Playing Conkers, is this a risk to tree nut allergic individuals?

20 Sept

When is conker season?

This is the time when the spiky green cases of the horse chestnut tree ripen and fall to the ground, splitting open to reveal the prized conkers inside. The peak of the season often coincides with the onset of autumnal weather, with windier days helping to bring more conkers down from the branches.

Is it safe for my nut-allergic child to play conkers?

Conkers refers to a traditional British autumnal game where two players take turns trying to smash each other's horse chestnut ("conker") using a string. The game involves selecting a suitable conker, making a hole in it, threading it onto a string or shoelace, and then one player holds their conker steady while the other swings their conker to hit it. The goal is to be the last conker remaining unbroken.

There are no documented cases or studies in the medical literature describing IgE-mediated allergy or anaphylaxis specifically to horse chestnut ("conker") exposure or ingestion. It follows, therefore, that there is no described allergy risk to this game, even for those with multiple and severe tree nut allergies.

There are, however, many eye and face injuries reported when playing conkers, so please take care to avoid traumatic injuries.

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