News, My son's food allergies: danger every day. (party, teaching, breast milk)
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ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- "At least it's not peanuts."
That was our mantra, repeated for the umpteenth time as my husband and I cleaned up the sticky towels that littered the kitchen after 1-year-old Teddy's first sip of whole milk brought unrelenting projectile vomiting.
The allergy we'd suspected for months was now confirmed.
I felt guilty to my core. My breast milk had to be responsible for his misery. His periodic flares of red splotchy, blotchy, itchy skin were evidence that I just wasn't trying hard enough to cut dairy products from my diet.
Poor kid. I'm just happy that he got them young. That sounds insensitive- but it's so much easier to adjust to allergies when you are young. At the time where most kids have outgrown their milk allergy, I developed a severe reaction right before starting my first year of college. Everyone- my parents, my school health clinic, and even my doctor at first- chalked it up to stress. When I came home for winter break and my parents saw that I could develop a head to toe rash in about 30 seconds flat, they took me to the doctor where allergy testing proved it was milk (I had no idea- I cut out all sugars and artificial sweetener thinking that was it!).
A year later, I rushed to my allergist with tiny blisters covering my hands, feet, and elbows. My doctor tentatively diagnosed me with celiac disease and as soon as I cut out gluten, all of my skin reactions and other reactions I didn't know I had (excessive sleepyness for one) disappeared. Later on, my doctor told me to cut out non-organic meats and eggs because they were causing me more problems. Try eating like that on a college campus. :P
It's really sad how people can get around people with allergies. I was appointed to my school's dining committee on a platform of making things easier for people with allergies (ie- clear labels on foods that contain the top 10 allergens, BRIGHT labels on foods with nuts, separating nuts, dairy, and wheat from other foods, and labels on the salad bars to not mix tongs). The rest of the dining committee decided that these things weren't as "important" as, you know, getting better flavors of ice cream or widening the vegan selection of food. Because of course there are more vegans than there are people with food allergies.
We were tabling in one of the cafeterias asking people what they would like to see changed and one girl with a peanut allergy came in asking for the peanut butter to be separated from other things (currently it's in an area where there are containers of cream cheese and yogurt) and for foods like granola to be labeled if they have peanut oil or anything in them. I was obviously gung ho about it because it proved my point that food allergies severely affect college quality of life- everyone else started making jokes about it as soon as she walked away.
Sometimes I wish everyone would have at least one thing that causes a burning head to toe rash reaction so at least they would know how serious it is. Just having a drop of milk touch my skin leaves a welt on the affected area and a rash radiating out for a full day. It's really hard to understand what it's like to have a food allergy if you don't have one, and it's even harder to understand the severity that some people face.
My husband has a peanut allergy. It is amazing the things he cannot eat. Like ice cream because it is usually made with the same machines regardless of the flavor. He cannot eat at a lot of restaurants because they use peanut oil to fry food in. He cannot eat any baked goods that are not made in the home, from scratch, because peanuts may have come in contact with the mix. It is a constant battle of reading labels and asking questions. I feel for mom that have little ones with these allergies. It's hard enough with a grown up.
My oldest was finally diagnosed with a Milk PROTEIN allergy at two... not LACTOSE... but protein... it is in so many things. We had to go on a reduction diet and purchase the majority of our groceries at a natural food store (I tacked on more than $50 extra per trip for greceries). It was tough... things you just don't think about... cake and icing... for her birthday my mother made her special cupcakes... she would become constipated for days..even a week or more if she had a sip of milk...bite of ice cream.... chocolate...caramel... yogurt...some cereals...soy items even have Milk Protein in them... pasta sauces from a jar... BREADS...anything with whey... the reactions were heart breaking as she would cry in pain... The red patches of itchy eczema....Once it was hives... so bad we went to the ER... she would just cry and itch. It isn't easy having a kid with such allergies it effects their daily routine and the pain it causes them. When she went to PreK where there were parents who would send in ice cream for bday parties... I would send in a popsicle for her or Tofuti... but I needed to be told ahead of time.. other parents aren't as considerate as they should be to these things. Once I was not told about it... she was given a handful of pretzels as the others enjoyed sundaes... she came home in tears. LUCKILY she has outgrown it for the most part... we still limit dairy products but she is doing so much better... she can have ICE CREAM ... and we just counter it at home and she is fine... this is a HUGE mile stone. She will be six in November, going into first grade... I am so glad it has eased up for her as she goes into grade school... I can only imagine the trouble it would be if it had not... she can eat anything her friends to at school... but at home we make adjustments if she has it through the day... now it is more of a SENSITIVITY than an allergy.
My best friend's daughter, who is like a niece to me, has multiple food allergies (including but not limited to peanuts, all other nuts, soy, fish, etc.)... docs said that if my friend hadn't nursed her, she'd have had to pay for human donor milk. There was no formula on the market that wouldn't have killed her!
She's had many many close calls. In one instance, she dangerously reacted to chemicals present in her grandparent's house after they had their carpets cleaned and it landed her in the hospital. Another time it was a substitute teacher at school that didn't "know" her who gave her a cookie with nut products (ground) in it... thankfully it was after school and my friend picked her up moments after she took a bite.
She's extremely well educated about her allergies (the child I mean, as well as the parents of course) and she knows what to ask before eating anything, but this teacher had assured her that there were "no nuts" in the cookie. She is now 17 and some of her allergies are still severe, while others have lessened. It's been an eye opening experience for me, as a mom of kids with no real severe allergies, I learned a lot because I HAD to know a great deal for her to be able to come over and spend the weekend at our house (our kids are like siblings)...
Our 5 yo has a sensitivity to fish and strawberries. Soooo thankful it's not any worse than that.
I posted this quote from the article because it bothered me.
"I hope that Teddy's classmate's parents won't react negatively to the exclusion of peanut products from the classroom. I've heard parents freak out when told that no peanut butter could come into a classroom. "But it's all he will eat!" one parent said, as if it weren't possible for a child to live for a few hours without peanut butter. If an orange Crayola would kill a child, there would be no question about teaching kids how to mix yellow and red instead, but heaven forbid you ask a kid to wait for a peanut butter snack so someone in his class won't die"
I think it really hit home for me. None of my children have life-threatening food allergies. However, one of my children is allergic to dogs. My daughter is attending pre-school beginning tomorrow and I was extremely frustrated by the detailed letter sent by email on Friday. Here is an excerpt from it:
Your help is essential and very much appreciated. Some points to remember are:
1. Due to the severity of peanut allergies, your cooperation in not sending foods containing peanuts to this class would be greatly appreciated.
2. Please speak to your children about the importance of not sharing food and of cleanliness. Not entering school with an unfinished breakfast, hand and face washing after breakfast at home are particularly helpful since the allergic child could react to food allergens on his/her friends’ skin.
3. When sending a soy butter sandwich, please be so kind as to mark the bag “SOY” so that we do not have to check every sandwich.
4. School birthday parties can be a source of anxiety and disappointment for food allergic children. Therefore, we are attaching peanut free guidelines for birthdays.
Please find below a list of some widely available products that currently do not contain peanut ingredients. However, one must always check labels as ingredients are often changed and may be modified to contain peanut ingredients. Basics such as fruit, vegetables and dairy products are always great choices.
Ingredients to avoid
Peanut, peanut oil, peanut flour
Hydrolyzed vegetable protein
Labels that read “may contain traces of peanut”
Ground nut or arachis oil
Unspecified nut oil or oils
Nu Nuts ™ flavored nuts
Marzipan and nougat
LIST OF FOODS THAT CURRENTLY DO NOT CONTAIN PEANUT SUBSTANCES
“Safe” foods
Cereals: Cheerios (plain), Life (cinnamon and regular), Cocoa Puffs, Quaker Crunchy Corn Bran, Corn Flakes, Crispix, Raisin Bran, Post Honey Bunches of Oats.
Cookies: Chips Ahoy (regular), Fig, Apple and Raspberry Newtons, most Tea Biscuits, Pepperidge Farm cookies: Avalon, Milano , Monaco and Bordeaux , Oreos (regular), Hain animal cookies and most other animal cookies.
Chips: Pringles, Ruffles, Fritos, Lays, Kettle chips, Sun Chips, Guiltless Gourmet Tortilla, Garden of Eatin’ Blue Tortilla , Tostitos.
Pretzels/Popcorn: Rokeach Dutch and most other Bavarian pretzels, Rolled Gold, Trader Joe’s Honey Wheat Pretzels, most microwave popcorn, air popped popcorn.
Other snacks: Stella D’Oro Breadsticks (original or sesame), Nutrigrain Cereal Bars, Cheez n’ Crackers and Cheez n’ Breadsticks, applesauce, fruit cups, dried fruit (not trail mix), Betty Crocker Fruit Roll-Ups, Betty Crocker Fruit by the Foot, Betty Crocker Fruit Gushers.
Lunch foods: Cheese, cream cheese, Kraft Macaroni n’ Cheese, Pasta with tomato sauce, Trader Joe’s Soy Butter (crunchy or smooth-it really tastes like peanut butter), Veggies Slices soy cheese, Tofutti “Better than Cream Cheese” soy spread, Light Life Smart Deli Meatless Tofu Slices, Yves Vegi Dogs, Smart Dogs, tuna, salmon, chopped egg, hummus spread.
The above are just some suggestions. There are many other possibilities that you can find by reading labels.
While I appreciate all the time and effort it took someone to compile this list, I also hope I don't come across as terribly ignorant when I write that I was a bit annoyed by the regulations. When I went through my cupboards, I found that almost every single snack my children eat "may contain trace amounts of peanuts." Not only is my 3 yo beginning school in a new place where she doesn't know anyone but she is being introduced to all new foods that she's never seen before (and that her sisters won't be eating in their lunches that day). I'm sorry if this offends someone but I had to rant a bit.
I posted this quote from the article because it bothered me.
"I hope that Teddy's classmate's parents won't react negatively to the exclusion of peanut products from the classroom. I've heard parents freak out when told that no peanut butter could come into a classroom. "But it's all he will eat!" one parent said, as if it weren't possible for a child to live for a few hours without peanut butter. If an orange Crayola would kill a child, there would be no question about teaching kids how to mix yellow and red instead, but heaven forbid you ask a kid to wait for a peanut butter snack so someone in his class won't die"
I think it really hit home for me. None of my children have life-threatening food allergies. However, one of my children is allergic to dogs. My daughter is attending pre-school beginning tomorrow and I was extremely frustrated by the detailed letter sent by email on Friday. Here is an excerpt from it:
Your help is essential and very much appreciated. Some points to remember are:
1. Due to the severity of peanut allergies, your cooperation in not sending foods containing peanuts to this class would be greatly appreciated.
2. Please speak to your children about the importance of not sharing food and of cleanliness. Not entering school with an unfinished breakfast, hand and face washing after breakfast at home are particularly helpful since the allergic child could react to food allergens on his/her friends’ skin.
3. When sending a soy butter sandwich, please be so kind as to mark the bag “SOY” so that we do not have to check every sandwich.
4. School birthday parties can be a source of anxiety and disappointment for food allergic children. Therefore, we are attaching peanut free guidelines for birthdays.
Please find below a list of some widely available products that currently do not contain peanut ingredients. However, one must always check labels as ingredients are often changed and may be modified to contain peanut ingredients. Basics such as fruit, vegetables and dairy products are always great choices.
Ingredients to avoid
Peanut, peanut oil, peanut flour
Hydrolyzed vegetable protein
Labels that read “may contain traces of peanut”
Ground nut or arachis oil
Unspecified nut oil or oils
Nu Nuts ™ flavored nuts
Marzipan and nougat
LIST OF FOODS THAT CURRENTLY DO NOT CONTAIN PEANUT SUBSTANCES
“Safe” foods
Cereals: Cheerios (plain), Life (cinnamon and regular), Cocoa Puffs, Quaker Crunchy Corn Bran, Corn Flakes, Crispix, Raisin Bran, Post Honey Bunches of Oats.
Cookies: Chips Ahoy (regular), Fig, Apple and Raspberry Newtons, most Tea Biscuits, Pepperidge Farm cookies: Avalon, Milano , Monaco and Bordeaux , Oreos (regular), Hain animal cookies and most other animal cookies.
Chips: Pringles, Ruffles, Fritos, Lays, Kettle chips, Sun Chips, Guiltless Gourmet Tortilla, Garden of Eatin’ Blue Tortilla , Tostitos.
Pretzels/Popcorn: Rokeach Dutch and most other Bavarian pretzels, Rolled Gold, Trader Joe’s Honey Wheat Pretzels, most microwave popcorn, air popped popcorn.
Other snacks: Stella D’Oro Breadsticks (original or sesame), Nutrigrain Cereal Bars, Cheez n’ Crackers and Cheez n’ Breadsticks, applesauce, fruit cups, dried fruit (not trail mix), Betty Crocker Fruit Roll-Ups, Betty Crocker Fruit by the Foot, Betty Crocker Fruit Gushers.
Lunch foods: Cheese, cream cheese, Kraft Macaroni n’ Cheese, Pasta with tomato sauce, Trader Joe’s Soy Butter (crunchy or smooth-it really tastes like peanut butter), Veggies Slices soy cheese, Tofutti “Better than Cream Cheese” soy spread, Light Life Smart Deli Meatless Tofu Slices, Yves Vegi Dogs, Smart Dogs, tuna, salmon, chopped egg, hummus spread.
The above are just some suggestions. There are many other possibilities that you can find by reading labels.
While I appreciate all the time and effort it took someone to compile this list, I also hope I don't come across as terribly ignorant when I write that I was a bit annoyed by the regulations. When I went through my cupboards, I found that almost every single snack my children eat "may contain trace amounts of peanuts." Not only is my 3 yo beginning school in a new place where she doesn't know anyone but she is being introduced to all new foods that she's never seen before (and that her sisters won't be eating in their lunches that day). I'm sorry if this offends someone but I had to rant a bit.
I'm sad to say it, but if my child were this allergic to anything, I'd seriously consider homeschooling. We eat lots of pbjs, and often at breakfast. I just can't be held responsible for forgetting to decontaminate them before sending them to school!
I however, agree with keeping children who are seriously allergic safe. I was a teacher prior to staying home with my kids and we had such sever reactions to nuts among the students. It was a little frightening. One child would get a SERIOUS burn on their skin if they were merely breathed on by someone who had just eaten peanuts... and I am talking about blisters not just a little pink spot... You would not believe the vast number of students this allergy effects... I do no know HOW it has become so common in small children today... but it is... and it is deadly. We actually had an entire classroom of almost 30 kids FULL for the lunch break in order to keep them from the rest of the other kids while they ate... but 30 kid! out of five grades 1-5... that is actually a lot of kids... and the number is growing (that was 6 years ago)
I'm sad to say it, but if my child were this allergic to anything, I'd seriously consider homeschooling. We eat lots of pbjs, and often at breakfast. I just can't be held responsible for forgetting to decontaminate them before sending them to school!
It's really not that hard. My son loves PB, and I already posted about my best friend's daughter with the severe allergies.... well, for a while they were in the same school, and my son, at age 9, took it upon himself to "decontaminate". He generally just avoided PB in the mornings but if he had some, he'd thoroughly wash his hands and face. He'd ask for PB alternatives in his lunch (cream cheese and jelly, for example)... even his younger brother, at 5, understood my friend's daughter's allergies enough to want to be careful. I think if the children understand what is at stake with some of their classmates, they will WANT to be careful also.
We are aware, and even though their current school doesn't have any particular "policies", we voluntarily refrain from sending items that we know are 'dangerous' when the school requests snacks for a party or whatever. It's not that hard to do. There is a LOT of food out there that is safe and tastes just as good. We still eat a lot of PB and nut products and all that at home, just not at parties/school events.
Homeschooling is not an option for MANY (most?) who have to work. Especially if they're single. The peanut issue is not just one rare kid anymore... it's fairly widespread for whatever reasons.
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... and we just counter it at home and she is fine... this is a HUGE mile stone. She will be six in November, going into first grade... I am so glad it has eased up for her as she goes into grade school... I can only imagine the trouble it would be if it had not... she can eat anything her friends to at school... but at home we make adjustments if she has it through the day... now it is more of a SENSITIVITY than an allergy.
She is now 17 and some of her allergies are still severe, while others have lessened. It's been an eye opening experience for me, as a mom of kids with no real severe allergies, I learned a lot because I HAD to know a great deal for her to be able to come over and spend the weekend at our house (our kids are like siblings)... 
