Check My Tag

Homemade Peanut Butter Alternative

2008-06-25T21:51:00.003-05:00

So grocery prices are going up. And yes, our family spends more trying to eat healthy, natural, organic, etc.

Peanut allergy families who crave a "nut butter," pay a premium for substitutes like SunButter ($3.50/lb on their website). But here's a tip from sillygoat76, who shared this with me over the weekend:

My daughter has peanut allergies, so I go to local store and buy roasted sunflower seeds for about $2/lb and grind them up in a food processor with some olive oil to make sunflower butter. Consistency is somewhere between creamy and crunchy peanut butter. The salted/roasted ones taste best and have the best color. The unsalted/unroasted ones came out pallid gray and failed the daughter taste test. :)

The cool thing is that you can customize this stuff for flavor. Now I'm not sure about cross-contamination though. I was under the impression that all those "bulk nuts" are often processed in common facilities so that there may be tree nut/peanut traces in sunflower seeds too.

Food Allergies in Schools

2008-06-21T16:26:00.003-05:00

It's the middle of summer and most parents are probably not thinking about getting ready for schools quite yet. But food allergy parents are... because gearing up takes a lot of effort, whether it's developing a 504 Plan or finding an accommodating school... we have to plan well in advance of the school year.

I am pleased to see that in the few years since food allergies has changed my life, there has been a lot of progress in advocacy and awareness about food allergies. I'm sure that this is simply to to the rising incidences of food allergies (unfortunately). Is there safety in numbers? As far as this issue is concerned, this seems to be the case. More kids with food allergies mean more awareness and more advocacy.

Amazingly, I stumbled on this video of my friend Andy! He addresses his concerns for his son as he enters the New York public school system. I think that this news report was posted in January, and it details that New York public schools do not have a uniform food allergy management plan. Peanut policies are implemented at the discretion of the school principal.

But according to this article from two weeks ago in the Greenwich Time from "only Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island and Tennessee have statewide plans, according to the National Association of State Boards of Education."

There is push to change this. Most recently, country music celebrity Trace Adkins has gotten involved. Adkins is working with his state Senators, Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker who are sponsoring federal food allergy guidelines for schools.

As a food allergy mom, I'm hopeful that by the time T is in Kindergarten, food allergy management in schools is just common and accepted practice.

Food Allergies at Summer Camp

2008-06-16T21:11:00.002-05:00

My son is attending several day camps this summer. I was so pleased to receive the following letter from the COCA camp administrators:

We wanted to let you know that we will be supplying snacks for your children during this camp due to a camper's serious allergies to multiple food ingredients. It is important that the children come without snacks for the day so that this camper is not in any danger of being exposed to these life-threatening allergens.

Different camps have different levels of accommodations. At the Metro Theater camp he attended last week, I was so pleased to hear his lead counselor talk to some other parents about how they manage food allergies. For this camp, I packed a lunch and snack for him every day so I was a little more concerned that some kids would have nut products in their lunches.

His counselor said that they check everyone's lunches and if they are safe, say to the child, "Okay... you can sit with Tanner today." Then, they make sure everyone washes their hands before AND AFTER lunch.

The session was without incident!

It's great that more and more camp programs are taking a proactive approach to food allergies. It's the way of the future!

Food Allergy Carnival

2008-06-14T17:29:00.002-05:00

Just a quick reminder to check out the latest Living with Food Allergy Carnival at allergyware.com. There's quite a range of contributions this week and some recipes too!

My Kid with Nut Allergies

2008-06-06T15:26:00.002-05:00

Every time we are at a restaurant or at a party, I am always pleasantly surprised that Tanner is the first one to say, "I am allergic to nuts. I can't have any nuts. Does that have nuts in it?" He says so quite matter-of-factly, without a trace of fear or nervousness in his voice.

And then I feel pride... and gratitude for this wonderful kid, who is like a light in my life. He has peanut and tree nut allergies. But to him, life is still something to be savored and experienced with gusto!

I wanted to share this video because I think it's important to note that using an Epi-pen so simple, that even a person as young as four is capable of doing it AND teaching others how to do it. (Note that he is using the TRAINER and not actually giving himself a shot in this video!)

Food Allergy Drawing Contest

2008-06-05T22:17:00.004-05:00

I got a message from Andrea at Food Allergy Talk. She is hosting a drawing contest this month. If your child wants to enter a drawing representing his/her life with food allergies, visit this page on Andrea's website for the rules.

Hmmm... my guy is more of a minimalist/conceptual artist but perhaps he and big sis will enter a "collaborative piece!" :)

Peanut Allergy Aware at Grant's Farm

2008-06-04T21:36:00.003-05:00

We had a delightful impromptu excursion at Grant's Farm yesterday. The bonus for me was that all the "lunch ladies" were quite aware and accommodating about my guy's peanut allergy.

If you are not from St. Louis, you may not be familiar with the historical home of Ulysses Grant and the Busch family (as in Anheuser Busch). It's a 281-acre wildlife preserve, with free-ranging buffalo, deer, and cows... not unlike the Harambe Safari ride at Animal Kingdom (but with no dramatic plot twists along the way). But in my children's eyes, the tram ride and even the baby buffalo born that very morning could not beat out the... goats!

Okay, back to my point: I was a little trepidatious about the PB&J sandwiches on the menu at the Brat Haus, but the cashier assured me that the PB&J's are made at a separate facility but still asked someone to especially handle our order who had not been near any peanut butter.

Then for dessert, we had Dippin Dots. Again, I had to make sure that there weren't any nuts and the woman said, "That's why we had to get rid of the Moose Tracks flavor. We didn't want anything with nuts."

Cool!

Grant's Farm ranked as the 7th best family attraction in the country in the Zagat Survey.

Peanut Allergy Safe at Ballgames!

2008-06-01T14:45:00.007-05:00

I am so proud our local food allergy support group, Gateway FEAST! The whole team really pitched in to make a splash, first partnering with the St. Louis Cardinals designate a Peanut Safe section at the June 21st home game against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Here are the details:
Tickets: $27/each
call Cardinal Box Office: (314) 345-9500, request the “peanut safe” Section 328

If you live in the area and peanut allergy affects you or someone you know, please forward this information to them. It'll be a great time at the ballgame!

The St. Louis Cardinals are the 3rd Major League Baseball team to introduce a peanut-safe section. An official for team told the Post-Dispatch that if the experiment is successful, they will consider adding peanut-free sections at more games. The River City Rascals, a minor league team also has a regular peanut-safe section at their Wednesday night games.

Last week, a media frenzy ensued with the release of the story. It made the front page of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, was covered in The Kansas City Star, KTRS AM Radio (I've uploaded the MP2 below), FOX 2 News (local and national), Channel 5 News as well as the Talk of the Day Blog and Sports by Brooks.

Thank you to the Cardinals and Rascals, who are willing to go the extra mile!

Congratulations and all sorts of kudos to Carol, Laura and Anne and the rest of the crew who willingly engaged with the media to support awareness and accommodations for food allergies at public events. Even if you are not in the St. Louis area but living with food allergies, I'd strongly suggest that you join this great, proactive group.

They are active online so anyone can benefit from the information that is shared, regardless of where you are in the world! You can find them here on Yahoo.

CAROL%20DEPKE.mp3

A Twinkie Is Not Food

2008-05-28T21:09:00.007-05:00

I caught an interesting report on Nightline a few weeks ago. In it, Michael Pollan talks about the difference between food and Edible Food-like Substances. Pollan says:

"These are things we've invented in the last 50 years or so that, you know, smell like food, taste like food, look like food, but they're very different than the kinds of things people ate a hundred years ago."

Pollan's main message is to stop listening to food marketers regarding what is healthy and nutritious. He claims that food marketers make their profits from "processing" real food into Edible Food-like Substances. We are handing over our money when we agree to outsource our food preparation.

The segment was particularly relevant to me because, I have to admit that I'm a sucker for the convenience foods. It's so nice to be able to toss a cereal bar in my purse for a "healthy" after-school snack.

Now add nut allergies or multiple food allergies to this dilemma... what is a harried parent to do?

Cook!

No seriously.

People who actually know me will be impressed because I was the "eat-out-six-out-of-seven-nights-a-week" gal. Ever notice that I don't contribute much in the way of RECIPES to the blogosphere? If you want recipes, go to Rachel's Recipe Box or Food Allergy Queen!

I started to think about "convenience foods" in particular. What are the things that I bought just because they were easy to toss in the toaster or microwave to serve my kids: frozen mini pancakes and breakfast biscuits.

Sorry, doughboy! Now I make big batches of my own healthy versions, freeze in serving sizes, and heat up on demand! (I know the packaging isn't the most appetizing. But the whole family loves them. Really!)

living with food allergies carnival - May 15, 2008

2008-05-14T23:11:00.003-05:00

Welcome to the May 15, 2008 edition of living with food allergies carnival. It's a big week for food allergies and bloggers in our space considering that it is Food Allergy Awareness Week! Thanks to everyone who contributed their unique perspective on food allergies!

Jennifer Kales presents If Mama Ain't Happy, Ain't Nobody Happy posted at The Nut-Free Mom, saying, "This article is intended to make "allergy moms" feel better. Enjoy!"

Jennifer B presents Food Allergy Awareness Week: Podcasts from Ming Tsai posted at Food Allergy Buzz, saying, "Thanks to celebrities like Ming Tsai and Trace Adkins for bringing attention to food allergies!"

Nowheymama presents Email Tutorial posted at No Whey, Mama, saying, "In honor of Food Allergy Awareness Week, write a letter to a food company."

Linds presents Our Food Allergy Story posted at This Abode, saying, "This is my first time participating. I have posted our food allergy story as a part of Food Allergy Awarness Week. Thanks!"

Victoria Groce presents Raising Awareness posted at About.com Food Allergies, saying, "Have a good one! Thanks!"

Leslea Harmon from allergyware.com presents It is food allergy awareness week! posted at Allergy News Blog, saying, "Take a few minutes to research labels this week--even for allergies that aren't your "area of expertise.""

chupieandjsmama presents The beginning of food allergy week posted at Our Story.

Rational Jenn presents Food Allergy Awareness Week, May 11-17 posted at Rational Jenn, saying, "This week, we are celebrating 4 years of our son remaining anaphylaxis-free! And I also write about specific things I would like others to be more aware of."

Rachel presents Summer camp when you can?t have a sandwich posted at A Gaggle of Girls, saying, "A blog entry about coping with summer camps and food allergies/dietary restrictions."

Alisa presents Go Dairy Free | A Kosher Bakery that Goes Against the Grain posted at Go Dairy Free, saying, "Check www.godairyfree.org as our June giveaway prize should now be up also (it wasn't in time for submission!). We are giving away food allergy friendly mixes from Gluten-Free Essentials in honor of Food Allergy Awareness Week!"

Alisa also presents Dairy-Free, Soy-Free "Ice Cream" Reaches Luxurious New Heights posted at Go Dairy Free, saying, "Oh yes, deliciously creamy dairy-free, SOY-free, egg-free "ice cream" has arrived at last! It is made with coconut milk, no tree nuts in the ingredients, so I am not sure if it is okay for some nut allergies too."

Gabrielle presents The Allergy Table - Ugh posted at Peanut Free Mama, saying, "Not about Food Allergy Awareness Week exactly, but just something dealing with living day-to-day with a food allergy."

Jennifer B presents Food Allergy Grocery Shopping Made Easy posted at Food Allergy Buzz, saying, "News of The Allergy Free Food Shop is exciting to hear during Food Allergy Awareness Week!"

Ria Sharon presents Easy Ways to Raise Awareness for Food Allergies posted at Check My Tag Community.

Libby presents A Few of My Favorite Things posted at The Allergic Kid.

Ewa presents Daycare Drama posted at Casein Point, saying, "Finding quality daycare for your child is hard enough, now try doing it when your child has allergies."

Mag Herrera presents Natural Recipe for a Healthy Prostate posted at Life. Money. Development., saying, "Sharing a reader's natural recipe for a healthy prostate."

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of living with food allergies carnival using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Technorati tags: living with food allergies carnival, blog carnival.

Nut Allergy Friendly Mother's Day Brunch

2008-05-13T22:39:00.003-05:00

On Mother's Day, we enjoyed an amazing feast at The Chase Park Plaza Hotel in St. Louis. It was truly over the top as you can see for yourself with this dessert table. But the most amazing aspect of the brunch was that the staff at the Khorassan Ballroom was not only aware of nut allergies but also quite accommodating. Not unlike the Disney Dining experiences, the Chef walked us through the buffet selections and pointed out our safe choices. The Pastry Chef did the same with the desserts. Although they did served peanut butter mousse, there were also at least ten items that were nut-free including a flan, merengue, mango parfait, fruit tarts and a host of others. It was so nice to go to such an event and not have our guy feel deprived. It gave me permission to pile the desserts on my plate. So Happy Mother's Day to ME!

Easy Ways to Raise Awareness for Food Allergies

2008-05-12T08:50:00.002-05:00

Hopefully, you already know that this week is Food Allergy Awareness Week. I sent this article to my email subscribers but sharing it with everyone can only help the cause!

Here are some easy and simple ways to raise awareness for this growing health concern. Taking a few minutes could save the life of a child... perhaps someone you love!

1. Hang a food allergy poster at your grocery store, coffee shop, community center, church or synagogue, or your child's school or daycare. A simple letter-size poster is available FREE to download from the FAAN (Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis) website. It covers the the most critical information about food allergies.

2. Practice Your Emergency Action Plan with Your Child and other Family Members
If your child has life-threatening food allergies, do you have an emergency action plan (EAP)? Simply put, do your child's caregivers know what to do in case of an allergic emergency? Do family members and caregivers know how to recognize the signs and symptoms early? If they determine that a child is experiencing anaphylaxis, do they know what to do? Download a FREE EAP and role play with your older children, grandparents, teachers and babysitters. You can use an expired epinephrine auto-injector and practice injecting an orange!
- Download a FREE EAP and personalize it for your child

- Watch this great video tutorial using an Epi-pen from super allergy mom, Leslea Harmon

3. Look for a Food Allergy Event in Your Area
If you can make it to St. Louis, a fabulous Food Allergy Fair is being held on Saturday, May 17 from 9-noon, which will feature many products and resources for food allergy families as well as the talented Kyle Dine, food allergy musician. It's hosted by the St. Louis chapter of AAFA and Gateway FEAST.

4. Thank someone for keeping your loved one with food allergies safe
Has someone in your circle done something special to accommodate food allergies? Perhaps it is a teacher, a classmate's mom or dad, the PTA president, a cub scout leader, or a restauranteur. Take the time to thank them for their thoughtfulness. Gratitude is wonderful, infectious and inspiring. A simple word of thanks, an email or a eCard is enough to show them that you appreciate what they do to keep food allergy kids safe and... it is a great motivator for them to continue doing so!

If you want to sign up for the newsletter, click on "Join our email list" at the TOP of this page! I'm anti-SPAM so don't worry. The only thing you'll receive from me are ongoing tips on how to manage food allergies... directly to your inbox!

Happy Mother's Day, Allergy Moms!

2008-05-11T10:11:00.004-05:00

This morning, my husband had the brilliant idea of marking our incredibly large collection of expired Epi's to distinguish them from the ones we should grab in case of an emergency. Great idea, hon! We taped red masking tape to mark our expired auto-injectors.

The result: an impromptu Mother's Day bouquet. Not quite as lovely and sweet-scented as a dozen roses but considering what they represent... the ability to keep my child safe, I'll take it... along with the fabulous brunch we're going to at 11 am!

Happy Mother's Day, Allergy Moms! Enjoy your day and don't forget to take your autoinjectors!

Ria

p.s. When I collected all our expired Epi-pens in one place, the sheer number of them was a little shocking. We save them to train friends and sitters but I think you can also return them to the pharmacy. I'd love to hear what you do with yours!

Cupcakes for Peanut Allergy, Nut Allergy, Milk Allergy and Egg Allergy

2008-05-08T20:47:00.005-05:00

My friend and support team leader extraordinaire, Carol shared her recent Egg-less Cupcake Experiment. She tried three different recipes for egg, milk, peanut and nut free cupcakes with varying results.
1ST PLACE: Divvies recipe for Chocolate Cupcakes had the right texture and a nice dome. Carol, did you say that the icing didn't hold up as you expected?

2ND PLACE: The Duncan Hines cake mix with a can of soda. For yellow mix add white soda, for chocolate mix add a can of dark soda. The cupcakes did not dome as good as the Divvies Recipe, but they were good for a quick recipe, or a recipe for family and friends. Basically, you don’t add any other ingredients but the cake mix and the can of soda, but apparently take a few sips out of the soda first as it doesn’t need too much liquid.

3RD PLACE: The Duncan Hines cake mix with Ener-G Egg Replacer which you can buy from www.allergygrocer.com and other specialty markets. The cupcakes tasted fine, and domed a little better than the soda can recipe, but they were VERY fragile. They were separating from the liners when I was trying to get them out.

Carol asks if anyone knows how to make the Divvies recipe for yellow cupcakes. Anyone? Anyone?

Pasta House Has Gluten-Free Pasta

2008-04-30T11:17:00.004-05:00

I was pleased to see that Pasta House, a St. Louis Italian restaurant is now accommodating wheat allergies. For an extra $2 and an additional 10 minutes, you can ask for gluten-free (or low-carb) pasta.

Click here for their locations.

p.s. Kids eat free on Sundays!

For Environmental Allergies, Dyson Saves the Day!

2008-04-23T21:48:00.004-05:00

We've had our Dyson since 2005 and I'd have to say, it's been best birthday present I ever asked for. Really!!! Since everyone in our house has allergies (including our dog), this piece of equipment is a godsend. I recommend it to all my friends. It's more powerful than the vacuum at the car wash. But recently, my dear Dyson has been losing some of his gusto. He just does not have the sucking power he once had! So I called the help line, conveniently printed on his spine to ask where a service center might be located in my area. When I explained of my Dyson's diminished enthusiasm for debris, the very helpful associate explained that this is not possible. The Dyson is designed for a lifetime of undiminished suction! He then carefully walked me through the troubleshooting protocol and lo and behold....

This is what I retrieved from the the u-tube of my machine (no, not the collection cannister)! If this is not a testament to it's suction power, I don't know what is. Yes, that is a pen!

Food Allergy Fair in St. Louis

2008-04-17T20:59:00.003-05:00

Hey, everyone! If you are in the St. Louis area during Food Allergy Week, be sure to attend the Food Allergy Fair hosted by Gateway FEAST and the St. Louis Chapter of AAFA. The headliner for the fair is Kyle Dine, who will be performing songs from his new music CD, "You Must Be Nuts!"

Details: Saturday, May 17 9 am-Noon @ Kirkwood Community Center, 111 South Geyer, Kirkwood, MO 63122.

Register: 314/645-2422 or email: FEAST@aafastl.org

Come for the fun, or the health and safety resources, or the support for families, or the chance for your kids to meet other food allergy kids, or for all the food allergy products (including Check My Tag, Divvies, No Whey Chocolate, and much more!)

There will be raffles, games and... it's FREE!

Here's a pdf with the details. Pass it along to your friends and family! FAF.pdf

I Cheated on Him!

2008-04-12T20:19:00.000-05:00

It's true. The burden of my guilt is weighing on my heart. I've been faithful for so long. But I have to confess that... I did it. I've had nuts. It started out so innocently. Some pistachios in a chicken salad sandwich. I didn't realize how much I missed them. I forgot how absolutely yummy they are. It's not like I made a pact with God or anything. So when I'm away from the family, I find myself ordering a salad with walnuts or devouring a whole bowl of almonds.

Yes, the cake has PECANS! And I had it in my own house, after bedtime! Guess what? It was soooooo delicious!

T, one day a long time from now, you might read this. I hope you can understand and forgive me. Just so you know, after I ate it... I did wash my hands and brush my teeth.

Whole Body Podcast Features Allergies in April

2008-04-10T22:16:00.000-05:00

Yes, it's finally spring and the earth is coming alive once again. In our house, the combination of more outside play time and all things blooming means it's time to break out the cadre of Claritin, Zyrtec and Flonase. But perhaps there is a better way! This month, Whole Foods is sponsoring the "Be Good to Your Whole Body" podcast series featuring alternatives to traditional over-the-counter medicines for relieving allergy symptoms including effective ways to use homeopathic remedies, herbs, probiotics, nutrition and diet.

Jody Villecco, quality standards coordinator at Whole Foods Market says this:

“Natural allergy remedies encourage natural defenses to adapt to their environment rather than just covering up the symptoms and help the body adapt to allergens over time. Alternative options encourage relief without creating dependence on a product and help side step the ‘rebound effect’ – when allergy symptoms are masked for a few days and they often come back even worse then before. Conventional methods often have side effects like insomnia or increased blood pressure while natural approaches help the body rest, recover and adapt to seasonal changes.”

So if your house is anything like mine, it's worth a tune in!

April Podcast Topics
April 1st: Homeopathy for Allergy Relief
April 7th: Natural Approaches to Allergies
April 14th: Lifestyle and Seasonal Allergies

Food Allergy Legislation Making Its Way Through Congress

2008-04-10T10:10:00.000-05:00

As of April 8, 2008, H.R. 2063: Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Management Act of 2008 has passed in the House of Representatives. The bill now goes on to be voted on in the Senate. The intent of this bill is to direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in consultation with the Secretary of Education, to develop a voluntary policy for managing the risk of food allergy and anaphylaxis in schools. The law will make these guidelines accessible for schools around the country to implement.

The bill was introduced by U.S. Rep. Nita Lowey, D-Harrison, who said the measure would “bolster the patchwork of state and local regulations that too often fail to give schools and faculty the tools to prevent and respond to medical emergencies.”

Source: GovTrack.us. H.R. 2063--110th Congress (2007): Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Management Act of 2008, GovTrack.us (database of federal legislation)

Keep track of this legislation's progress on GovTrack. A feed is available for this page.

Follow-up on Food Allergies and Starbucks

2008-04-08T10:22:00.000-05:00

Great news for nut allergy (and other food allergy) families! According to the comments on the Allergy Awareness suggestion, it looks like the idea is is under review! You can also add your two cents and continue to vote.

I did a little poking around the site. I'm not sure how the folks at Starbucks are selecting the ideas to actually implement. The ones highlighted the Ideas in Action section have anywhere 20 points (comfortable seating) to 7840 (coffee classes). Our cause is weighing in at 340 as of today.

Nut Allergies and Starbucks

2008-04-05T16:13:00.000-05:00

With the first warm and sunny day of spring, my husband took the tikes for a walk to our local Starbucks. It's always a trick bag though because our little guy can't eat anything there. When we met up again this afternoon, hubby mentioned to me that he happened to visit the My Starbucks Idea site yesterday to suggest that they have safe food options for families like ours. Apparently, if the ideas get enough traction, as evidenced by the number of votes, Starbucks will consider implementing them!

It could be as simple as partnering with pre-packaged allergen-free snacks like... Divvies! Mark, give those guys in Seattle a call!

You have to sign in to the My Idea site but don't let that dissuade you. C'mon, folks! Let your voice be heard. Cast your vote for the Allergy Sensitive Foods idea that my husband submitted yesterday or any number of similar submissions. Here are the results when I typed "allergy" on their search page!

Seven Helpful Things to Know If You or Your Loved One Has a Food Allergy

2008-03-28T21:37:00.000-05:00

I was tagged by Sharon and Ann of Secret Leaves so I've come up with seven things that would be helpful to my readers. First, the rules of "tag" are:
1. Link to the person that tagged you and post the rules on your blog.
2. Share seven random and/or weird things about yourself.
3. Tag seven people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs.
4. Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

So, let's get to it, shall we?

1. New Food Allergy Study
Cornell University researchers are looking for adults from the Syracuse, Rochester and Binghamton areas to take part in a comprehensive food allergy study this spring. To participate, you must be 18 and older and must have severe or life-threatening food allergies. Participants will receive informational materials and be compensated for their time. The goal of the study is to understand how adults manage their food allergies and to help scientists develop informational materials on handling food allergies. For more information and to determine if you qualify, please call, toll-free: 1-866-537-3192.

2. FAAN's Annual Conference
The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) will hold its 15th annual Food Allergy Conference in Baltimore, Md., this weekend! Many families struggle with how best to manage food allergies in their lives. Whether attendees have been living with food allergies for years or are dealing with a new diagnosis. I've attended this day-long conference and recommend it, especially if you are new to the food allergy world.

3. How to Spot a Food Allergy
Jessica Hartshorn, Sr. Lifestyles Editor of American Baby, discusses food allergies on CBS News. The segment addresses how to spot them and what to do if your child has one. On interesting factoid... f you or your spouse has a food allergy, there's a 30% chance your child will have one. If both you and your spouse suffer from an allergy, your child has roughly a 60% chance that your child will too.

4. New Research In Food Allergies Presented At Annual Meeting
Research shows that sensitization to peanuts may occur through skin contact (not just ingestion). Infants and children who are thus sensitized may be predisposed to developing peanut allergy, while tolerance to peanut may be induced by oral exposure.

5. How Smart Parents Handle Medical Emergencies
In cases of anaphylaxis, time is off the essence. This page says, "In case of just such an emergency, the child's personal health information should be available to his or her caretaker and emergency personnel." This is exactly why I developed the Check My Tag SafeWear system. It provides the essential information that a caregiver needs in order to respond swiftly in an emergency, even if a child cannot safely wear a bracelet or necklace.

6. Doctors change their minds about childhood food allergy advice
According to two new pieces of research, many widely-practiced methods for food allergy prevention in children may be ineffective. It is common for experts to recommend food avoidance for both mom and baby and a slow introduction of highly allergenic foods into a child's diet. However, the American Academy of Paediatrics and a team of German Researchers have indicated that these strategies may be overkill and do not necessarily prevent food allergies.

7. Ten Things Families with Food Allergies Want You to Know!
Here's a great list compiled by Gina at AllergyMoms. It's a great site! I highly recommend signing up for her newsletter.

I'm tagging:
Our Story
AllergyWare
Allergizer
No Whey Mama
Peanut Free Mama
He Can't Eat That
No Peanuts Please

Cross Contamination: What Does that Mean?

2008-03-24T14:53:00.000-05:00

Cross contamination is risky business for anyone with food allergies. It's what makes eating out a frightening proposition for a kid with a nut allergy like my son. But for those who don't live a severe food allergy on a daily basis, it's an often misunderstood issue. I thought some firsthand experiences might clarify what cross contamination means.

On our recent Spring Break trip to Chicago, we stayed with dear friends of the family. My kids call them our Cousin-Friends, we are that close! They take our son's food allergy very seriously. They make special trips to the grocery store to stock up on organic soy milk. They rid their house of peanut and tree nut edibles for the duration of out stay. And on this occasion, as she prepared dinner for all the kids, my friend noticed a stray batch of cookies she had made with peanut butter in them. She very quickly disposed of them. Then proceeded to cut up mangoes especially for Tanner, who loooooves fresh mangoes.

Only after she cut them, she turned to me in horror, "I didn't wash my hands! I touched those cookies!" Oops!

"Yeah, that's cross-contamination" I confirmed. And we offered Tanner a cup of peaches instead.

On another occasion, I had to have lunch on the run and had a chicken salad sandwich in the car that contained pecans. I took a swig from the water bottle that I keep next to my seat. Later that day, I picked Tanner up from school and he begged me for some water. I almost tossed the bottle back to him without thinking. Fortunately, I remembered. Yes, that is cross-contamination too and I explained that to him. He was not happy with me and was not buying that water can have nuts in it. Unfortunately for him, it can!

Gluten-free, Peanut-free, Dairy-free Overnight Summer Camp

2008-03-12T23:34:00.000-05:00

At the moment, I've resigned myself to the idea that my kids will probably not be leaving home for extended periods of time until... college. Food allergies are not the only reason but certainly play a big factor in my thinking this way. But when I heard about a gluten, peanut and dairy-free overnight camp, I was excited.

Wildwood is a popular summer camp in the Kansas City area. This summer, they are trying out a week-long allergen-free session. For this week, the camp's kitchen will be dedicated to gluten-free, peanut-free and dairy-free diets and emphasizing fruits, vegetables, beans and gluten-free grains. Currently, the plans are for girls only. If it's successful, they plan to expand it next year to include boys as well.

Wow! I would love to see more programs like this that give food allergy families safe learning opportunities. So if this camp can fit into your summer plans, please consider it. Visit the camp's website and ask to speak to the camp director, Robin.

And pass along the information to anyone you know who could participate in the program. It's success will only inspire others....