Do I Have A Nut Allergy?

Is there a nut allergy that's not a tree nut or peanut?

• I sent a letter home to parents telling them about a child in my class that had a peanut and tree nut allergy. Mother was upset that I didn't mention the child's allergic to "ALL NUTS, not just peanuts and tree nuts." Aren't those the only kind? And peantus aren't even nuts!

• Answer:

  Probably she wants a list of all kinds of nuts, which would cover the actual nuts instead of just saying "peanut & tree nut" when those are the two kinds. If she wants to more narrowly define what the child is allergic to then she'll have to provide more information. A nut is defined as any hard shelled fruit or seed that can be eaten. Only a few are commercially available, but maybe this mother is just being overly critical. Technically olives, coconut, chocolate, and mangosteen are nuts, as are a few others. She is probably being overly protective and critical, but it's hard to deal with food allergies.