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Sunday, December 28, 2014

A New Citrus Allergy

I did not see it coming. Who would have guessed that pineapple would become the enemy.

I had always loved pineapple.  It was sweet and tart all at the same time.  Over the years I had begun to notice some issues.  I would develop blisters or cancersoures if I consumed to much in a short amount of time.  But this lasted for years and I still loved the taste, so I would just limit how much I had.

However, on a recent trip to Florida I had fruit salad served to me. I had No Idea that there was pineapple in it since my bowl did not contain any pieces of the fruit. Just the contact of the juice was enough to cause me the most sever citrus allergy reaction I have ever experienced in my life.

Fruit which is normally cool and refreshing felt as if I had just put a spoon of hot coals into my mouth. The fruit and juice I had consumed had blistered the whole of the inside of my mouth. I was unable to eat normally for the next three days. The roof of my mouth, was blisterd. My tongue was pitted with burned out taste buds and swollen,  while the inside of my cheeks hurt to even touch my teeth. 

Thank goodness I was on vacation with my mother, who has her own citrus allergy to oranges, and we were able to recognize what the problem was.

The biggest kick of it all is to arrive at Christmas and not have family members believe that such a thing is possible.  My husband overhearing the disbelief at the other end of the table stepped in a said, "Yes. It's called a citrus allergy, it usually develops in adults, and her mother has the same thing. 

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Holidays with the Family

I have been reading a lot of articles lately of people being afraid to offend family members because of food allergies.  And the question to stay or to go if the food is unsafe.

Let me start by saying, family or not, if the environment is unsafe for your food allergy,  you need to leave.  No guilty, no stress, just go.

Here are some tips that can help you get through the holiday.

1. Speak Up

You need to remember that you live with food allergies everyday, and the majority of people do not.  Remind who ever is hosting that you have a food allergy that needs to be taken into account,  if they would like you to be present.

More often than not, they understand,  appreciate that you reminded them, and are willing to make concessions for you to be part of the holiday.

2. Pack a Bag

We always plan for the worst. Pack extra clothes in case there's an accident, pack snacks and one or two meals for the car or in case my daughter refuse to eat anything else. And we always have our Epi-pens and Benadryl.

3. You Have the Right to...

If you walk in and there is a bowl of nuts on the table that everyone is eating. You have the right to ask that it be put away and that everyone wash up.
And if they choose to not respect this request,  you have the right to leave.

Your food allergy, your life, is more important then someone else's desire for a treat. When you accept that fact, you will never again ask if you have the right to... fill in the blank.

Most family members understand and don't want their Holiday celebration to end in a trip to the ER. And if they don't, do you really want to spend time with them? I wouldn't.

Friday, December 5, 2014

The Lunch Room

We never really know what is happening at our children's school unless we are physically there. This week I was given a look into the behavior of one of our local schools during lunch time. As a food allergy Mom I was scared.
 
I attended the Holiday Bazaar at one of the local grade schools, to sell Christmas crafts. I was not expecting to be placed in the cafeteria, but at launch time I really had my eyes opened.
 
I knew that the area has not been exposed to a large number of children with special food needs. I had been told that this school had food allergy policy's in place.  You would never know it from what I witnessed.
 
When I arrived in the morning the cafeteria was full of children having breakfast.  Mostly cereal from what I could tell.  When breakfast was over and the children had gone off to class, I got to see the clean up. One of the lunch aids swept around and under the tables with a dust mop, while one of the kitchen staff wiped down the tables with a bucket of detergent water and a rag. Everything remained till lunch.
 
For todays' lunch the menu listed Corn Dog, Baked Beans, cheese stick, grapes, and apple slices. Later upon checking the posted schedule on the wall this was the lunch every other Wednesday for the whole school year.
 
When the lunch bell rang and the students lined up to enter the cafeteria, a student aid sat in a chair in the door way and dispensed a pump of hand sanitizer onto each child's hand. The students were then expected to rub this in and were then allowed in line to receive their meal trays.
 
They took their seats like soldiers in a mess hall, filling the first chair then the next and so on. When they became to loud one the aids blew their whistle at them. When the children needed help they raised their hands, and many times the item they needed help with, and an aid walked over to open what ever it was from a cheese stick, milk, or grapes, with no gloves on at all.

Allow me to explain some thing about these aids. When I first saw them in the morning I thought that they were janitors, they wore jeans and tee shirts, and were preforming janitorial services in the cafeteria. At lunch time one of the men donned a whistle on a string and they both put on small white aprons. The one resembled a gym coach in a tiny white apron.

When lunch was done they blew the whistle twice to get everyone's attention. Then there was clapping that the children repeated and one long whistle blow that signaled for the children to rise and proceed to another line to pour out their milk and clean off their trays. They were helped in these tasks by more student aids. Between classes a student aid wiped down each table with a single wet rag and a pie pan to catch crumbs.

After the last class of the day is seated the cafeteria aids folded up the table and sweep under them. The tables were then pushed out of the way and a small cleaning machine was run over the floor before they were returned to their same spots.

If your a food allergy Mom and made it this far your probably freaking out like I was. If your not a food allergy Mom please allow me to spell it out for you. Hand sanitizer does not kill food proteins, it kills some germs and the good bacteria that lives on your body. Hand sanitizer is 70% alcohol and should not be ingested. Cafeteria aids walking around with no gloves touching everyone's food, enough said, I hope. Wiping down all of the tables in the cafeteria with the same rag, just spreads food proteins around, and that at the end of lunch no one re-sterilized the tables.

No where did I see an allergy free area, but this would have also meant that someone would have been eating alone.

I have a dear friend who's children are currently attend this school, and aside for the hand sanitizer her daughters chief complaint is the whistle, apparently this tool has made the children fell like dogs, but they like the clapping very much.

After seeing this display, I hope to visit my own school for a day to see just what is happening there for lunch, before my daughter starts school.
 

Monday, November 24, 2014

How to Read Food Allergy Labels

 
I have had a number of people ask me recently to read labels for them to be sure that they were safe for "allergies" in our case a peanut allergy in particular. I'm happy to take the time to ready them, and show people what to look for. As a matter of fact I just happy people are considering her allergy at all.
 
I thought I would share today how we read food labels for allergies. I would like to start by introducing Gina Mennett Lee, M.Ed., a food allergy consultant, allergy mom, and blogger. 
She put out a poster that illustrates just how we read food labels in our home. It is a three step process that makes reading labels a little easier on us rushed parents.

Step 1:

Look for the "Contains:" statement, usually at the bottom of the ingredients list. If your allergen is listed here stop looking and put it back.

Step 2:

Look for "May Contain" or "Processed in a plant with". If your allergen is listed here stop and put it back. Remember in the US not all companies report for cross contamination, it is currently not required by law.

Step 3:

If you have not found your allergen in steps 1 or 2 you must read each individual ingredient in the ingredients list.

 
 
This simple 3 step process saves time and effort while you are in a busy grocery store trying to decided if something should come home with you or not. My Husband and I have been using these steps for the last 6 months with great success.
 
 
I would like to give a special thanks to Gina Mennett Lee for putting together such a great illustration of these 3 steps. (For more information on Gina Mennett Lee please click on the link.)

Friday, October 24, 2014

A Special Thanks

At this time of year I would like to take some time to thank those special people who help all of us allergy parents get through everyday life.
 
Every allergy parent needs support.  Dealing with food allergies isn't easy, and without those special people to help us out along the way or to give us that push we need to be activists, we would just be lost.
 
For me that person is my husband.  He's an amazing partner and friend. Always encouraging me to press on and do more. Nothing I bring to him is silly or trivial. He would make a great activist himself if he could just, "Tell those blanking people that their blanking kids can't have blanking nuts at school." I guess that's why I'm the activist in the family.

It could be that special teacher you friended through the PTA who sends you messenger updates about events. And when she asks you what a 'real' pumpkin is, you know she meant Teal.

It could be that neighbor who has a grandson who is allergic to nearly everything and understands what your going through, and offers you and your daughter a homemade allergy free cookie. Or the other neighbor from down the way who is always willing to step in when you need a trusted person to keep her safe while your at the school educating people on the importance of knowing about food allergies.

It could be your mother who finds those almonds that are free of all other nuts, so that you can put them in your Holiday cookies.

It could be your support group on Facebook, that lets you tell it how you really feel and they all get it. It could be that blogger mom who does so much in the way of being an activist that it makes you think, 'I can do this!'

Where ever you get your support and inspiration, be sure to give them a little thanks for all that they do for you. 

Happy Holidays.


 

Thursday, October 23, 2014

Halloween Hoopla


If you plan it just right you can do fall/Halloween events for about two weeks, three if you really have a sense of adventure.

The Pumpkin Patch

Our first outing every fall is to the pumpkin patch, Country Corner in Alpha, IL. We have a friend who is the program coordinator and we love picking out our pumpkins and popping corn from the fields. They have a great range of activities for the kids and as she gets older she will have new things to do and experience. We always enjoy our time there, even if it is just for the photo ops.

Farmers Market

This year I discovered that the last farmers market in Macomb, IL was called Moon Over Macomb, and that they offered free activates for the kids. They had a straw bail maze, petal tractor race, decorating mini pumpkins, story time, and a horse drawn wagon ride through the square. Not to mention the farmers with their pumpkins, mums, crafts, honey, fruit, and baked goods.

Before we left for town that morning I made two Teal Pumpkin buttons. I simply downloaded a pumpkin outline and printed it out on teal craft paper, I cut them out and wrote 'Teal Pumpkin Project' in black marker and placed them between two sheets of laminating paper. I put tape on the back of mine and fixed it to the lapel of my coat. I had planed on putting the other one on my daughter by deiced against it and dropped it into my purse.

While on the wagon ride one of the moms sitting across from me yelled out, "The Teal Pumpkin Project. I just read about that. We're peanut and tree nut." To which I replied, "We're peanut." She informed me that they were going to be participating and before she went home for the day she was going to be getting her spray paint. It makes me smile to think of moms across the country 'tagging' pumpkins for awareness. Before we got off the wagon I reached into my bag and handed her the other button, I knew I made two for a reason.

Halloween Hoopla

The grade school puts on a Halloween Hoopla the Friday before Halloween. They offer a photo booth, games, activates, costume parade, pumpkin carving contest, and a pizza dinner.

Since my husband is away on work, and it was just going to me and my daughter attending the hoopla I couldn't see how I was going to promote allergy awareness until the PTA started to message me. It started with a question of what to pass out in treat bags for kids with food allergies. To which I sent a brief list and a link to Foodallergy.org/teal-pumpkin-project. When she informed me that she had heard about it on TV, but was unsure what it all meant I saw my chance to educate. I asked for a table at the Hoopla and began planning my education strategies.

First of all I had my Teal Pumpkin, Flyers from the FARE website, and a list of safe treats. Since I couldn't man the table all night with a two year old, I put together a little giveaway to get people to the table. They will drop their names and numbers into a pumpkin to receive a gift bag full of non-food treats.

The picture below is just a little preview of what will be on my table.

Friday, October 17, 2014

Halloween and Food Allergies

When I was young Halloween was a time to dress-up and be someone else, go to parties and eat lots and lots of candy. Now we are trying to learn how to navigate this holiday with a food allergy. It hurts my stomach to know that people will be try to give my child things that could send her to the hospital or even kill her.

Teal Pumpkin Project

FARE (Food Allergy Research and Education) has promoted their Teal Pumpkin Project, where you paint a pumpkin teal and place it on your front porch along with a printable poster that states that you have non-food treats available. For more information please click on FARE Teal Pumpkin Project.

Some non-food item gifts can come from the Dollar Store, Oriental Trading Co., and the craft store. From rings, glow sticks, stickers, rubber snakes and spiders, and even festive cups, and pencils.

Having a Good Time Safely

I have been reading some wonderful comments from parents who take their allergic children out trick-or-treating. No one wants to feel left out and these parents have developed strategies to let their kids have a good time. The first was to wear gloves, or incorporate gloves into the costume. Second always carry your child's epinephrine auto injector. Third don't let them eat anything until they get
home.

You can always say, "No, thank you. I have an allergy." Or should you chose to accept candy there are so many more options. You can go through you child's candy and allow them to have the safe items. Some dentist offices offer a candy swap where they pay you for candy and they usually pass out new tooth brushes. You can pass it on to you friends at work, and buy safe candy on clearance. Or you could trade for cash, toys or anything else your child enjoys.

I told my husband that I planed on baking safe cookies so she can come home and have something she enjoys.

Our First Year Out

This will be our first real Halloween out enjoying the festivities. Year one we passed out candy at the door, and last year we only went to friends and family who knew about our allergy and they all had safe snacks for our daughter. This year we wanted to try the Halloween Party at the grade school. They take pictures, have a costume contest, games and activities for the little ones. Hoping for a great time, let you know how it turns out in.

Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Why We Need to Read Food Lables Everytime

Fall is a beautiful time of year. The leaves are changing, the weather cools, and harvest is coming in. After picking fresh apples from the orchard all I want to do is make pie, until you realize your pie crust contains milk, eggs, and peanuts, what's an allergy mom to do.

I love fresh made apple pie, and fall is the perfect time of year to make it. I let my husband convince me to take it easy on myself and just purchase pre-made pie crust. In my rush to get a million things done while my husband had my daughter, I failed to read the label on the box of pie crust, and brought home two boxes that stated they may contain milk, eggs, and peanuts, along with containing wheat.

We had less than four hours until it was time to leave for our friends Fall BBQ, and I started to debate about just using the pie crust. I went back and forth for several minutes, I knew our daughter would be the only one there allergic to peanuts, and our friends sister-in-law is allergic to milk, and I found out later that the new son-in-law was lactose sensitive. As I started to unroll the crust it began cracking and breaking apart, it was dry and hard in spots. I picked up the crust, box and all, and pitched it into the trash can. I scrubbed my hands and the pie plate with scolding hot water and soap, and wiped the entire counter with a Clorox wipe.

I pulled out my shortening, water and flour and began mixing the pie crust together. I made two separate balls and let them chill in the fridge. I mixed all the dry ingredients for the pie filling, and started pealing and slicing my apples. Once I had my dry mix folded into my apples, and the apples were well coated, I pulled out the first ball of dough. I quickly rolled it out and fit it into the bottom of the pie pan and pored my apples in. I liked a tall domed pie that is just bursting with apples. I rolled out the second crust and used my fall cutouts to put apples on the top as vents. Once the pie was topped I trimmed and pressed the ends with a fork.

After 40 minutes it was a beautiful pie that I received many complements on all afternoon. The best was when one of the gentleman asked me when I was going to be opening my bakery.

We had a lovely afternoon and the only desert my daughter could eat, other than my pie was a S'mores we made her away from the rest of the kids who were eating Oreos off a platter mixed with peanut butter cookies.

 
For a full recipe on Country Apple Pie and Crust see our recipe page.

Thursday, October 9, 2014

Our First Trip to the Zoo

I have always wanted my daughter to be able to experience things I enjoyed as a child. Going to aquariums, museums, carnivals, fairs, the zoo, and so much more. With a peanut allergy we have found that we need to be extra cautious of how we go about attending these and other activities.

Do Your Homework

I always look up where we are planning to go online first. Look up directions, hours, entry fees, and if they offer food. We usually pack our own lunches, but I do like to know what the options are should we choose to purchase something or if you want to know what others might be eating around you. I know you can't control what others pack and eat, and as much as you may want to wipe down someone else's kid with a Wet Wipe, you just can't do that sort of thing.

Visit in the Morning

We like to arrive just as the park/attractions are opening for the day. For the most part we only catch the other early birds who do the same. First thing in the morning things are clean! Bathrooms, tables, floors, have all been cleaned from the previous day and have yet to be touched by lots of people. It cuts down on germs and possible food proteins that could be left on a touchable surface. As we all know our little ones touch everything.

Visit in the Off Season

We choose to make our first visit to the Zoo in the fall. The weather was very comfortable, the crowds were nonexistent, and the majority of the kids were in school. It made for very easy and comfortable viewing of the animals. We had our choice of rides and attractions.

Some things to consider about the off season. They may have shorter hours, instead of opening at 9 AM as they did all summer they now opened at 10 AM, so we had more time to pack lunches. They may be open fewer days, we found out that they were closed on Mondays for the fall so we changed our week and went on Tuesday. In the off season you just might get a discounted admission price, we were given free admission to the zoo, and only had to purchase tickets for the rides. There is always the possibility that all of the exhibits may not be open, we had a few that were being renovated, but we still enjoyed everything else we got to do and see.

Pack Your Safety Items

Along with our safe lunch and snacks, we had my daughters backpack, with all its allergy tags and her first-aid bag. I also carried hand sanitizer and Wet Wipe, to keep everyone clean and safe. You know "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."

Worst Case Scenario

I know no allergy parent wants to think about it, but its always there in the back of our minds. "What do we do if something should happen?" In our house we always plan for the worst and hope for the best. When traveling to a destination we make sure to know where the nearest hospital is, there are now apps for that too.
When we arrive at the zoo, aquarium, museum we ask or check on the map for the first-aid station(s). If you happen to be out in the park and have an incident, grab the first person with a radio you see. Many public venues have drills and procedure's for medical emergencies and they will best know where to meet an ambulance for immediate evacuation.

Just Have Fun

Sometime we get so worries about what could happen, we forget to have fun and be in the moment with our children. Try not to have a heart attack over the kid with chocolate all over his face and make sure your little one is enjoying the giraffe eating his breakfast.


Friday, October 3, 2014

A Day in The Life of a Peanut Allergy Mom

What does a normal day look like for an allergy mom? My allergy routine has become so second nature to me that I fail to realize that other people look at me like I'm just a little off. I've had people tell me that they just couldn't do it. I tell them, "You just do it, because it's just what needs to be done."

A normal morning starts at 6:00 AM, if I don't hit the snooze to many times. I throw open the drapes and fix a cup of coffee. Then it's office time. This is when I do the most of my allergy reading and writing, while the little one is asleep. I read the articles that I have pinned or posted to myself. If I have found a great allergy picture I download it and add it to my folder for future reference.

At 8:00 AM it's time for my daughter to get up. If I had anything I wanted to print, I have it set and walk away. Once we've had breakfast, usually an allergy friendly cereal, pancakes or something else homemade, we both dress and get ready for our day. My daughter always has on her allergy bracelet and the only time I have to make a fuss is when she takes it off and leaves it under her pillow.

This morning we're headed to the Bank, and to do some groceries. We grab our lists, snack, a Sippy cup of milk and a coffee to go. Just as I have my handbag my daughter has her own bag. We upgraded her from the diaper bag to a small back pack. Inside her bag are some emergency items, diapers, wipes, and the first aid bag that contains her Epi-pens. Her bag lives on a peg at the back door. It's the last thing we pick up on our way out the door and one of the first things we put down when we come in.

Her first aid bag contains her Epi-pens, Benadryl, a couple Band-Aids, a copy of our insurance card and an emergency contact card. And to be sure that people know there is life saving medication in her bag, I made a luggage tag that hangs from the top loop. It states her allergy and that her medication is inside, on the reverse I have listed emergency contact's.

The Bank always has Dumb-dumbs and a cookie of the day. We try to avoid both but sometime we do get a Dumb-dumb, and we never finish it. She either drops at the next stop or forgets about and I toss it away.

While at the grocery stores we are always reading labels. Even if it's something we get all the time. I have grown accustomed to the funny looks you get when pick something up off the shelf read it and put it back. My daughter however, still doesn't have the patients to let me read all the labels, so I try to keep her entertained with a pad of paper and a pen, or what ever else happens to be working that day.

After grocery's it's home and time for lunch. We try to change it up everyday. It could be grilled cheese and apple sauce, butter noodles and beef hotdogs, turkey roll-ups with cheese, or even leftovers. Occasionally I have webinars over lunch time, on average about three to four a month. I play them on my phone so I can hear them on my Bluetooth, so my daughter is not distracted from her lunch.

After lunch is nap time. Yeah, Nap Time! It's the best time of the day and one of my busiest. I use these precious two hours of the day to do whatever I need to catch up on. From reading, blogging, house work, or working on my crafting business, and on the rare occasion taking a total break and putting my feet up.

Afternoons are always a toss up. If the weather is good we're outside, if not we try to keep ourselves entertained. If I have something I need to attend in the evenings such as PTA, craft sale, or an event where I'm speaking about allergies, I am always sure to have a babysitting allergy page printed out. Even though our regular babysitter is familiar with my daughters allergy I still go over things with her ever time. I think its more to make me feel better than anything else.

I like to think that my family has settled into a routine that works for us. We have chosen to become a peanut free home for our daughters safety and we avoid bringing things in that could pose a treat to her health. My husband and I due indulge in unsafe items away from home and we do not bring back leftovers.

Once you eliminate the food allergen our day is really no different than anyone else's and my daughter is your typical toddler through and through.

Sunday, September 28, 2014

Open House Night at the Local Grade School

I volunteered/(was asked by the PTA) to host my allergy booth from the fair at the local grade schools Open House Night. I was both excited and nervous. Yes, I had hosted this same booth in the past but now I was going to be speaking to children between the ages of 4 and 10 and their parents. I wanted to be sure that I did not say anything that would frighten the children, but get the point across to the parents.

I arrived for setup at five. When I checked in with the PTA to see were to set up they informed me that they had me on the other half of the Healthy Eating Booth. As she put it, "We thought the two of you would go together." After introducing myself to Patty from the UOI Extension I quickly began setting up my items.

So once I took a moment to look around I noticed something that told me we have a very long way to go with food allergies in this school system. There was about a total of 10 booths lining the path around the gym, and at nearly every booth there was so form of food item.

The Bank had bags of popcorn, Kiwanis was passing out smarties, thirty-one bags was passing out dumb-dumbs, the Boy Scouts were passing out mixed candy, bubby gum and Frisbee's, the Healthy Eating booth was given out packs of pretzels, and the school itself was passing out ice cream cups in your choice of chocolate, vanilla, or strawberry.

But the booth that scared me the most out of everyone else was the Girl Scouts. I watched from across the room as she opened boxes of Girl Scout cookies and placed them all on a platter together to be picked over by children and their parents. Then I noticed the large fish bowl of candy on their table as well. I believe it was a prize of some sort, but it was full of bags of candy some that I could see were m & m's and Skittles and just so many more. At the end of the event they walked around with the platter trying to get rid of the rest of the remaining cookies.

Sometimes I forget that I was a very good pre-K teacher in my past. I related to the kids well, explaining that some people can be allergic to different foods and can get itchy, bumpy, swelling and that we want to keep our friends safe by finding a teacher or parent to help get them their medicine and help.

The kids were great, but the parents were my main focus. I wanted them to under stand that just because your child doesn't have an allergy they might have a friend that does and if they should be over and have a reaction we need to know what to look out for and what to do in an emergency. I relayed to them it would be helpful for birthdays or sleepovers to know what to do. I passed out quite a few of my informational pamphlet's.

And I had one mom who was just starting her food allergy journey with her son and she wanted to know more. So we talked and shared information. Just like the people at the fair, I had a number who wanted to share their food allergy stories with me, I love to hear how other people work through their food allergies.

I'm calling this years event a success in the sense that I got my foot in the door and I made an impression. I am hoping that through my continued work with the PTA to do more in the future.

Monday, September 22, 2014

Our First Big Trip After Diagonass

Well we made it, we drove from Chicago to Florida and back and did not have one food allergy reaction. We did however have one food incident.


As planed we attended the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta. The kids had a great time. They sprang from one exhibit to the next.

We were there on a Thursday during their fall hours, there were no real lines to speak of. Since I had pre-ordered our tickets we just walked in, after a brief bag check. However, in the parking garage, my husband failed to scan our parking ticked and took one instead, so we actually paid for parking twice.

We had decided to not eat at the aquarium, in part because of our schedule and I really didn't care for their pre-pay options.

We made it all the way to Florida without incident, and my Grandmother was true to her word, she had put everything up high in the cupboard and had told everyone no nuts at all. She had even pulled out a box of cookies she had picked up and asked it they were ok to give to the kids. My husband read the box and when he pointed out that they were made in a factory with peanut products, she hid them away before the kids could see them.

Things were great until our second morning. My husband and I  were up early and were enjoying a pot of coffee at the kitchen counter. When my Grandmother walked in she said she needed to eat something and take her pills. She put some bread in the toaster, pored a cup of coffee and before I realized what was happening she was spreading peanut butter over her toast. According to my husband I had a face of shock and pure panic. When my Grandmother looked up halfway through her toast she saw it too. She wiped her mouth, wrapped the toast in a napkin, buried it in the trash and proceeded to wash her hands, the knife and her lips with dish soap and a paper towel. She refused to touch my daughter until she had showered.
Later she apologized, she was so used to having toast and peanut butter every morning for breakfast she forgot herself.

The entire rest of the trip was completely without incident, and we had a wonderful time.
Were even thinking about doing it again in the future.

Monday, September 8, 2014

Federal and Illinois Food Allergy Laws

There are a number of resources that can help you protect your food allergic child in school and
beyond. There are three federal laws that address kids with food allergies. They are:

1.) Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
          . This is where the phrase “504 Plan” comes from. A public school that receives federal money can’t discriminate against a child with a disability. Every child is entitled to a free and appropriate public education.
  • Under this law, a food allergy may be a disability( the school has to determine it) because a severe reaction can interfere with a major life activity- such as breathing.
  • The U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights enforces this law.
  • A “504 Plan” is simply a written plan that the food allergy parents and the school agree on to keep the child safe. It becomes a legal document.
    1. If a child needs services, then that should be provided in the 504 Plan.
    2. The more specific the 504 Plan the better.
    3. The 504 Plan should explain what everyone agrees upon for the child.
    4. The 504 Plan can set out the responsibilities of everyone involved from the child, to the teacher, nurse, parent, cook, bus driver etc.
    5. A Doctor’s order can become part of the 504 Plan.
    6. Any document the parties deem relevant can become part of the 504 Plan.
    7. A Food Allergy Action Plan can become part of the 504 Plan. It tells everyone what to do if there is a food allergy reaction. Sample Food Allergy Action Plans are on the Home page.
  • If a parent disagrees with the approach of the 504 Plan then the parent can ask the school for a due process hearing. It must be an impartial hearing.
  • If the 504 Plan is not followed, then the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) can help. The bottom line is, however; the OCR wants everyone to work as a team.
  • The Chicago Office number is 312-886-8434
2.) Title II and III of The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
  • It prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability by public entities.
  • It prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in the services, programs, or activities of   all State and local governments. (Like Park District programs)
  • It even applies to such programs that DO NOT receive federal money
  • The Office for Civil Rights also enforces this law. For more information see: www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/504faq.html or call the Chicago Office number at 312-886-8434
  • This act protects children from discrimination whether or not the institution where the child is receives federal money. One place that it applies is to private schools.
3.) The 2008 Amendments to the ADA
          The Amendments impact food allergies because the Amendments stated that if mitigating measures helped your condition, that did not indicate that you did not have a disability. For example, if you have asthma and you avoid triggers or use an inhaler which helps, you still have asthma and you still might need an accommodation. Likewise with food allergies: one strictly avoids the food and if there’s a reaction one takes an anti-histamine or uses an epinephrine auto-injector. Those are mitigating measures but they don’t change the fact that one has a food allergy.

Also if your school received ANY money from the federal government, then it has to comply with the United States Department of Agriculture Guidelines (USDA). The Guidelines require, that if your child cannot eat what is being served, then the school needs to make a substitution, that is of nutritional equivalent to what is being served. But, you need to fill out a form. USDA Doc .

The CDC has developed Guideline for the Management of Food Allergies in Schools and Early Care and Education Programs, However this guidelines are Voluntary. CDC Guidelines

There are also a number of Illinois State Laws that will help protect your food allergic child. The state of Illinois also has Guidelines for Managing Life-threating Food Allergies in Illinois Schools, IL Food Allergy Guidelines.

I understand that reading bills is not an easy task for someone who did not have to study law while in school, and for those of us who did it's still tough, but it is the best way to get the information that we need.

Illinois House Bill 3741, states that a school, whether public or nonpublic, must permit the self-administration of medication by a pupil with asthma or the use of an epinephrine auto-injector by a pupil, provided that the parents or guardians provide the school written authorization for self administration. HB 3741 also states that a school may authorize a student or person authorized under the students individualized health care action plan to administer epinephrine.

HB5892, Amends the School Code. Provides for the administration of undesignated epinephrine auto-injectors by a pupil, school nurse, and trained personnel. Limits liability for the administration of undesignated epinephrine auto-injectors by a school nurse or trained personnel. Requires a school to permit the self-administration and self-carry of asthma medication by a pupil with asthma. Provides that prior to the administration of an undesignated epinephrine auto-injector, trained personnel must submit to his or her school's administration proof of completion of a training curriculum to recognize and respond to anaphylaxis. Requires training to be completed annually and sets forth training curriculum guidelines. Provides that within 3 days of the administration of epinephrine by a school nurse, trained personnel, or a student at a school or school-sponsored activity, the school must report to the Board certain information, which the Board will then use in its report to the General Assembly identifying the frequency and circumstances of epinephrine administration during the preceding academic year. Effective August 1, 2014.

For a more in-depth look at these two IL Laws check out; HB3741 and HB5892 .

Each state is different and some have more encompassing laws then others. Please be sure to check with your individual state, to be sure you are up to date on the current laws. I found my laws by going to the Illinois General Assembly keyword search. I used three key words to narrow the field, Epinephrine, Food, and Allergies, you can add school if you want to be more specific. This search helped me narrow the field of bills to 10 results and only 4 specific bills. Once you find your specific bill or bills, I recommend printing them out and reading them over a couple times. Go back later and highlight keep passages for fast reference in the future.

Planning Our First Big Trip After Diagnosis

We have been on a number of smaller trips since our daughters diagnosis in the spring of 2013. We have been camping, to the aquarium, and to several birthday parties for family and friends. For the majority of those trips I controlled the food. I knew what was being served, and we always took our own snacks.

This most recent trip is taking us to Florida via Chicago and Atlanta. I must admit that this was a very ambitious undertaking with a two year old, peanut allergy notwithstanding. But we are taking 2 two year olds. My Brothers' son and my mother will be joining us on this adventure. Did I forget to mention that we're driving?

We started planning this trip back in June and July. It started out as wanting to get the great-grandbabies to Florida, we didn't know if we wanted to fly or drive. When my husband found out that he could have the time off, we decided to drive it, and this time we were not going the drive straight though. So I added a couple of overnights at some choice destination spots, checked for great room rates and booked well in advance to secure a super rate per room.

Transporting was next. As much as I would love to have taken my SUV, we decided that a minivan would be the way to go. Once again I took to the internet to find the best deal. We wanted a low price, unlimited miles, and a DVD player for the kids. If we keep our rental for more than a day we don't bother with their insurance, (usually between $10 and $12 dollars a day) we have our insurance adjusted to add non-owned vehicles to the police at the whopping cost of $5.00 for the month. Talk about a savings.

I feel I need to explain our scheduled stop at the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta. I love aquariums, I've told my entire family that I would love to visit every aquarium in the continental US and collect a shot glass from each of them. Not that I intend to use them, but they are small and most aquariums have them, not to mention colorful. My Facebook group was discussing food allergies and the aquarium back in July. There were a number of mixed reviews, some just loved the aquarium, and other were distressed about the bag searches, and that they could not bring in their own food. So I went straight to the aquariums website, to read their policies for myself. I found the answers to my questions in the Frequently Asked Question under Plan Your Visit. http://www.georgiaaquarium.org/plan-your-visit/faqs.aspx .

The odd thing was that food planning wasn't more of an issue with this trip. Since we live so far from the majority of our family we drive a lot and have established a number of safe stops where we can eat. I know that because of the nature of chain owned stores, all things are not the same everywhere, and menu items can change from one chain store to the next, but we need to eat and I'm always double checking the menu and server before we order. I have also listed on our route large towns for scheduled meal stops to insure a larger selection of choices, and as always we will be packing snacks.
We love, Teddy-Grams, applesauce, raisins, string cheese, yogurt, and goldfish. We also make cookies and granola bars.
Keep an eye out of the follow-up in about two weeks.

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Grandparent's Allergy Information Pack

I admit that planning a vacation was exciting until I thought about having to accommodate my daughters food allergy. We had to consider safe stops along the way, but we are going to spend most of our time visiting my grandmother at her home. It only made sense to send her a little more information about our daughters food allergy.

I decided to make a "Grandparent's Allergy Information Pack," and had it arrive a few weeks before we did.

Included in the pack was a pamphlet on general food allergies, it included signs and symptoms to look out for, what to do in an emergency and steps on avoidance. All of this information can also be found on the Kids with Food Allergies website, What Parents Need to Know 2 page handout. Also from Kids with Food Allergies, I sent a copy of the Babysitting Drop-off Form, babysitters/caregivers drop-off form. It is a one sided form that can be posted on the fridge, the bottom half can be filled out for an individual child. I also included a photo of how and where to administer the Epi-Pen. Epi-pen.com has a lot of information and training videos, and so does Auvi-Q, but I simply wanted the picture and steps.

I had also wanted to include some information on how to properly read food labels for her specific allergen. I was a little surprised when my best source turned out to be the USDA. They have handouts specific to all food allergens and they are wonderful for teaching how to read food labels for a specific allergen. They call them Food Allergy Fact Sheets. You can find your specific allergen with a straight web search. This is the Peanut One, USDA Peanut Food Allergy Fact Sheet.

After putting this packet of information together I sat down a wrote my Grandmother a letter. I wanted her to understand that we did not expect her to remove all peanut products from her home, but for the time that we were there could she please put them up out of reach, we suggested above counter height for safety. I asked her to please not feel overwhelmed by the information provided and if she had any questions or concerns to please call me and I could walk her through it. I relayed to her that we simply wanted her to have an understanding of what special needs our daughter required to be able to stay with us at her home. I told her how much we have been looking forward to this trip and how we just couldn't wait to see her. I know she had been dying to squeeze a grand-baby for a while.

I waited until a few days after the package had arrived to call and see how things were. When I asked about the package she informed me that not only had she received it but had read it all. She said that it was very helpful and that she learned so many things that she would never even have thought of about having a food allergy. She told me that when we came our daughter would not find anything in her home. And to put the icing on the cake she asked me to e-mail a list of our daughters favorite safe snacks for her to have on hand when we arrived. I knew there was a very good reason I love this woman so much. Then she informed me that because I had sent extra pamphlet's she intended to pass them out to anyone who would be coming over to her house and letting them know that they can not being our daughters allergen into her home.


* If you live near to you parents/grandparents and they help to watch your child I recommend that they have a safe snack box at the grandparents, that is just for them.

Monday, August 18, 2014

Food Allergy Awarness Booth

Our local town fair was this past weekend and hosted a Food Allergy Awareness Booth. I handed out pamphlets, pencils and ribbings. I discussed the Big 8 Food Allergens, signs and symptoms of anaphylaxis, and what to do in an emergency. I demonstrated how to administer an Epi-Pin to someone in need and to call 911 for follow-up medical attention. I even had a label reading challenge.

The younger children were some of my most receptive. I explained to them that if you or a friend has a food allergy and ate something you were allergic to, you could get itchy, have itchy bumps on your skin, your could start swelling and have problems breathing, and that it could be very scary. But to remember if you see this happen to someone you need to get them help and their Epi-Pen. I would show them how to give the Epi and count, then they would have to call 911. I would have them count with me and then I would ask them what do we do next and they would yell, "Call 911." Several of them brought there parents back because they wanted to show them how to use the Epi-Pens.

There were a hand full of people that came through and told me about their own food allergies or food sensitivities. I even had one gentleman show me his own Epi-Pen he had in his pocket. Several people expressed to me that they had never heard of Food Allergies when they were younger, and didn't know why the kids were getting them now.

I even spoke with the local PTA about wanting to host a booth at there Open House. They informed me that they would be happy to have me and I would go right along with the Fireman and nurses that come in. After finding out that local community members could join the PTA without having a child in school yet, I decided to join.

However, I can not say that the whole weekend was all tea and roses. You get those few who look at your booth and just keep on walking and the ones who say I don't have food allergies and walk away. I had one young man ask me what do I need to know about food allergies I don't have any. When I asked him if he knew anyone with a food allergy he said his best friend. I asked him didn't he want to know how to save his friends life in an emergency? He said yes, and I showed him how to use the Epi-Pen, I later learned his Mother was allergic to Bees.

I had a group of high school ages girls walk by one evening and one of the girls stopped short of the rest right in front of my Food Allergen Challenge. I thought it would be a fun way to get people to read labels. I quickly realized that she was sounding it out, "Al-er gen" she said. She turned to her friends and asked what's an allergen, they both replied that they didn't know. I said an Allergen would be something that you are allergic to. Then she asked, "Well how do you find them?" I pointed to the brown label, "Lets say you are allergic to Soy, do you see the soy on the box?" "Yes", she replied. "Then you would be able to eat this if you were allergic to soy," I explained. "OH!" she said with a flush of understand. She thanked me and went on her way. At first I was surprised that she and her friends were not familiar with the word Allergen, however the more I though of it, I was proud of her for trying to figure out what it was.

I asked a number of the grade school aged kids if they had learned anything about food allergies in school, they all gave me a blank look and shrugged their shoulders. I'm guessing this is why the PTA was so keen to have me. I don't believe anyone was familiar enough with the subject to educate. I spoke with several teachers as well as community members about the current state laws in Illinois.

Overall I'm calling the weekend a success. I got the message out there and I will continue to do so. It just goes to show that a little education and understanding can go a long way.

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Food Allergies vs. Food Sensitivity

When we were first diagnosed with a food allergy for peanuts I had not realized that there were different levels of allergic, and some allergies were classified as sensitivities vs. an allergy.

A Food Allergy is defined as an exaggerated immune response triggered by eggs, peanuts, milk, or some other specific food. While a Food Sensitivity or Intolerance is defined as an unpleasant reaction to food that, unlike a food allergy, does not involve an immune system response or the release of histamine. Many food intolerances are caused by deficiencies or reactions in the digestive tract. Lactose intolerance (caused by an enzyme deficiency) and celiac disease (an autoimmune disorder characterized by the inability to digest wheat, rye, and barley) are among the most common food intolerances.

So how do we know the difference between a food allergy and a food sensitivity reaction?

Food Allergies vs. Food Sensitivities

Food allergic reactions come on suddenly usually within the first two hours of exposure. They can be triggered by a small amount of the allergen and happen every time the allergen is consumed or exposed. Food allergies can be life threatening leading to anaphylaxis.

Food sensitive reactions usually come on gradually up to 72 hours after consuming the food item. They may be triggered by consuming a large quantity of the food item, or consuming it often in a short amount of time. Food sensitive reactions are not considered life threatening because they do not lead to anaphylaxis.

Shared Symptoms vs. Different Symptoms

Food allergic reactions and food sensitive reactions share some of the same symptoms. Both reactions can result in nausea, stomach pain, diarrhea, and vomiting.

Food allergic reactions also can result in rashes, hives, itching skin, swelling, shortness of breath, chest pains, sudden drop in blood pressure, and trouble swallowing and/or breathing.

Food sensitive reactions can also result in gas, cramping, bloating, heartburn, headaches, joint pain, IRB, weight gain, low mood, eczema, irritability or nervousness.

Symptom Causing Allergens

Some of the main causes for food allergic reactions include peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, milk and eggs.

Some of the main causes for food sensitive reactions include milk, soy, egg, wheat, fruit and vegetables.

Treatment

While food allergies and food sensitivities are treated with the same method of avoidance. Food allergies are considered lifelong and persistent, while food sensitivities are considered to clear up after avoidance.

Wither you have a food allergy or a food sensitivity you are limited in what you can eat, or how much you can eat of a certain food. We should all be listening to our bodies, believe me they talk back.

Since food allergies are usually easy to distinguish, and sensitivities can be harder to prove, I recommend keeping a food journal. You don't have to do anything fancy, just get a note book from the school section and keep track of what you ate, how much and if you have any of the symptoms listed above. If you start to notice patterns such as every time you have a bowl of cereal with milk your stomach feels bloated and cramping, you may want to skip the milk for a while are test nondairy products on you morning cereal. Or if you have eaten a large bowl of soup with noodles everyday for  lunch and are feeling the stresses of IRB, you may want to try a different lunch for a while.

Keeping a food journal is also a great way to show your doctor that you are having difficulties, and they may see a pattern that you didn't. Remember that food allergies and sensitivities can be managed but only if they are recognized.

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Where Do Food Allergies Come From?

We all know that since the late 90's food allergies have been on the rise. At the current time it is believed that 1 in 13 kids has a food allergy, and new research is suggesting it could be 1 in 12.

So why are so many children developing food allergies? The answer to that question depends on who you ask.

In my research of this topic I have found a number of suggested theories' for why food allergies are on the rise, none of which answers the question completely, however see what you think.

The Grandparent Theory

I call this first one the Grandparent Theory because people often refer back and ask why did our grandparents not have food allergies. This theory states that because our grandparents ate locally grown foods that were seasonal, they cook these foods at home with traditional methods, not using preservatives, and they did not diet, and spent the majority of their time out doors. That our grandparents had a healthier lifestyle that we do.

Genetics

It has been suggested that food allergies come from our jeans. There has not been one jean found to be the root cause of food allergies but rather they believe that it is a combination of factors of jeans coming together and expressing themselves as an allergy. Sciencemag.org states that a new study shows that increased T cell counts lead to over reactive immune systems. Children born to parents with any allergy have a 2x more likely to have allergy, and children born by C-section are 3x more likely. They also suggest that children born by C-section do not develop the proper bacteria, Dr. Christine Johnson.

Food Theory

I'm calling this the food theory because there are so many suggestions about food, we're just putting them all together. GMO's, processed foods, pesticides, antibiotics, and chem-trails. It seems these are the ingredients for conspiracy. Depending on who you ask the government is poisoning us to effect population control, or they want to make us fat and dumb, or everyone of these things is perfectly safe and misunderstood by the general public. You please decide.

The Water Theory

According to Elina Jerschow M.D. "Annals of Allergy & Asthma Immunology" Tap water should be our biggest concern. Increased levels of Dichlorophenols used to chlorinate water and pesticides are associated with food allergies. Allergies are on the rise in countries with rising sanitation standards, and are low in poor countries. In the 60's and 70's the rise in food allergies was thought to be due the A-bomb, that was later dismissed, because that would have shown global increases, and food allergies are localized events.

So there they are Food Allergy Theories. I know as parents of food allergic children we want to know where allergies come from but, at this time there is not good answer and the best thing for us to do is to take care of our children the best ways we can. If you want to go to the farmers market and eat local good for you. We personally keep a garden, I like my daughter knowing how to eat fresh vegies, we bake most everything ourselves because of her allergy. do what's best for you and your family and maybe the scientist will figure it out later.

Monday, August 4, 2014

Oral Immunotherapy. What is it, and does it work?

All of us allergy parents know that the standard treatment for food allergies is strict avoidance and epinephrine when exposed. However, the news media and online web sites are starting to promote a "CURE" for food allergies in the form of Oral Immunotherapy(OIT).

So what is Oral Immunotherapy?

In this context Oral Immunotherapy refers to (also termed desensitization or hypo-sensitization) a medical treatment aimed at patients suffering from allergies that are insufficiently controlled by symptomatic treatments.
This involves administering increasing doses of allergens to accustom the body to substances that are generally harmless (peanuts, egg, milk) and thereby induce specific long-term tolerance.

Let me state right now that Oral Immunotherapy is experimental and should never be preformed without medical supervision. Although these kinds of treatments are experimental, not approved by the FDA, and have shown little in the area of results parent's are lining up to have there children in trials.

All of my research on this subject continued to look back at one study from the UK published in The Lancet (a medical journal) in January of 2014. So I went straight to the horses mouth and printed out the full published journal article. To view full journal article.

The Test

The study was preformed in the UK (University of Cambridge and Cambridge University Hospital) between January 2010 and March of 2013. Participants were age 7-16 with immediate hypersensitivity reactions after peanut ingestion and tested positive to skin prick test for peanuts. Participants were given peanut flour in gradually increasing doses, in 2 to 3 week intervals. Doses ranged from 2mg to 800mg of peanut protein. After each new dosing participants were observed for 2 hours, then doses were given at home for 2 to 3 weeks. Participants were also asked to keep a symptom diary.

Results

At the end of phase 1, 26 weeks(6 months) 24 of the 39 children in the active group were considered to have developed a tolerance to the equilivant of 5 peanuts. This was reported as 62%, while none of the 46 children in the control group had any tolerance to peanuts.
At the end of Phase 2(combination of phase 1 and control group offered OIT) 45 of the 84 children sampled were found to have developed a tolerance to the equilivant of between 5 and 10 peanuts. This was reported as 54%.

Side Effects

31 participants reported nausea and vomiting, 1 reported diarrhea, 21 reported wheezing, and 76 reactions of oral pruritus (itching of mouth, tong, or lips). One patient required the use of intramuscular adrenaline (Epi-Pen).

Follow-up

Tolerance after cessation of OIT was not assessed in this study so there is no way to know if participants maintained any tolerance over time.

So What does all this Mean?

Okay, when I was taking my science courses a sample size this small was not considered statistically significant. And the thought of mixing your control group with you active group data to develop a larger sample size in phase 2 was a down right cheating.

The study itself admits shortcoming with this type of treatment. Patients who had stopped treatment in past studies had shown to loose their tolerance after about 9 months. They had many more reactions then with avoidance, and there was no follow-up. However they still promote this as a success. Even WebMD promotes this article as a "New Hope for Kids with Peanut Allergies".

I remind you to be smart and skeptical of claims of fast and easy cures for food allergies. And if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Friday, August 1, 2014

August is Advocacy Month

FARE, Food Allergy Research & Education, has suggested in their news letter that the month of August be Advocacy Month.

Since congress typically takes the month off they are recommending gathering together a group of fellow parents and set up a meeting with your representative to let them know about your concerns regarding food allergies.

I recommended it you can't get a group together, draft a letter to your representatives. Or try something more small scale. Start with local awareness, with your city, county, or state. Or simply sign an online petition regarding food allergies. Every little bit can help.

Host an informational booth at local events, fairs, or school career days. And with back to school looming on the horizon, now is the time to make sure that you, your child, and your school are ready to for the coming year.

Good Luck, and Get Out There.

Staff can give Epi-Pen in IL

On Wednesday July 30 Governor Pat Quinn signed a new law (Bill HB5892) that makes it legal for a school official who is not a nurse to administer drugs to quell an allergic episode. This means Epi-Pens.

Just like Attorney General Lisa Madigan, we do not have a full-time nurse at our local school. This is part of the reason that she has chosen to work on expanding this law.

This new law adds to the previous law signed by Governor Quinn in August of 2011, House Bill 3294, the School Access to Emergency Epinephrine Act, allowing school to stock and use epi-pens in the case of life-threatening allergic reactions. This past law only allowed the school nurse to administer medications. However, with shrinking budgets and the sharing of staff members between multiple schools, having a full-time school nurse has not always been manageable.

The new law allows a trained individual to administer epi-pens, the Illinois State Board of Education officials will draft rules on the training.

Thursday, July 31, 2014

What's a 504?

Once I accepted my daughters allergy I began thinking about what it would be like for her to go to school. I knew she was going to need some sort of accommodations to attend a public school. Thankfully the majority of the ground work had been done for me.

So a 504 or Section 504 is a part of The Americans with Disabilities Act, basically stating that a person with a disability can not be excluded from a federally funded program, such as school. Ok so how does this apply to a child with a food allergy? A "Disability" in this context refers to a "physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more major life activities." This can include physical impairments; illnesses or injuries; communicable diseases; chronic conditions like asthma, allergies and diabetes; and learning problems.

A 504 is very inclusive and will help you spell out what steps need to be taken to make reasonable accommodations for your child. Notice I said "Reasonable". You can make any demands you want, and the school doesn't have to accept them. And in the very off chance it should go to court, the higher courts view reasonableness of the demands.

Most children with food allergies can very safely attend public school, with minimal interruption of the school program. My nieces attend a Peanut Free School, other options are allergy free tables, and the teacher or school can choose to make allergy free classrooms.

All of these things are possible as long a you communicate with the school. And I don't mean calling them the week before classes starts. Start an open line of communication before your child is even ready to be in class.

I began by looking up the school handbook, available online from most schools. I spoke with my neighbors, I called the school, and best of all I spoke with my daughters future teacher. If you can not speak with the teacher or nurse, I recommend writing them a letter and mailing it to the school. Tell them who you are, express your concerns, and be sure to leave them ways to get in contact with you.

I am a big supporter of having things in writing, so if its a 504, or an Emergency Action Plan, I recommend having something in writing. Remember 504's require prep-work and meeting with the key players, principal, nurse, teacher, teacher aids, 504 coordinator, and parents.

A great source that outlines 504 is http://foodallergyadvocate.com/?p=112

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Diagnosed Later In Life

I have meet two people who were diagnosed with a food allergy later in life. The first is my Mother and the second is my neighbor.

At around 40 years of age my Mother developed tingling around her lip and mouth when ever she had orange juice. It progressed to a rash and blister with brief contact, even secondhand contact. Being in the medical profession she realized that she had developed a food allergy and knew to stay away from her allergen. Some of the doctors she worked with didn't believe her until they gave her curry rice with orange zest, and she erupted with blister after one bite.

Her allergy was easily managed and avoided. She asks about fruity drinks and checks labels on her teas because orange is commonly used. She says, "I must have not been that big a fan of orange juice, because I don't even miss it."

My Mothers allergy began later in life and was very easily diagnosed as and allergy. But can you imagine spending your whole life with pain and discomfort in your stomach, because of something you ate for over 40 years, before ever knowing what it was? That was life for my neighbor Tom.

After another one of Tom's stomach episodes Susie,(his second wife) insisted that there was something wrong and took him to see a specialist. He was diagnosed with a gluten allergy and instructed on how to avoid his allergen. Susie being the amazing woman that she is, has learned to make everything gluten free. She even makes fresh bread, buns and pizza crust. She, like me, is happy that more products are becoming available on the market.

So many people think that food allergies are only happen to kids, but there don't. They are not developing in adults at the same rate as in children, but there still there. Just because you've suffered with something for the whole of your life doesn't meant it should be your norm.

If you think you have a food allergy see your doctor, ask to see a specialist if there not sure. a simple change in you diet can do wonders.

Sunday, July 27, 2014

Medical ID Bracelets

Medical ID Bracelets seem to be one of the topics that come up frequently. There are so many different types available, choosing the right one for you and your child can become very overwhelming.

Just to list of a few of the main types I came across. I found the traditional metal bracelet, the nylon webbing Velcro bracelet, and silicone bracelets. Each had their positive and negatives.


Traditional Metal Bracelets

The best thing about these bracelets is that they are easily identifiable as a medical alert bracelet. When seconds count this bracelet tells emergency medical staff that there is something of note. My biggest draw back was the price. Another draw back was that they are a fixed size. I did not want to get something my daughter would grow out of quickly or have to wait to fit into. So we decided against a traditional one for now.

Nylon Webbing Velcro Bracelets

The biggest benefit to these bracelets was that they came in a wide variety of colors and patterns. They were available with a Velcro closer or a clip and were somewhat adjustable. Great for growing kids that are going to need a little wiggle room. They were less expensive than the traditional bracelets. However, my little one like the sound of Velcro so much she would spend all day taking it off and then who knows where it would be. Not to mention if you get them wet they need to come off to dry out properly. I wore something very similar when I was in school, after a while they get a little ripe.

Silicon Bracelets


Silicone bracelets come in lots of colors, with an interchangeable ID tag or they can simply have your child's allergens printed directly on them. There are some with mix and match tabs that can list multiple allergens at once. Because of the recent popularity of silicon bracelets for awareness on so many issues, they are not always readily noticed as being for a medical alert. But they are very customizable, inexpensive, and come in a variety of sizes that include toddler. Once you have your interchangeable ID plate you can simply purchase larger bands as your child grows.

I personally chose to go with the silicon bracelet until such a time where my daughter could move to a more traditional bracelet of her choosing. Mostly because she was 18 months when I picked it out.

There are so many options I'm sure that there is one out there that is right for you and your child. And I encourage you if your child is old enough get them to participate. If they don't wear it, it can't help them, and they're more likely to wear it if they like it.

Time for a New EpiPen

After one year of carrying an Epi-Pen around it was time to get a new prescription.

We just happened to be going into the Doctor because we were sick again and I told the nurse that our Epi had expired. No problem, and she made a note. When the Doctor came in to see us she said, "Oh, I see she needs a new Epi too."

Let me just say that it is so great to have a primary that gets it and really is willing to help with our daughters overall health. She was even excited when I showed her my daughters medical ID bracelet.

Since we were sick we had to pick up our meds from the pharmacy. (Just an FYI, I made sure the pharmacy is aware of her allergy and it shows up on all of her papers.)

While picking up her medication, I asked about the Epi-Pen. She informed me that they were currently out of stock and would be requesting some with their next shipment. As a matter of fact I thinks it was the very next day that my Walgreens App went off telling me that my epi-pen was ready for pickup. When I clicked to check the price I nearly had a heart attack, it said it was over $400 dollars. I knew I had paid about $75 the year before, and I knew the insurance had made some changes, but I hadn't expected this.

I called the pharmacy immediately. Once I said who I was and started to say why I was calling, She said your calling about the price? Yes. I told her. She apologized for the confusion but they had yet to receive the order from the doctors office and the price I was seeing was the cash price. She assured me that once they received the order our insurance would be applied and the cost adjusted.

When I got off the phone I was awestruck how can anyone without insurance afford this life saving medication. And to need a new one every year, my heart really does go out to them.

To Help have Epi-Pens covered please click on the link.

Thursday, July 24, 2014

Allergy Cooking Class

In my search of Events near me, I stumbled across a cooking class being put on by one of the local Grocery stores.

The class was titled Allergy-Free Cooking, the description said:
Join Stefanie as she discusses products in the store that are allergy-free. Stefanie will also provide numerous allergy-free recipes and demonstrate how to make a few, too. If you are interested in learning more about how to cook without the top 8 most common food allergies (wheat, dairy, peanuts, tree nuts, egg, soy, fish, and shellfish). Please sign-up for this free class!

When I walked into that class there was a large display table covered with allergy-free food items, some of which I had heard of and others I had no idea existed. The demonstration area was prepped and ready to go. The observation table had a packet of recipe's and listings of allergy-free food items.

I took a seat and waited for the class to start. Stefanie arrived with freshly sliced allergy-free bread, which she passed around for everyone to try, it was delish. She then made eggless French Toast, I thought was amazing, my husband didn't like mine when I made it at home. He said the bananas made it too sweet. She also make Mac & Cheese, allergy-free, it didn't do it for me.

I was just so thrilled that there was even a class like this in our area.

French Bread

2 Tablespoons flax meal
1/3 Cup warm water
3 Cup gluten-free all-purpose flour with xanthan gum such as Domata
1 Tablespoon rapid rise yeast
2 Teaspoons salt
2 Cups warm water
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon honey

Mix flax meal and water. Let stand for 10 minutes.
Combine flour, yeast and salt in a separate bowl. Add water, olive oil and honey. Stir thoroughly.
Add flax meal mixture and blend until thick. let stand for approximately 2 hours. Scoop dough out and from onto a lightly greased bread pan. Bake at 450 degrees F for 30-35 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.

A vacation with someone who dosen't get it.

So last month I found out that my one Aunt (the one who doesn't get it) was going to be house sitting for my other Aunt. Well in my Mothers telling me of this news she informs me she has taken the whole week off and would like me to drive in so that we can spend some time together. I told her I would think about it, but if I did come we would have to do it on the cheep, we couldn't afford to go out for every meal, which my Aunt was know to do. To this my mother agreed 100%.

When I mentioned it to my Husband he just gave me the look. You know the one where it says I know you really want to do this but I don't think you should, but your going to do it any way. Yeah, that one.

In my excitement to spend time with my Mother I began looking for things for us to do while visiting. I found out that the Shedd Aquarium was going to be having two free days while we were in, my mother agreed it was a wonderful idea. We quickly planed a lose menu for the week, and I copies a few recipes to take with. I was very optimistic it was going to be a great week.

When we arrived late Sunday afternoon, my Aunt had ordered pizza, my Mother had made a green and fruit salad, we all ate well that evening. After dinner my Mother and I took an inventory of the fridge to see what we needed to pickup and I showed her my recipes, we also removed the peanut butter from the fridge and cleaned the shelves. We made a shopping list and raided her house before hitting the grocery store.

I cooked most of the week and things were going rather well, until we had to go shopping. My daughter had received some birthday gifts that were too small and with out a gift recite I had to take them back to a Target and exchange them. My Aunt and my Mother insisted I return my things and they would start shopping with my daughter. Once the items were exchanged and I caught up with them they asked if I needed to get anything else. I told them that I needed new pj's but would have to try them on, we had been traveling so much lately I wanted a pair that weren't see-threw.  So I left them and didn't see them again until we were checking out and heading home.

Once back at the house I was changing my daughter when I noticed the rash. It went from the back of her knees to the edge of her diaper, and she had been scratching. I asked if she had eaten anything. My Aunt said no, but that she had been scratching the whole time we were in the store. I told her this was her allergy rash and there was most likely something in the cart that she was sitting in. Her response was,"Oh, well she's just really sensitive." This after seen her reaction earlier in the week to a contaminated Oreo cookie.

I was in shock, my mouth was hanging there with nothing coming out. I had no response for a statement like that. When I posted the event on my Facebook group, some of the comments were down right hateful. She's my Aunt I love her, but I now know that I cannot trust her to be with my daughter, because she doesn't get it.

It's something I never expected from my own family. To have someone who just so doesn't get it. After discussing with my Husband we decided that seeing her at family functions was ok but that if it was going to be longer that a day or a short weekend, that was just going to be too much time and risk for our daughter.