Reality television personality Binky Felstead has shared a detailed account of her family's ongoing battle with her young son's severe sesame allergy, revealing they have turned to a treatment known as 'microdosing'.
A Traumatic Start and a New Treatment Path
The former Made In Chelsea star, 35, was first confronted with the life-threatening severity of her son Wolfie's allergy in 2022. The then-toddler suffered a 'traumatic' anaphylactic reaction after eating hummus, which contains tahini, a paste made from sesame seeds. The incident necessitated a frantic rush to hospital.
Now, Felstead has explained to the Daily Mail that her four-year-old is undergoing oral immunotherapy (OIT), a supervised medical process designed to build tolerance. For Wolfie, this involves 'microdosing him with tahini every day'. She reported that the treatment has shown positive results, stating: 'There's been a couple of occasions where he's had sesame and he's been fine, he hasn't had anaphylaxis recently because we've actually got him on this microdosing.'
The Precautions and a Recent Scare
Felstead, who shares Wolfie and a younger son, Wilder, with husband Max Darnton, emphasised the strict protocol that must be followed. The daily microdose can only be administered when the child is in full health. 'You shouldn't give it unless they're super like feeling fit 100%, not too run down because the body can't handle it,' she cautioned.
This warning comes from recent, frightening experience. She recalled an episode not long ago where Wolfie, feeling 'run down', had an anaphylactic reaction after taking his microdose. 'He was feeling really run down one day and in hindsight, I just should have put two and two together,' Felstead said. The situation escalated quickly, requiring an ambulance to administer an adrenaline device and another hospital visit.
Navigating a 'Hidden' Allergy and Empowering Her Son
The mother-of-three described the challenge of sesame as a 'hidden' allergen, unlike more commonly recognised threats like nuts or shellfish. She recounted previous scares, such as a reaction to a sesame seed bun on a beach and another when Wolfie accidentally ate hummus at a friend's house. 'I never knew what a sesame looked like before or what it was in,' she admitted, highlighting the steep learning curve.
Despite the anxiety, Felstead finds a silver lining in her son's growing awareness. Now aged four, Wolfie can identify and communicate his early symptoms. 'He'll say, 'Mummy my throat's really itchy' or he'll start coughing... he'll show me his skin,' she explained. While she finds it 'heartbreaking' that he must constantly ask if food contains sesame, this understanding is a crucial part of managing his condition.
Felstead praised the NHS for their support and stressed the importance of emergency preparedness. Citing research that suggests 88% of the UK public lack confidence in responding to severe allergic reactions, she urged everyone in a child's life to learn how to use an adrenaline auto-injector, like an EpiPen.
Her advice to other parents is clear: 'Call your GP if you've got any concerns, read up online about the early signs... and always carry your adrenaline device wherever you go. I just think knowledge is power.'
