Coconuts In Pre-school

[Guest]

Hi there,

 

Does anyone know if children can be given coconut to eat at pre-school as long as there are no allergies to nuts? It is such an interesting fruit, thought we might explore where it comes from etc and then try some for snack.

 

Thanking you

Scottiedog

[Inge]

It is unusal to be allergic to coconut, but possible, and not necessarily related to a nut allergy..

 

Apparently if you have a latex allergy you may also be allergic to coconut..

 

but if checked I see no reason for not trying it.. we used it in cooking often.

 

Inge

[Panders]

Don't know I've always shied away from giving them coconut! Bit like kiwi I never give that either because children can be very allergic to that. I would certainly do some research on coconut before giving it.

[Gezabel]

Don't know I've always shied away from giving them coconut! Bit like kiwi I never give that either because children can be very allergic to that. I would certainly do some research on coconut before giving it.

 

Yikes I didn't know about kiwi allergy. We have been giving kiwi at snack time for ages and ages without a problem - some like it and some don't same as lots of other fruit - am I the only one not to have heard about kiwi/allergy

[Sue R]

Apparently if you have a latex allergy you may also be allergic to coconut..

but if checked I see no reason for not trying it.. we used it in cooking often.

 

Inge

 

Yes, and bananas/potatoes! (amongst others)

 

I am allergic to latex, so far safely eating coconut, bananas and potatoes - but I have my trusty epipen!!

 

Sue

[Panders]

Try the Food Standards Agency, they have lots of info on there about intolerances and allergies to all types of food.

[Guest]

I don't think coconut is any relation at all to peanut. We've given it although we don't have any children with allergies so if you do I would check first.

[Guest]

we were given a coconut by a family but decided not to eat it just in case of allergies but opened it and explored it with the children ie smell etc then put string around it and the birds enjoyed it!!

[JacquieL]

Don't know I've always shied away from giving them coconut!

 

Good sense of humour there Panders

 

Interestingly neither a peanut, which grows under the ground, or a coconut are nuts.

[diesel10]

My son is allergic to peanuts but not coconuts. I found out recently that peanuts are part of the legume family (beans) and he is allergic to beans. His eyes swell up if even peeling broad beans. One of my staff is allergic to brazil nuts but not coconuts so maybe fine.

 

I knew about Kiwi's but we serve these at snack.

[Panders]

Good sense of humour there Panders

 

Interestingly neither a peanut, which grows under the ground, or a coconut are nuts.

 

 

Did wonder if anyone would take the bait

[Beau]

Did wonder if anyone would take the bait

 

I'm so stupid it just went over my head! Now where's my 'groan' smiley gone to?

[Shiny]

I am allergic to both latex and kiwi fruit!!!

[caro]

We never have kiwi on the premises as a staff member is very allergic to them. We have used coconut though. On the day we planned to use it we put a big notice up on the door (you couldn't miss it) saying what we were going to do and asking if any parents had a problem with it, none of them did so we tried the milk and had the flesh at snack time.

Caro

[Panders]

I think the things which worries me most about intolerances and allergies is the unpredictable nature of them - my son had happily eaten shellfish for 20 odd years - then ....... POW after the 3rd occasion of having a prawn sandwich and being incredible sick i.e. projectile vomitting - we put 2 + 2 together!! A doctor advised that it may not necessarily have been the prawns he was intolerant of, but what they had been feeding on (yuk) but now he can't even eat mackerel or tuna without being ill - something to do with the enzymes in oily fish I think.

[Guest]

Thanks for all your help. I think I will get parents to sign a permission slip before we offer the coconut at snack. Better be safe than sorry. As you say Panders, these allergies can be so unpredictable.

[Guest]

I've just checked my allergy "bible" - The Complete Guide to Allergies

 

Coconut is the fruit of the tropical palm tree Cocos Nucifera and COULD cause the same type of reaction in a person with a nut allergy!

 

Nona