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ISHPEMING -- The Seablom family of Ishpeming loved eating peanut products before they found out their five-year-old son T.J. had a severe peanut allergy.  The family says they had to remove all peanut products from their house in order to ensure a safe environment for their son.  T.J.’s parents' first reaction to discovering their son's allergy:  fear and disbelief.

"Oh my gosh!  We grew up eating peanut butter.  How can this happen?” said T.J.’s mother, Sonya Seablom.  “It's a really strange thing to kind of get used to."

But the Seablom family has gotten used to it by removing peanut products from their house and arming themselves with a back-up plan.  In case of a reaction, Epipens and Benadryl are kept in the cabinets, and then it's off the emergency room.  When T.J. was born, there were warning signs of an allergy.

“He had a lot of problems with eczema and some respiratory issues going on,” Sonya said.  “And so our doctor had recommended that we steer clear of peanuts and tree nuts until he was about three years old because that's a precursor to possible food allergies."

But they learned of T.J.’s allergy before he turned three; he was accidently given one bite of peanut butter at daycare at 18 months old.  T.J. suffered a severe reaction.  He broke out in hives, was vomiting, had coarse breathing, and was hospitalized over night.

“They do what's called a RAST test, and that's when they test their blood to see what the level of the allergen would be, and with the peanuts, it goes, or for all of them actually, it starts at a class zero,” Sonya said.  “Zero being there's nothing there, all the way up to a six, which is extremely severe."

T.J.’s peanut allergy is at a class six.  Now that they know how severe the allergy is, they've taken steps to ensure his safety out of the house as well.

"He has a medical alert bracelet that we make sure that he wears in case something happens to us,” said T.J.’s father, Tom Seablom.  “You know, whether it be a car accident or what not and he has to get taken to the hospital and we're not available, it has his allergy on there."

They also have labels on his car seat.  And they've taught T.J. a simple motto.

"When in doubt, go without," said T.J.  The family is now in the process of teaching T.J. how to read food labels so he can distinguish for himself what will and will not make him sick.