Over the weekend we had an "opportunity" to follow our Allergy Action Plan. It started Saturday when C decided to try (aka, take without asking) some of Hubby's hot mustard. He had never had it before, so we checked the label and saw it contained egg, so we had him stop. This is where we should have given him Benadryl and then watched him closely. Instead, we just watched him closely, no Benadryl was given. There really is no reason for this...sure we were busy, I was heading out to do something for work so we were trying to finish lunch and I was trying to get some things done to help Hubby out since he would be with the boys all afternoon by himself (no reason to make this task any harder than necessary!) So, for some reason we overlooked giving the meds right away, I gave hugs and kisses and walked out the door.
To be clear: he had very little of the hot mustard.
I called Hubby when I was on my way home, and he told me that C broke out in hives on his legs about 30-40 min after I left and he gave him Benadryl. C was doing okay, and his hives were starting to look better already. Whew, minor allergy issue fixed. We still had the Epi-Pen close by, just in case!
However, right before his next dose of Benadryl, a few more hives appeared so we gave him his meds and watched him closely. The night went well, he slept all night, we didn't see a lot of itching when we went in to check on him, all seemed good during the night.
Then, Sunday morning he woke up with a few more hives on different parts of his body, not just his legs. This concerned us and I planned on calling the doctor, but didn't feel a call at 6am was needed. So, I googled food allergy hives and when I couldn't find the information I needed, I turned to Twitter. I was curious if it was common for hives from food allergies to spread more than 12 hours after ingestion and antihistamine was given. I was given some great advice and support, I couldn't have asked for more from so many people who don't even know me!
I called the doctor at a more reasonable hour and waited for her to call back. The most common piece of advice was to follow C's Food Allergy Action Plan. At this point, we were following his plan. We were to administer Benadryl at any sign of hives and call the doctor if hives did not go away. Since no other bodily system (mouth, gut, throat, etc.) was being affected, there was no reason (according to our plan) to give the Epi-Pen or go to the ER. The doctor called back and said that if the hives persisted past 24 hours, that it was likely a virus (he has a history of hives with virus' and had just gotten over a virus the week before). Since his hives persisted the rest of the day, we thought it was probably a coincidence with the timing of trying the mustard, and decided to call the doctor in the morning to get him seen.
However, the next morning (Monday) I got even more concerned. His hives had spread to his face. Poor guy! He's had hives on his face, but never like this. If I hadn't talked to the allergist the day before, I probably would have been very scared and worried. However, the allergist reminded us what to look for to decide if we need the Epi-Pen and I felt good about waiting until we could get into the doctor.
We got to the pediatricians office, and after explaining the conversation with the allergist the doctor said...Penicillin allergy. What? Didn't I mention he was on an antibiotic for a bought of pneumonia 10 days before? Yeah...I forgot to mention that to the allergist as well. After talking to the allergist again about what happened, she said even if she knew he was on the medicine, she probably wouldn't have thought penicillin allergy with his history of hives from virus' and without seeing him. Apparently he had classic "medication allergy hives."
What did we learn from this experience? We know our son the best and what type of reaction he's having (what's a mild reaction for him, might have been a more severe reaction for someone else). We didn't feel the ER was needed because of past history and our allergy plan. When talking to a doctor, remember to mention all medication! Even if this wouldn't have changed what she told us to do, it might have...or the result might not have been the same, it might have been bad, very bad. Remember your Food Allergy Action Plan. Giving C Benadryl sooner would not have stopped this particular reaction from occurring, but if it had been a true food allergy, it might have prevented it.
In talking with the allergist about what happened, we are certain the hives had nothing to do with egg. We had some news from the allergist from a recent visit/blood test and leads us to believe such a severe reaction from egg is unlikely. I will be sure to post all about our new food allergy news soon! Let's just say there may be a food challenge in C's future, and N might not have as many allergies as previously thought!
**If you or your child has food allergies, please have a solid plan in place, and remember to review it often. A child is never too young to have a plan. Even before C was in preschool, we had a plan in place, and written out with the help of the doctor. This was very helpful for us as parents, and for those who watched C. It helped make us more comfortable leaving him, and them more comfortable watching him :) **
Showing posts with label allergies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label allergies. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
How Do You Do It?
How do you do it? This is a question I get asked often, especially when someone finds out I have a son with food allergies...and now that I have two sons with food allergies, I get asked even more. My response...what can I do?
As a mom, and dad, you do what you have to do for your kids. Is it easy? Hell, no! But, really, what am I supposed to do? Send the kids back? (As tempting as that sounds sometimes, it wouldn't be because of their food allergies!)
Seriously though...how do I do it? First, I don't do it alone. People always seem slightly surprised when I mention this fact. I have a wonderful Hubby, and great family and friends, who I could not do this without. My Hubby and I are a team. We each dealt with the news of a food allergy in different ways. I, went on the Internet and looked up support groups and recipes and as much information as I could fit into my brain.
Next, Hubby and I came up with a plan. We talked about what the allergist said, what I found on the Internet, and our own feelings, and found a way to work around the food allergies. I mean, really, what else could we do? We were talking about a 10 month old little boy! As we've gotten more familiar with C's allergies, we've modified our plan. We've been able to loosen up on some things, while keeping tight restrictions in other areas. For example, I (or my mom) make all of C's cakes for special occasions outside the house. This is a huge pain in the bottom, but we do it because, until we are told he no longer has the allergy, it's the best thing for C.
Now, N has been diagnosed with food allergies. The hardest part has been that I am still nursing. I thought about weaning him completely, but he won't wean...he needs that comfort too much right now. So, I've modified my diet. It's hard, really really hard, but what else am I supposed to do for my 6 month old little baby? I thought I did everything right while I was pregnant....I eliminated peanuts and tree nuts, and I cut out all blatant egg (I still had baked goods and things with egg baked in, but no mayo or hard boiled eggs). I didn't change the amount of dairy, wheat, fish, or anything else in my diet. Yet, N is allergic to dairy and eggs, possibly other foods as well. So now? I cut dairy and egg completely out of my diet (as best I can..I'm struggling a lot with this) and I only nurse when I know he really needs the comfort...because I know that's something he needs.
I'm just a mom. Just a mom trying to do my best. So, when you ask me "How do you do it?" What do you expect my answer to be? My usual response...I do what I need to do. I do it by loving my kids and being there for them. It's not always easy, and it sucks having to tell your 3 year old that he can't eat what the other kids are eating, and I hate having to change my diet...but they are my kids, my life, my pride and joy, and I do what I need to do. But I couldn't do it without the love and support of Hubby, my family, and my friends.
As a mom, and dad, you do what you have to do for your kids. Is it easy? Hell, no! But, really, what am I supposed to do? Send the kids back? (As tempting as that sounds sometimes, it wouldn't be because of their food allergies!)
Seriously though...how do I do it? First, I don't do it alone. People always seem slightly surprised when I mention this fact. I have a wonderful Hubby, and great family and friends, who I could not do this without. My Hubby and I are a team. We each dealt with the news of a food allergy in different ways. I, went on the Internet and looked up support groups and recipes and as much information as I could fit into my brain.
Next, Hubby and I came up with a plan. We talked about what the allergist said, what I found on the Internet, and our own feelings, and found a way to work around the food allergies. I mean, really, what else could we do? We were talking about a 10 month old little boy! As we've gotten more familiar with C's allergies, we've modified our plan. We've been able to loosen up on some things, while keeping tight restrictions in other areas. For example, I (or my mom) make all of C's cakes for special occasions outside the house. This is a huge pain in the bottom, but we do it because, until we are told he no longer has the allergy, it's the best thing for C.
Now, N has been diagnosed with food allergies. The hardest part has been that I am still nursing. I thought about weaning him completely, but he won't wean...he needs that comfort too much right now. So, I've modified my diet. It's hard, really really hard, but what else am I supposed to do for my 6 month old little baby? I thought I did everything right while I was pregnant....I eliminated peanuts and tree nuts, and I cut out all blatant egg (I still had baked goods and things with egg baked in, but no mayo or hard boiled eggs). I didn't change the amount of dairy, wheat, fish, or anything else in my diet. Yet, N is allergic to dairy and eggs, possibly other foods as well. So now? I cut dairy and egg completely out of my diet (as best I can..I'm struggling a lot with this) and I only nurse when I know he really needs the comfort...because I know that's something he needs.
I'm just a mom. Just a mom trying to do my best. So, when you ask me "How do you do it?" What do you expect my answer to be? My usual response...I do what I need to do. I do it by loving my kids and being there for them. It's not always easy, and it sucks having to tell your 3 year old that he can't eat what the other kids are eating, and I hate having to change my diet...but they are my kids, my life, my pride and joy, and I do what I need to do. But I couldn't do it without the love and support of Hubby, my family, and my friends.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Allergist Visit
We took N to the allergist yesterday because of some suspected food allergies. For some reason, I've thought for a while that he had a milk allergy, but couldn't really explain to anyone, just a feeling. He has really bad eczema all over his body (mostly noticeable on his face and calfs), really bad gas, and just seems fussy after eating sometimes. I looked around on the web, and didn't really see any information that fit what I was seeing in N to justify a trip to the allergist. But, recently, our pediatrician finally mentioned he might be allergic to milk and to try cutting dairy out of my diet, just to see. Well, I don't really like to do things "just to see", so I had trouble cutting a whole food group out of mine and N's diet. So, we made the appointment.
We got to the doctors, and after filling in the paperwork (which I then found out I could have found on their website and had it finished beforehand, oops), we were taken into the doctors office for a little information gathering session. She asked about family history, what we thought his symptoms were, what we feed him, what I eat, his bath routine, and a bunch of other things.
Next, we were taken into the exam room where N was examined under those fluorescent lights that show EVERYTHING! If we had any illusions that N's skin was looking better these days, it was squashed by those lights. She said she would be surprised if the tests showed no allergies, so she picked 14 items for to be tested for. Let's see if I can remember...dog, mites (x2), egg white, egg yolks, pecans, cashews, peanut, milk, rice, soy, corn, wheat, and I cannot remember the last...I think thats the list. He also got pricked with a histamine and saline (to have controls).
Here was what his poor arms looked like:
He did a great job though! Barely cried, and no scratching. We did a bit of nursing afterwards to help comfort him, but he was in great spirits, if not a little tired.
The doctor came in after about 15 min to look at his arms. He was showing reaction to egg white and yolk, dog and milk. Gah! She went over her suggestions for changes in my diet. No diary or egg at all as long as I am nursing. And since we are supplementing with formula, to switch to a hypoallergenic forumla (read: expensive!).
Since he's only 5 months, there's a strong chance that he's allergic to some of the things they tested him for, but they are not showing up yet since he hasn't been exposed. She wants us to stay away from the top 8 allergens for now (egg, dairy, fish, shellfish, wheat, peanut, tree nut and soy). This means no soy formula, which would be much easier on the wallet. I guess repeated exposure to soy could actually cause him to develop an allergy, especially at this age. This also means, I need to be careful about the amount of soy I eat.
We will take him back in 2 months to evaluate how he's doing, and if the change in diet has helped. We are free to start introducing foods when we are ready, just need to be careful for the top 8 allergens. N will probably get more skin tests, along with a blood draw to determine any more allergies, as well as the severity of them.
The good news is that milk and egg are both typically outgrown around the ages of 2 and 3. So, fingers crossed! We are very lucky to have supportive family and friends, I don't know how we could it without them!
Friday, October 29, 2010
Cookies!!!
C and I had a great time a couple weekends ago making cookies. This was our first big cooking project together.
We measured...
and stirred...
showed off our batter...
scooped...
and baked!!!
Most importantly, we enjoyed!!
We made Soft Pumpkin Cookies. I got the recipe off an allergy email I received. We used egg replacer instead of eggs, and you couldn't even tell! The best part is that the recipe told how to make the cookies gluten free and free of other allergens!
I think C had a good time baking and can't wait to do it again!
Monday, September 6, 2010
Illness, Preschool, Nails, Eyebrows and Stuff
I feel like it's be forever since I've written! You should really thank me though, I have been moody! Poor C is feeling better, but he's still not sleeping well. Which means that I have not been sleeping well. Totally not Hubby's fault, he tried to help, but C has decided he is totally in love with his Mama (yes, he will now call Mama, just not to my face, currently I am "That" to my face.) I love my little guy being in love with me, but really? It gets old when you are the only one that can get up with him 500 times during the night, the only one who can talk him down from a crying fit, the only one that can cuddle with him when a million things need to get done around the house...you get the point. Anyway, C only wanting me in the middle of the night means that I am getting little sleep (I am hoping his good sleeping habits come back soon!) and leave me moody during the day. I cannot even nap if he is awake because he wants to watch TV and play on the bed while I nap.
C is feeling much, much better. A little over a year ago we had tubes put in his ears, and he has not had a hint of an ear infection. However, he did have a small infection in both his ears with this last illness :( The doctor said one tube has already fallen out, and the other looks like it will soon. So now, we are on ear infection watch. If he starts to get them often enough, back to the ENT for more tubes. Poor guy. Hopefully it won't be a problem, but I'm not holding out too much since he has already had a slight double ear infection and they aren't even completely out yet...come on ears, prove me wrong!
Anyways....we decided to put C in preschool! Previously I have mentioned that I was nervous about sending him to school, even the one I work at. But, the director gave us an offer we could not refuse, so off to school he goes. We are very excited! He will still be with my mom 2 days a week until I go back to work after my maternity leave, but I know she's sad and he will miss her. But, Hubby and I both think he will benefit so much from being with non-family members and around other kids. I am still nervous about sending him to school, but his teacher is actually a good friend of mine and that helps, plus because of so many allergies in the school, we will be completely peanut and tree nut free! Previously, the director has allowed staff to have this stuff in the staff room...not ideal at all. Even though nuts are not his "big" allergy, egg is, I am feeling pretty comfortable. Anyone have a good egg, peanut and tree nut free recipe for cupcakes or brownies that freeze well??
My mother-in-law treated me and my sister-in-law to pedicures and eyebrow waxes over the weekend! I have not had a pedicure in so long! In an attempt to save money, I stopped going (granted, I was only getting them done every couple of months.) I cannot express how good it felt! Someone else rubbing me feet (Hubby does a great job, but usually gets distracted, totally not complaining though!) and calf's, putting lotion on them (my toes are no longer dry from wearing sandals all summer!) and then the hot towel at the end? Oh my goodness, talk about a little bit of Heaven! I wanted to try the shade of polish that Becky suggested, but they didn't have it, so I ended up going with the same as my in laws...and if you know them, you will not be surprised at all of the color choice...
Yes, Virginia Tech Hokie colors! I cannot remember the name of the shade off the top of my head, but it is bright orange! I even got a VT tattoo put on my big toes, cute huh?
My poor eyebrows though...I loved my eyebrows. They have a nice natural arch to them, and really only need to be touched up, which is great for me! The nail place had a new eyebrow person. When I went in, I made sure to point out that I only wanted I touch up, I do not want thin eyebrows. She said okay, and complimented the nice natural arch of my eyebrows. So, I'm laying there and she waxes, and I cry a little because it HURTS!!! And then she starts to pluck (okay, this is normal) and pluck and pluck and pluck and waxes again (?) and plucks...at this point I start to get a little worried...but really what can I say? Please stop so my eyebrows are completely uneven and only half finished. So she finishes and says...are you ready...she says "I went ahead and made them thin because your eyebrows are so close to your eyes." WHAT!!!!!! I reminder her that I didn't want thin eyebrows, but apparently she knows much better than me, and even said that it's trendy now to have thin eyebrows. I looked in the mirror and wanted to cry. Yes, they looked great, yes, I could see what she meant about them being close to my eyes...but A. I am too lazy busy to maintain thin eyebrows, and B. I am too cheap to upkeep thin eyebrows! I even responded to her "Thin eyebrows are trendy right now." I said "I don't care about trend, do I look trendy?" Her response?? This really made me angry..."Well, they will grow back." AAAAHHHHHHH!!!! If someone else hadn't been paying and I was trying not to make a scene...I try really really hard not to make scenes in front of my in-laws (my family has no problems with creating scenes, in fact, I think we seeks them out)... I would have said something to the owner and left no tip...bitchy? Maybe, but I just wanted to cry and couldn't believe that instead of saying sorry or anything even hinting that she heard me, she said THEY WOULD GROW BACK!!!
Okay, sorry...moodiness, I told you, it comes out of nowhere sometimes! Seriously though, my eyebrows do look nice...but I HATE maintenance...I'm lucky if I put make up on twice a week! And now when they do start to grow back I even have to MAINTAIN them, or let them look all hairy for a while until they fill back in again...and who can guarantee that they will fill in the same again!!!
Man, this was a really long post. If you read all of it, you deserve a prize. Thanks for reading and letting me complain and be excited! I am so excited about C starting school! I will be sure to post pictures and let you know how his first day goes! Hope everyone has a great day. And Go Hokies!
C is feeling much, much better. A little over a year ago we had tubes put in his ears, and he has not had a hint of an ear infection. However, he did have a small infection in both his ears with this last illness :( The doctor said one tube has already fallen out, and the other looks like it will soon. So now, we are on ear infection watch. If he starts to get them often enough, back to the ENT for more tubes. Poor guy. Hopefully it won't be a problem, but I'm not holding out too much since he has already had a slight double ear infection and they aren't even completely out yet...come on ears, prove me wrong!
Anyways....we decided to put C in preschool! Previously I have mentioned that I was nervous about sending him to school, even the one I work at. But, the director gave us an offer we could not refuse, so off to school he goes. We are very excited! He will still be with my mom 2 days a week until I go back to work after my maternity leave, but I know she's sad and he will miss her. But, Hubby and I both think he will benefit so much from being with non-family members and around other kids. I am still nervous about sending him to school, but his teacher is actually a good friend of mine and that helps, plus because of so many allergies in the school, we will be completely peanut and tree nut free! Previously, the director has allowed staff to have this stuff in the staff room...not ideal at all. Even though nuts are not his "big" allergy, egg is, I am feeling pretty comfortable. Anyone have a good egg, peanut and tree nut free recipe for cupcakes or brownies that freeze well??
My mother-in-law treated me and my sister-in-law to pedicures and eyebrow waxes over the weekend! I have not had a pedicure in so long! In an attempt to save money, I stopped going (granted, I was only getting them done every couple of months.) I cannot express how good it felt! Someone else rubbing me feet (Hubby does a great job, but usually gets distracted, totally not complaining though!) and calf's, putting lotion on them (my toes are no longer dry from wearing sandals all summer!) and then the hot towel at the end? Oh my goodness, talk about a little bit of Heaven! I wanted to try the shade of polish that Becky suggested, but they didn't have it, so I ended up going with the same as my in laws...and if you know them, you will not be surprised at all of the color choice...
Yes, Virginia Tech Hokie colors! I cannot remember the name of the shade off the top of my head, but it is bright orange! I even got a VT tattoo put on my big toes, cute huh?
My poor eyebrows though...I loved my eyebrows. They have a nice natural arch to them, and really only need to be touched up, which is great for me! The nail place had a new eyebrow person. When I went in, I made sure to point out that I only wanted I touch up, I do not want thin eyebrows. She said okay, and complimented the nice natural arch of my eyebrows. So, I'm laying there and she waxes, and I cry a little because it HURTS!!! And then she starts to pluck (okay, this is normal) and pluck and pluck and pluck and waxes again (?) and plucks...at this point I start to get a little worried...but really what can I say? Please stop so my eyebrows are completely uneven and only half finished. So she finishes and says...are you ready...she says "I went ahead and made them thin because your eyebrows are so close to your eyes." WHAT!!!!!! I reminder her that I didn't want thin eyebrows, but apparently she knows much better than me, and even said that it's trendy now to have thin eyebrows. I looked in the mirror and wanted to cry. Yes, they looked great, yes, I could see what she meant about them being close to my eyes...but A. I am too lazy busy to maintain thin eyebrows, and B. I am too cheap to upkeep thin eyebrows! I even responded to her "Thin eyebrows are trendy right now." I said "I don't care about trend, do I look trendy?" Her response?? This really made me angry..."Well, they will grow back." AAAAHHHHHHH!!!! If someone else hadn't been paying and I was trying not to make a scene...I try really really hard not to make scenes in front of my in-laws (my family has no problems with creating scenes, in fact, I think we seeks them out)... I would have said something to the owner and left no tip...bitchy? Maybe, but I just wanted to cry and couldn't believe that instead of saying sorry or anything even hinting that she heard me, she said THEY WOULD GROW BACK!!!
Like I said, they don't look bad, but for someone who didn't want thin eyebrows, they are way too thin!!!
And sorry about the bad pic...it's about 10:30 at night and no make up!
Okay, sorry...moodiness, I told you, it comes out of nowhere sometimes! Seriously though, my eyebrows do look nice...but I HATE maintenance...I'm lucky if I put make up on twice a week! And now when they do start to grow back I even have to MAINTAIN them, or let them look all hairy for a while until they fill back in again...and who can guarantee that they will fill in the same again!!!
Man, this was a really long post. If you read all of it, you deserve a prize. Thanks for reading and letting me complain and be excited! I am so excited about C starting school! I will be sure to post pictures and let you know how his first day goes! Hope everyone has a great day. And Go Hokies!
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Eye Opening Allergy Reminder
Hubby and I had a reminder last week to always check before giving C anything to eat. It wasn't a scary experience, just eye-opening. My mom and dad have been eating lunch out more, which is fine because they are really good about only feeding C things that we have already given him at any given place.
The issue came with milkshakes. I had mentioned that we've given C milkshakes before. What I failed to mention was that we make our own, so even though we had lunch at McDonald's, the milkshake was made at home. Two days during the week, C came home with very red lips, redness around the mouth, and increased eczema on his body. He had a runny nose, so my mom thought the redness was just his rubbing his face a lot, and he had played outside so she thought that was the reason for his eczema. However, after observing him for a few minutes, I noticed he wasn't rubbing his nose, he was rubbing his mouth specifically. So, on the off chance, I gave him Benadryl. It cleared everything right up and he stopped rubbing his mouth. After the second day (not in a row, just in the same week) I decided to see what he ate and recheck everything. The only thing different was a milkshake from Chick-Fil-A. We have just recently added Chick-Fil-A to his okay list because of his peanut allergy (very limited what he can have and watched very closely,) and never thought to check their milkshake. Guess what? There is egg in their milkshake, and egg cross-contamination in McDonald's milkshake.
I asked why they were giving him milkshakes (he wasn't getting his own, he was sharing with my mom) and they said because we have before. That's where the slap on the forehead came in! My mom and I both learned to ask more questions, and to be more clear on what we tell the other. Just another reminder to ALWAYS check, no matter what. My parents are still new to food allergies, even though C was diagnosed over a year ago, it is harder for them to understand completely, and that's okay. Hubby and I have been living with it, so it's a little easier for us understand that everything needs to be checked, no matter how silly it seems. Would I have expected McDonald's milkshake to have egg cross-contamination? No, I would have expected peanut cross-contamination, because I know their ice cream itself is safe.
I'm just glad his reaction was so mild, it is an improvement from when he was diagnosed. Back then he got hives all over his stomach and back if he ingested anything with egg. Maybe this means the allergy is getting better? Not that we will be testing this ourselves anytime soon! We will still be just as careful. With food allergies, you can never let yourself get into a false sense of comfort.
The issue came with milkshakes. I had mentioned that we've given C milkshakes before. What I failed to mention was that we make our own, so even though we had lunch at McDonald's, the milkshake was made at home. Two days during the week, C came home with very red lips, redness around the mouth, and increased eczema on his body. He had a runny nose, so my mom thought the redness was just his rubbing his face a lot, and he had played outside so she thought that was the reason for his eczema. However, after observing him for a few minutes, I noticed he wasn't rubbing his nose, he was rubbing his mouth specifically. So, on the off chance, I gave him Benadryl. It cleared everything right up and he stopped rubbing his mouth. After the second day (not in a row, just in the same week) I decided to see what he ate and recheck everything. The only thing different was a milkshake from Chick-Fil-A. We have just recently added Chick-Fil-A to his okay list because of his peanut allergy (very limited what he can have and watched very closely,) and never thought to check their milkshake. Guess what? There is egg in their milkshake, and egg cross-contamination in McDonald's milkshake.
I asked why they were giving him milkshakes (he wasn't getting his own, he was sharing with my mom) and they said because we have before. That's where the slap on the forehead came in! My mom and I both learned to ask more questions, and to be more clear on what we tell the other. Just another reminder to ALWAYS check, no matter what. My parents are still new to food allergies, even though C was diagnosed over a year ago, it is harder for them to understand completely, and that's okay. Hubby and I have been living with it, so it's a little easier for us understand that everything needs to be checked, no matter how silly it seems. Would I have expected McDonald's milkshake to have egg cross-contamination? No, I would have expected peanut cross-contamination, because I know their ice cream itself is safe.
I'm just glad his reaction was so mild, it is an improvement from when he was diagnosed. Back then he got hives all over his stomach and back if he ingested anything with egg. Maybe this means the allergy is getting better? Not that we will be testing this ourselves anytime soon! We will still be just as careful. With food allergies, you can never let yourself get into a false sense of comfort.
C eating a safe treat at a friends house.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Food Allergies
I mentioned in my first post that my son has food allergies. He is allergic to eggs, peanut and tree nuts. We are hopeful that he will out grow these allergies in time. We carry an epi-pen with us, because you can never tell how a child will react to their allergen, especially nuts. I have been struggling with the idea of putting C into a school setting, and mostly because of food allergies. Right now, he is with my mom every day, and my mother-in-law once a week, and we trust them both 100%...but how can I trust teachers, even if I know them?
I was reading another blog, http://vickysickies.blogspot.com/, written by a local mom who has children with different allergies in the public school system. Her daughter has food allergies, and she, along with other parents in the area, are working hard to fight for Food Allergy Awareness. One post really made me sad and even more apprehensive about putting C anywhere other than with family. She writes about how hard it is to make sure all children are safe with food being served in the classroom (not just food allergy issues, but other dietary restrictions as well.) I actually started to cry reading this particular post because I was picturing C sitting in class with his friends, waiting to celebrate a birthday...but he's not actually sitting with his friends, he's sitting at a table of his own (to reduce the risk of cross-contamination,) eating a rice krispy treat while the rest of the kids are eating cupcakes.
Is making classrooms food free the right thing to do? I can see how some would say no, why should their child be punished because of my child's food allergies? To which, I have to ask, why should my child be punished for something he cannot help? He cannot help the fact that he has food allergies. He cannot help the fact that eggs make him break out in hives or that accidentally eating the smallest sliver of a peanut might make him stop breathing. Is it fair to take cupcakes and other treats away from the children who CAN eat all these foods with no restrictions? I say yes. Yes because it is taking something away from ALL children, and not just the 1 or 2 that have dietary restrictions. What's wrong with having the birthday kids parents come in a read a special book, or if they can't come in, send in a special book for the teacher to read. Or something else just as fun that ALL children can enjoy, not just some.
Would it really be so horrible for children to not have junk food while at school? Not thinking about dietary restrictions and food allergies for a minute, wouldn't taking unhealthy snacks and rewards away help with childhood obesity? Kids love stickers and stickers are cheap, that's all I have to say about that!
Enjoy this picture of my wonderful little guy enjoying the completely safe birthday cake his Nanny made him :)
I was reading another blog, http://vickysickies.blogspot.com/, written by a local mom who has children with different allergies in the public school system. Her daughter has food allergies, and she, along with other parents in the area, are working hard to fight for Food Allergy Awareness. One post really made me sad and even more apprehensive about putting C anywhere other than with family. She writes about how hard it is to make sure all children are safe with food being served in the classroom (not just food allergy issues, but other dietary restrictions as well.) I actually started to cry reading this particular post because I was picturing C sitting in class with his friends, waiting to celebrate a birthday...but he's not actually sitting with his friends, he's sitting at a table of his own (to reduce the risk of cross-contamination,) eating a rice krispy treat while the rest of the kids are eating cupcakes.
Is making classrooms food free the right thing to do? I can see how some would say no, why should their child be punished because of my child's food allergies? To which, I have to ask, why should my child be punished for something he cannot help? He cannot help the fact that he has food allergies. He cannot help the fact that eggs make him break out in hives or that accidentally eating the smallest sliver of a peanut might make him stop breathing. Is it fair to take cupcakes and other treats away from the children who CAN eat all these foods with no restrictions? I say yes. Yes because it is taking something away from ALL children, and not just the 1 or 2 that have dietary restrictions. What's wrong with having the birthday kids parents come in a read a special book, or if they can't come in, send in a special book for the teacher to read. Or something else just as fun that ALL children can enjoy, not just some.
Would it really be so horrible for children to not have junk food while at school? Not thinking about dietary restrictions and food allergies for a minute, wouldn't taking unhealthy snacks and rewards away help with childhood obesity? Kids love stickers and stickers are cheap, that's all I have to say about that!
Enjoy this picture of my wonderful little guy enjoying the completely safe birthday cake his Nanny made him :)
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