was when he had had peanut butter cookies and on toast.

The doctor's office said they would set up an appointment in Children's Hospital to give him a 'Peanut Challenge'. It took a further 15 months to get this appointment set up.

So at the end of March we headed to the Big City with Briton and his jar of peanut butter.


Everyone at home waited with baited breath to see if they would finally be able to have peanut butter in the house again. I was pretty certain all would be well, and I was preparing in my mind to put on a Peanut Butter Party: peanut butter cookies, peanut butter sandwiches - anything peanut!

Doing Schoolwork in the Waiting Room

Checking His Vitals

The deal was that we were to bring in all the things necessary to challenge him with peanut butter: crackers, peanut butter, jam, and a Reeces Pieces Peanut Butter Cup. I thought that was part of the challenge, but apparently the chocolate bar was for if he passed the challenge! Too late. He had already seen the chocolate bar and been told he would be eating it later. Oh boy!

Briton was weighed, measured, checked all his vitals and signed in. He was up for this appointment and having lots of fun. Then the doctor came in and explained the procedure: they would start with a smear of peanut butter on a spoon, wait fifteen minutes for a reaction (or not), and then proceed with a larger dose - this time double the previous dose.


The amounts would be carefully weighed and fed to him by the nurse. Briton thought this was great fun. He had his picnic all laid out! smile

During the course of the challenge another nurse came by to do a full nut allergy test on Briton. He was a bit distressed as each time she pricked him it felt like a bee sting. You can see his little face all upset, as she did the last of the pokes. Thankfully, those all came up negative, so he will be able to have all nuts, except maybe peanut butter.

I had to hold his hands because he was so upset that he wanted to stop the pokies.


While the challenge was going on, a clown came to visit the children in the waiting room. He was absolutely delightful! What a wonderful job for someone: to be able to make children that are sick, laugh! Here he is tying Cooper's shoes (together) because they were untied. He was a natural that had the children in stitches!

After the first dose of the challenge we watched Briton to see if there would be a reaction. Almost immediately his ears turned red and he complained that his mouth was bothering him. I shook my head in absolute disbelief! A couple years ago, someone had been babysitting Briton and he had gotten into some Moose Trails icecream. This icecream, for grownups treat, is vanilla with streaks of chocolate, plus tiny reeces pieces peanut butter cups in it. It is kept in the freezer (obviously) and Briton never sees it. Or so I thought! Well, obviously, he had seen it.

The babysitter had come around the corner in the livingroom and found the tub of icecream, with a spoon in it, and no culprit in sight. That little stinker had found the icecream, taken it for a snack where he figured he was safe from detection, had his fill, and then left the evidence and gone to play.

But there was no physical reaction. Nothing. I had come home from my time away, heard the story, and was so thankful that he was okay! ! The previous times he had encountered peanut butter he had reacted more strongly each time. So why didn't he react the day he had the icecream? I don't know, but I think God protected him.

Shortly after his ears reddened they settled down, and he carried on playing. The nurse gave him his second larger dose, and then we settled in to keep an eye on him. He didn't complain other than to say his mouth bothered him on the roof of it.

Every fifteen minutes the nurse would come back and feed him another cracker with a larger portion of peanut butter, wait out the fifteen minutes, and then record her observations. Nothing was happening. I was getting excited! We were nearly at the end of the trial and it was looking positive. The nurse said that it was possible that the initial reaction was due to his body being shocked at the new taste.

After about the fifth dose - 1.5 tablespoons of peanut butter - he said he had to go to the bathroom... NOW! I didn't think anything of it.

A little while later, he began sneezing....

And Sneezing....

And Sneezing!

This kept up for another 30 minutes or so. When the nurse came back I informed her of the sneezing. She checked with the doctor, and then came back to inform me that sadly, Briton had FAILED the test.

I was SO disappointed! I thought he had got so far, he had to be about to pass, and then boom! It was over. Poor little guy. Poor big brothers. Poor Mum. No easy lunches, no cookies, no peanut butter cups at the end of the four hour test.

He was such a little trooper, and didn't complain when I told him he had not passed the test, and therefore could not eat the chocolate bars. But, he looked up at me with those big brown eyes opened wide when I told him this, and so I couldn't help but tell him I would get him a treat that wasn't peanuts on the way home. His face broke into a delighted grin.

Working Hard at School Work

One good thing came from the day. Austin had enough time to work really hard on his language arts book and finish it for the year. He happily threw it in the garbage can on his way out!


I did decide to figure out a system for Briton and everyone else. I will allow peanut butter into the house in a controlled way. Every few months I will buy a jar and they will eat it on bread on throw away plates, using throw away knives. Briton will have almond butter. But there will be no peanut butter cookies, because apparently cooking the dough releases peanut protein into the air, where it can be ingested. So sad.

Austin Enjoying a Forbidden Food:
Peanut Butter Sandwiches - Outside away from Briton

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