Peanut Allergy Kid

Peanut Allergies & Health Insurance

2012-01-18T13:49:00.006-05:00

When your child has a peanut allergy things like health insurance become all that much more important.

I distinctly remember when Tyler was rushed to the hospital by ambulance in 2008 being very aware and thankful that we had such great insurance. Cost was the last thing on our minds. We were able to focus solely on his health and what we had to do to keep him healthy and peanut free in the future.

Health insurance has changed a lot in the last few years. If you want to start a hot debate among your friends, just mention the words “health insurance” and let the sparks fly.

It’s downright scary what some people are facing with their health insurance. I can’t imagine if they are managing a peanut allergy on top of all of that. The thought of a parent having to take their focus of a life-threatening condition their child has for something that should be simple, and quite frankly, a given, is sad.

Thankfully there are some options out there that don’t leave people completely out in the cold. Can you imagine having a child with a peanut allergy and having no health insurance? That would be awful. Private health insurance is the answer when traditional health insurance isn’t available.

You hear horror stories about private insurance, but there really are some low cost health insurance rates that come with it. With some simple online research, you can find some decent rates that make health insurance less of a burden.

Finding the right insurances allows you to put the focus back where it should be: keeping your child safe and peanut free.

New Ebook: Managing Your Child's Food Allergies at Halloween

2011-10-24T14:44:00.001-04:00

Looking for some guidance right before Halloween kicks off?

I've written a short ebook on the subject that is sure to help you, particularly if you are nervous or this is your first Halloween dealing with food allergies.

It covers things like:

Safety tips for trick-or-treating
What to do with the candy they get trick-or-treating
Halloween alternatives
The class Halloween party
And more!

The cost is just $5.95!

The Scariest Day of the Year

2011-09-19T05:00:00.000-04:00

It's hard to believe but the leaves are already changing and it means Halloween is right around the corner.

I like to call this "The Scariest Day of the Year." The only problem is it's the treats that I'm afraid of and not the tricks!

I am a big advocate of planning ahead to effectively manage food allergies. This leaves the "flying by the seat of your pants" part out. That just doesn't work with food allergies. Even though it's 6 weeks away, consider this your invitation to start planning!

Here are some things you can start thinking about (and it has nothing to do with the costume!)

1.) Will you let your child "Trick or Treat?"

2.) If your child does "Trick or Treat," will you let them eat the "safe" candy or not?

3.) What alternatives will you have when unsafe food and candy is present?

4.) Will you be involved in their Halloween class party? (This is a great way to be an encouragement when "unsafe" food is around.)

5.) Will you "skip" Halloween altogether and put your focus elsewhere on October 31st (family, helping others, etc)

These may not seem like deep questions but they all involve some sort of planning. Last year was the first year we let my son, Tyler, go to a bunch of houses (the traditional "Trick or Treating"). At each house he and his friend told people he was allergic to peanuts but he still ended up with peanuts in his bag!

What are your plans for Halloween this year? Have you thought about it?

Acorns: The Overlooked Tree Nut

2011-09-16T11:45:00.004-04:00

Did you know that an acorn is a tree nut? Yep, those little things that run rampant in the fall and are often found in piles of leaves are actually a tree nut. If your child is allergic to tree nuts they may or may not be allergic to acorns.

The good news is, according to FAAN, is that there are no cases of anyone actually having a serious allergic reaction to acorns. This is probably at least partly because people don't actually eat acorns. (Well, they've never my "eat very bizarre things" 4 year old!).

I have always made it a rule just to stay away from acorns for my peanut and tree nut allergic son. There's really no need to play with, giving his medical history. It's also a great opportunity for us to talk about what exactly a tree nut is. I think these conversations where we see the "nuts" on the ground and can look up at the tree have helped him understand what a tree nut is more than anything else I have ever said. For that, I'm thankful for the acorn.

With fall upon us, it's a good reminder that acorns are out there. If nothing else, let them be a great conversation starter if your peanut allergic child also deals with tree nut allergies. It's a perfect "teachable moment" when it comes to food allergies.

Eating Out with a Food Allergy: Have a Plan

2011-09-14T06:39:00.005-04:00

If you missed part 1 and part 2 of this series, be sure to check them out.

If you're not a planner when your child is first diagnosed with a peanut allergy, you quickly learn you need to become one. It's certainly one of the most important aspects of effectively managing a food allergy, particularly when it comes to eating away from home.

Finally, that little personality quirk I have pays off! :)

Things don't always go as planned when it comes to food and your job, as the parent, is to quickly adapt so your child can eat safely without too much interruption.

Here are a few more tips to eating out with a food allergy as we finish up this series on eating out with a food allergy.

1.) Have a Backup Plan. Always think ahead. If that means bringing extra food even when you think safe food will be present, do that. Anytime we visit a place I'm not 100% sure will have safe food, I scope out all the fast food places near the spot we will be visiting. It's not unheard of for me to leave when I'm not sure food is safe and go to where I know I can find safe food (such as McDonald's, etc).

2.) Be Aware of Cross Contamination. We have a rule in our house that Tyler never eats desserts at restaurants because most places have nuts in desserts. Even if a place tells me something is "safe," I just don't want to take the chance because the risk of cross contamination is so high. Along the same lines if a salad or a main dish has nuts in it, you need to ask lots of questions to see if there could be possible cross contamination.

3.) Be Prepared. I always carry safe candy in my purse. I have no idea when we might be somewhere and be in a situation where my other child might receive something Tyler can't have. By having his favorite candy on hand, he's usually content when can't have something but he gets his special candy. Being prepared goes much further than being prepared for what you know is coming, it extends to the things you don't know are coming.

4.) Trust Your Instincts. This is something I can't stress enough. It's hard to put into words, really. Moms know what I'm talking about. God gave Moms a "Mother's Instinct" for a reason. If you feel like your child might be in danger, ask questions. Don't let them eat something. Do what you have to do to keep them safe. Trust those instincts!

Eating Out with a Food Allergy: Think Ahead

2011-09-13T05:00:00.000-04:00

If you missed part 1 of this series, you can find it here.

When you eat out with a food allergy, one of the most important parts of it is to think ahead. When I'm visiting an unfamiliar restaurant, a good chunk of the planning should be done before you ever step foot in the restaurant.

It's also best to hit the restaurant when they are able to accommodate you and make it a good experience for everyone involved.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when dealing with the waitstaff to have as good of a food allergy experience as possible:

1.) Eat at Off Peak Hours: I don't know about you but when my kids ask me for something when I'm in the middle of cooking dinner, they have really bad timing and are likely to get a less than desirable response. The same is true of restaurants. Don't hit them when they are at they're busiest and ask them to accommodate a life-threatening food allergy. Wait until they're not busy and can give you child's allergy the time it deserves. Also, less mistakes happen when people aren't busy. 'Nuff said.

2.) Be Polite This tip goes a loooooong way when it comes to food allergies. No one wants to help a rude person. Yet, as a parent, it's easy to want to bash someone over the head who doesn't immediately understand your child's food allergy. But if you're rude to those serving your child at a restaurant, they are much less likely to help you. Plus, you're actually helping them form an opinion of food allergies in general that can impact future encounters with food allergy sufferers. Use the "Kill 'em with kindness" approach to ask questions and educate when needed.

3.) Reward Good Service We were at a restaurant once where the chef went out his way to accommodate the two nut allergic people in my family. He made them a special dessert that was safe and even came out to reassure my nervous 5 year old who had never eaten dessert away from home and was a little worried. Did we thank him? Yes! But we also wrote the corporate offices where he worked to let them know how great he did. When someone excels at food allergies, point it out so everyone knows just how important it is.

4.) Be Loyal. I often say food allergy moms are some of the most loyal people I know. When we find a brand we trust, we stick with it. If you have one or even a handful of places you trust to eat out, you probably love those places. If you haven't branched out that much, I encourage you to try it. There are places out there that are safe. Check the menus online and once you find a place or two, stick with them.

We have one more installment in this series on eating out with food allergies. It's all about being aware of things around you...

Eating Out with a Food Allergy: Communicate with the Chef

2011-09-12T06:00:00.000-04:00

One of the harder aspects of dealing with a food allergy, particularly when you are newly diagnosed, is eating out. Being at home and eating with food allergies is scary enough for a parent. But eating out with allergies is down right terrifying.

When you are first diagnosed, you wish you could have a magic bubble around your peanut-allergic child to protect them from every speck of peanut the world may throw at them. But it’s important to get to the place where you can eat out once in a while.

Over the next 3 days I will cover several things you need to consider when you eat out when you or someone you love has food allergies.

1.) Check the Menu in Advance. I honestly don’t know how I would have managed my son’s food allergy before the Internet. Most large chains have their menu online and many of them have allergen information. A few clicks of the mouse can tell you if a place is safe before you ever leave home.

2.) Call Ahead. At times when I haven’t had access to the menu, I have actually called the chef of a restaurant and spoke with them about my situation. It’s important to speak with the chef. Talking to a waitress or hostess will probably not yield great results because they are not as familiar with what goes on in the kitchen. The chef knows exactly what’s in the food and what all it has touched (cross contamination issues).

Chefs has come a long way in the last several years since Tyler was diagnosed in 2006. I used to get blank stares or stutters when I asked a chef about these things. Now, more often than not, I get clear, confident answers from chefs that really seem to understand food allergies.

3.) Tell the waiter or chef. Even if you know a dish is safe, it’s still a good idea to tell the waiter or chef (the waiter should communicate the information to the chef) about the food allergies. This helps them be extra vigilant when they handle your food. It’s just one more layer of protection for you or your loved one.

4.) Bring a chef’s card. You can purchase chef’s cards online or create your own. These are pieces of paper that simply tell your chef what you are allergic to. You can also add any other special information you want to communicate to your chef. If you make your own, it might be helpful to laminate it so it’s easy for your chef to read and handle while they cook.
There are several other things to keep in mind when eating out with food allergies. We’ll visit those tomorrow…

Eczema Treatment: 30% Off Aveeno Products on Amazon

2011-07-13T23:05:00.003-04:00

All Aveeno products are 30% off right now on Amazon. Use code AVEENOJL to take the first 15% off.

Then sign up for the no obligation Subscribe and Save 15% discount. (You can cancel your subscription after your order ships.) This adds up to 30% off!

I used Aveeno products for years on Tyler's eczema before switching over to Kiss My Face soap
and Nature's Gate oatmeal lotion. But I still love Aveeno for eczema!

There are several products that work out to be great deals. Here are a few:

Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Body Wash, 12-Ounce (Pack of 2) $3.41 each

Aveeno Eczema Therapy Moisturizing Cream, 7.3-Ounce $7.17

Aveeno Skin Brightening Daily Scrub 5 oz (140 g) $4.53

Check out all the Aveeno products on sale here.

Food Allergies on a Budget: Meal Planning

2011-07-01T12:08:00.011-04:00

Food allergies are hard. I don’t think anyone will disagree with that. But sometimes an overlooked part of it is how expensive they can be. Of course we would spend our last dime on our food allergic child but there is a way to live on a tight budget with a food allergic child.

Plan Ahead

I’m a planner by nature so planning ahead came pretty easy to me but not all of the food allergy moms I know have this luxury. When Tyler was diagnosed at 13 months old with milk, egg, and peanut allergies, I had no idea what to cook for the poor child! (Note: He outgrew the milk and egg allergy at the age of 3.)

After the initial shock wore off, , my planning nature kicked in and I was able to come up with a 4 week menu rotation that was safe for him. We repeated the menu over and over again because I had so few options. On the occasion we deviated from it I would give Tyler something else safe like Tyson chicken nuggets.

By menu planning and repeating the same things over, I was always buying pretty much the same groceries and using them up. This saved us a great deal of money.

Meal Planning Made Easy

Does meal planning come easy to you? If not, it doesn’t need to be difficult. I promise you can do it!

If you are dealing with several food allergies, it’s practically a necessity.

1. Determine how many weeks you want in your meal plan. This may be pre-determined for you like it was for me due to many dietary limitations. Or, you may just pick however many weeks you want your family to rotate.

2. Actually put a list of the meals in front of your, as well as a blank calendar. I suggest using a blank calendar (no dates) and just start entering the meals on it. To make it easier, you can make each night have a theme. For example, Monday might be Mexican night, Tuesday might be Italian night, etc.

3. Enter your meals into a rotating calendar program (optional). You don’t have to do this step, but it will make your life easy if you can. I highly recommend Google Calendar. There are several other types of programs online you can use, too. Then you can just print out each week and your menu is created for you!

Meal planning, and just planning in general goes a long way when it comes to being successful with food allergies. The days of “flying by the seat of your pants” are over.

Do you plan ahead? Do you use meal planning as a strategy for coping with food allergies?

Food Allergy Coaching Services

2011-06-26T22:49:00.005-04:00

I am now available for Food Allergy Coaching Services.

What does this include?

Truth be told...anything you need it to be until you feel like you are ready to fly solo as a food allergy mom.

I am available to meet in person if you are in the Metro Detroit area, or by Skype or phone any where else in the world.

*We can talk "Mom to Mom" and I can answer your questions. I've been a food allergy Mom for over 5 years...chances are good I've been where you are before.

*I can grocery shop with you! (Yes, even by phone!)

*I can help you prepare a menu you free of what allergen(s) you are avoiding.

*I can help you or other family members learn how to cook for someone with a food allergy.

*You just need some moral support or someone to point you in the right direction so you feel like your child is "safe" again.

....I want to help you get to a place where you feel happy and peaceful again about your child. I want to do whatever it is I need to so you get to that place.

What Do You Charge?

Please understand that I've devoted a portion of my career to studying food allergies from a Mom's perspective and helping others with them. Charging a small fee for my services is just a part of this. I've kept it low so most everyone can afford it.

Initial Fee $40.00 (one time flat fee - includes paperwork and other "get to know you" type things)

Food Allergy Consulting $25.00 per hour

The initial flat fee and first hour are due before our first meeting. I only accept Paypal payments.

If you are interested in more information or are ready to sign up, please email me at peanutallergykid @ gmail . com.

The Peanut Allergy Kid is Back!!

2011-04-13T21:30:00.001-04:00

The Peanut Allergy Kid is Back!! I'm thrilled to back blogging here again!

You might wonder what I've been up to! Great question...I started another blog a few months ago and have put a ton of energy into it. It is a site that helps you save a lot of money, mainly on groceries and health and beauty items.

The new site is called Detroit Coupons and Deals. The title is a little deceiving though. You don't need to be from Detroit to benefit from it. A lot of what I cover is from online and national stuff but I wanted to give it a local flavor.

I would LOVE IT if you hopped over there and took a look around. You can follow it by email, Facebook, or Twitter. I am also giving away a free ebook called "30 Ways to Slash Your Budget in 30 Days." I got great reviews from this. It's been downloaded over 10,000 times!

So what's in the future for Peanut Allergy Kid? I've got big plans!

Bring you the personal posts so many of you tell me you love. Tyler is 6 now and in kindergarten! I still have struggles and a wealth of knowledge to draw off of. I will also be doing some technical work to improve the overall look and feel of the site in the rather immediate future.

Launch a new website entirely devoted to food allergy ebooks. The website is already purchased and much of the framework is in place. The spring and summer will be devoted to writing them. Some of them be a little more technical but most of them be written from a mom's perspective of how to deal with food allergies. Ebooks are great because you purchase them and can read them immediately. You can read them on your computer, phone, Kindle, etc.

Create a Nut Free Recipe Blog. This has been in the works for a while. I've tossed around what I want to do with this. I've got a list a mile long of recipes I want to try, many of them are peanut butter based recipes I will sub Sunbutter for. Some will just be recipes my family loves. But it will be a place of fun where you know you can find inspiration in cooking for your nut allergic child.

Provide food allergy sales I find online. I see sales of Enjoy Life, Sunbutter, etc. all the time with my work on my other blog and it bugs me because I know you want to know. (Like this one.) So those will pop up from time to time. Food allergies do not need to as expensive as we think, even if you are gluten free!

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this. Are you as excited as I am about this?

New Traditions

2010-11-21T19:45:00.003-05:00

Can you believe Thanksgiving is just a few days away? I know, me neither!

Growing up and through graduate school, Thanksgiving was not complete for me until I had my Granddaddy's pecan pie. No one...and I mean no one...could make a nut filled pie like that man could!

My Grandfather was a father figure to me. The world lost one of its great heroes when he passed away in 2000. But, life changes, and mine has changed a lot. I often wonder what the man who could make the most incredible nut-filled desserts would think of my nut free life today. I have no doubt his love of Tyler would eclipse what he could do with a nut in the kitchen.

As I carry on the tradition my Grandfather established, I now cook and host Thanksgiving at my home. His love of cooking was contagious and I caught the bug in the worst way.

New challenges (like nut allergies) seem devastating when you discover them. They threaten the very core of your family traditions.

Do you know what that means? It's time for new traditions!

Last year, I made Sunbutter cookies for Thanksgiving. (You should have seen the looks I got at first because they looked just like peanut butter cookies!) They were such a hit, I've decided to make them a new tradition in our home.

New recipes are also are fun! Pumpkin pie seems too boring this year. So I'm uping stakes and making a Pumpkin Cream Pie. Will it become a tradition? Who knows? But I'm experimenting. I'll never know unless I try.

My sister in law makes a cookie that was loaded with peanut butter chips before peanut allergies entered our lives. She still makes them, only with butterscotch chips. They're very tasty and a way to keep an old tradition with a new twist.

Growing up, we never heard of nut allergies in our family. Each sweet treat I remember from the holidays had some form of nut in it. But, were my Grandfather alive today, I feel confident he would be all for establishing new traditions to keep the holidays safe for my son.

If your family is not to this point yet, be patient. As with most things in life, change is a process. Don't expect changes over night. But, when they come, you might find you like them better than the original!!

A Positive Peanut Allergy Parent

2010-09-16T10:18:00.005-04:00

This summer was filled with many fun, friend-filled things. One thing we really enjoyed was playdates with a group of kids from Tyler's preschool class. Many of these little guys and gals would be attending his school and could possibly be in his class.

One playdate was going very well. It was communicated by the organizer of the events that everyone was to bring a peanut free lunch. Tyler was the only child with a peanut allergy but you can only imagine how touched he and I both were by this gesture.

However, on this particular playdate, I overheard two moms talking. I wasn't eavesdropping but I was sitting on the bench next to them. The conversation caught me a little off guard.

"It's so annoying having a child with a peanut allergy in your child's class," said parent # 1.

"Yes, I agree!" said parent #2.

At that point I stopped listening and moved to another bench. Was I mad? Not really. I was more annoyed they respected me so little to say it so close to me.

Yet, I knew I had a choice. I knew one parent had a child Tyler's age. They could be (and are now) in the same class. I knew my reaction that day could affect Tyler for years to come. And I knew since they did not have a child a child with a peanut allergy they would never fully comprehend all that's involved.

Confronting those ladies would do no good. I was not going to convince them it wasn't annoying because I'm sure it is. Providing nut free snacks for the class takes a little creativity.

Maybe it's the people pleaser I am but I am determined for people to meet me and not have a negative view of peanut allergy parents. I feel like being positive and non-confrontational not only helps Tyler but other children these parents may meet in the years to come. It only takes one bad encounter to color these people's view of ALL food allergy parents.

I know we all feel like we need to change the world's view of food allergies. Some people we truly can make an impact with. But we also need to be willing to accept some people will never "get it," no matter how much we tell them.

Obviously, the first priority is to keep our kids safe. But another priority we often neglect is to be positive about food allergies. It helps our children and it helps all of those we come in contact with be less anxious around us.

So even if you want to bash someone's head in when they don't "get it," stop and think about how this will affect your child and other food allergic children. And kill 'em with kindness!

The Future of Peanut Allergy Kid

2010-09-13T13:27:00.002-04:00

So, you might be what ever happened to that crazy "Peanut Allergy Kid" blog! And, you might have noticed that I've not been here lately. There are several reasons for all of this but most of all, I just needed a serious break!!

I spent the summer evaluating what my future is in the food allergy community. Now that I have started my own freelance writing business (and it's doing awesome BTW!), I knew had to give something up.

So I had two options:

1) Step down as the head of the food allergy support group I lead in Metro Detroit.

-or-

2) Stop writing this blog.

To be honest, I debated long and hard about this. What it came down to was what I could do the easiest AND what would help the most people.

The blog won!!

This blog easily aligns with my overall writing goals. And the support group was left in capable hands (just an FYI to all of my local peeps!). The blog was not something not really something I could give away...

So....what does this mean for the blog?

Well, less and more...

What can you expect from this blog?

Regular posting. That is one thing. I plan to post 3 days a week. I might throw an occasional extra post for something special. But...I plan on posting informative posts on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

Is that all?

Happily....no! I am also setting up an online store to sell ebooks I will be writing all about food allergies!

Some of you know I was working on an ebook about sending your peanut allergy kid on playdates. The great news is: it's almost done! The even better news is that I loved it so much, I will write more, particularly if my first one does well.

So, that's the "peanut free" scoop!! Peanut Allergy Kid is back! I've got tons of posts coming up! Tyler started kindergarten this year....lots of info coming on that! We also went to food allergy friendly Disney World...Pictures coming from that! I've got vlogs planned...there's just so much!!

Stay tuned!

Stress and Food Allergies: What's Coming

2010-06-20T17:58:00.004-04:00

I'm back! I've spent the last few months trying to get my health back on track and really focusing on where I want this blog to go. This has been and always will be a mom blog. And, as I mom, life gets in my way and I get distracted for a day or two on other things. Thanks for sticking with me!!

I'm going to start using video on this blog. Let me know what you think. Is this helpful for you instead of reading all of my rants? Listen to the video and I'll talk about what is coming up this week. We'll talk about stress and food allergies but the video will give you a glimpse into who I am and what has been going on with me.

Enjoy!!

My Own Food Allergy Reaction

2010-05-12T06:30:00.001-04:00

My Monday post talked about how I sometimes need mental breaks from food allergies. Thankfully I am not the only one! A big thanks to all those of you agreed with me that mental breaks are needed in the life of a food allergy mom.

Today's post is one I have debated writing for well over a year. But this week I decided to expose my own vulnerability on this blog. My intent has never been to hide it from anyone but myself. I also never want to appear that I am blaming my precious Tyler for any of my own problems. All of my emotions bubble over from a deep love I have for my first born child.

But, the last few years have been tough. After Tyler was hospitalized in June 2008 for an anaphylactic reaction, I developed terrible migraines. Had they not started the week after his hospitalization, I might have never made the connection.

In the first year after his reaction, I would develop migraines for about a week at time. They were debilitating but life went on. I would usually have a good week or two before I would get another one. When my husband was diagnosed with tree nut allergies last May, I developed some form of a headache every single day. For 10 months.

I have no food allergies. Yet, my body developed a dramatic reaction to the fact they were (and are) a regular part of my life.

Once the daily headaches started, they became a vicious cycle. I saw a neurologist. He did an MRI and ran other tests and could find nothing clinically wrong. (They did determine there is a brain in my head which is a relief some days!)

I told my doctor all about Tyler and know food allergies were at least partly the cause. I really never expected them to find anything. Yet, life was terribly difficult with a chronic daily headache for 10 months.

I tell you this to say that having a child with life-threatening food allergies is hard. The stress is incredible. It takes a toll on your health.

The headaches are considerably better now. They did not leave without considerable drama, however. I will be back Friday to talk about why I was in the hospital for 4 days in March. As you might guess, I think stress had a thing or two to do with it.

Feel free to share your own experiences in the comments.

I Don't Want to Be "That Mom"

2010-05-10T18:30:00.000-04:00

Do you ever wake up and think, "I don't want to be a food allergy mom today!" I feel this way more than I would like to admit.

As you might have noticed, I have been M.I.A. from this blog for the better part of the last few months. There are several reasons that go into this but one of them is the fact that some days I just don't want to be a food allergy mom!

I know some of you might think that since I blog about my son's peanut allergy that I have come to some sort of emotional ability to not get stressed and depressed about it all. But that just is not the case! My emotions come and go in intensity but some days I have a very difficult time with it.

I know most of you know what I'm talking about.

Now, imagine yourself writing a blog about the thing that has your stress level through the roof. Most days I work to make this blog an encouragement to peanut allergy parents. So it seems a bit ironic that I must sit down and write about it on days that I'm struggling with it. I just need a break from all that is involved with being a food allergy parent!

That is one reason I sometimes take a break. I need an emotional break. I need to have times where my mind is not revolving around the food allergies that can bring me to tears some days if I let them.

To combat what I am now terming "food allergy burnout" I plan to write some posts ahead of time so I have something to post when my brain cannot deal with food allergies. Hopefully this will help my absences that sometimes occur on this blog.

You may not blog about your child's peanut allergy but I am guessing you would like a break from food allergies some days, too. For myself, I refuse to feel guilty about this fact. You should not, either.

I have worked the last 4+ years setting up a system that keeps Tyler safe. I can't totally turn my brain off from his allergies but some days when I start to feel emotionally overwhelmed by it all, it is OK to just hit the "Off" button when it comes to worry and anxiety.

Anyone else ever encounter the "I need a day (or week!) off from food allergies" syndrome?

Sign Up for Updates and Special Offers from PA Kid

2010-05-07T23:11:00.003-04:00

Just a quick note, particularly to those of you who subscribe via email to the PA Kid posts. I have switched systems and would love for you to sign up for the new system. The new system will allow me to contact you with special offers and other things you may want to know but I may not put on the blog.

When I complete my upcoming ebook, I will offer my email subscribers a special discount that will not be available on the blog. I do not know yet if I can automatically transfer those who used FeedBlitz to subscribe over automatically. So, no matter how you read this blog (email, blog reader, or just typing in the address), I think you will be glad you sign up for this new service.

Another exciting feature of this will be a monthly newsletter of information that will not be on the blog.

The new box is on the blog in the upper right hand corner. I'm pretty sure you can't miss it!

So, what are you waiting for?? :) Sign up!!

P.S. Regular posts are coming next week!!

Help Needed from Food Allergy Parents!

2010-05-04T13:05:00.007-04:00

I need your help!! I am in the process of creating a series of ebooks for managing food allergies. The first one I am working on is written for those who will care for a child with life-threatening food allergies for 24 hours or less (i.e. babysitters, parents who host playdates or sleepovers, etc).

I would love to have your suggestions of what you think is important for these type of people to know. So far I have the following sections:

1. Life-Threatening Food Allergies 101
2. What to Do Before a Food Allergic Child Visits Your Home
3. The Food Allergy Action Plan to Prepare for an Emergency
4. Understanding the Epi-Pen
5. Feeding the Food Allergic Child

6. Cross-Contamination - What is It and Why is It Important?
7. Why You are Important in the Life of a Food Allergic Child

OK, food allergy moms and dads, is there something else you would like to see? Please leave me a comment to let me know your thoughts on this. Or, if you prefer, send me an email. I'm working on this right now so I'd love your input this week.

My hope for this book is it will be something you can forward via email (since it will be electronic) to anyone who you trust to care for your food allergic child but want to give them a little education to prep them for the event. It will be filled with pictures and other things that make it entertaining while also being educational.

ThThis is the first in a series of books like this I plan to offer. Although there will be a small fee associated with them, I plan to offer them at a special price to readers of this blog for the first week. (As a big THANK YOU for reading this blog and helping me grow as a food allergy parent.

Regular Posting Will Resume on Wednesday

2010-04-27T23:50:00.002-04:00

I just want to thank everyone who has told me how much they miss this blog. Me too! I've had some serious health problems and was even hospitalized for 4 days about a month ago. I am recovering and will resume posting on Wednesday.

I attended two different conferences in Las Vegas on food allergies this past weekend. I was able to meet the CEO of the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network which was very exciting for me. Unfortunately I neglected to get a picture which I was bummed about!

I have a lot to share from the conference in the coming weeks so stay tuned.

Posting Will Resume...and I Will Announce a Winner Soon!

2010-03-10T16:46:00.002-05:00

Hi fellow PA moms. Terribly sorry about the MIA. Between starting a freelance writing business and some health problems, this blog has been inadvertently put on the back burner. I will post a winner of the giveaway tomorrow and am starting a new series called "Taking Care of PA Mom." Once I share my heart, many of you will understand why I occasionally disappear from the blog.

Oatmeal Baths for Eczema

2010-02-15T11:03:00.004-05:00

After I wrote a whole series on getting rid of eczema, it made an ugly return to our home in the last few months. Just like any battle, you win some and you lose some. But we are experimenting with a new, natural treatment that seems to be very working.

Allergic dermatitis and eczema can be treated with a simple oatmeal bath recipe that can be made at home.

Oatmeal’s health benefits in a diet are well known. Incredibly, oatmeal is just as good for your skin as it is as a hearty breakfast. With this simple home remedy that can easily made for just pennies, allergic dermatitis and eczema flare-ups can be quickly treated with the simple act of taking a bath...

For the rest this article I wrote, check out: Oatmeal Bath Recipe For Allergic Dermatitis: A Treatment for Eczema

Two Peanut Allergy Kids?!?!

2010-02-11T07:30:00.001-05:00

Having a child with a peanut allergy kid can be overwhelming. Having two, well, I just can't even comprehend the level of anxiety that would bring.

Two weeks ago I thought I just might have two of them.

Despite the fact our church is peanut free, someone (who obviously was not aware of the policy) brought peanut butter candy to church and put it candy bowls all over the church. (Yes, I heard a few of you gasp. Trust me, I did, too!)

I have diligently trained Tyler over the years to never take candy without asking. Now that he is 5, he does not.

My younger child, Dylan, is 3. I had him allergy tested last year and his tests came back negative. But the peanut butter candy was there. And he ate it. The nursery worker who was caring for him was terrified when she saw the peanut butter in the middle. She is well-trained on EpiPens due to food allergies in her own family and was prepared.

By the time I arrived, there had been no reaction. I felt relieved. I was glad I did not know it was happening when it was happening. And I was glad there was no reaction. Yeah!

Nine hours later, Dylan broke out in a mysterious rash. I wondered if a reaction could be that delayed. I knew it would be unusual but nut allergies do not follow a text book example.

I took Dylan back in for allergy testing. The poor child had to go through the "back pricking" twice in a year.

I was thrilled there was, again, no reaction. Our allergist is very cautious. He also did blood work so he felt completely confident there was no allergy. Those tests also came back negative.

In the end, I only have one child with a peanut allergy. You can bet we have been doing the "happy dance" over that one!

Staying Organized for a Food Allergy Mom & a Giveaway!

2010-02-07T21:23:00.003-05:00

Few things can prepare you for what it will be like when you child is diagnosed with a life-threatening food allergy. Your mind whirls around, wondering how you will ever manage to keep your child safe.

For me the most important thing (besides checking food labels and other related issues) is staying organized. This does a few things for me:

It helps me know what is coming up and when I need to have food alternatives.

Exactly what safe foods I have in my pantry and in my deep freeze for those last minute frantic food needs.

It gives me a feeling of control in a sometimes seemingly uncontrollable situation.

Each week, I examine my calendar of what is coming up and make a list of all that needs to get accomplished in the upcoming week. Although I won't go into all the details here, I have a pretty elaborate (also a little neurotic) system that I use to keep up with my fast paced life.

So what do I use for to stay on top of things so that I make sure that I am always prepared and able to keep Tyler safe?

Carolina Pad products! If you have never heard of them, be prepared to fall in love (as much as you can with paper products!).

They have several lines of products like notebooks, planners, binders, post-it notes, and just about everything else you can imagine that all coordinate together. They are feminine (a big deal for me since I live with all men!) and so functional.

Did I mention that I love this company??

In most areas of my life, I am very frugal. I buy most of my clothes second hand. I buy in bulk when possible and buy generics.

But...when it comes to staying organized, I only use this one brand. In fact, for Christmas my husband, who is fully aware of my crazy obsession with this company went on Amazon and bought several of their products in bulk for me. I was doing back flips when I got them and happily showed him how they matched so many of my other products. (And, he lovingly rolled his eyes!).

So, you can imagine my total excitement when the company asked me to share my experiences with their products in exchange for some samples from their new product lines and to give away some products to my readers!!

One lucky reader will receive the following fabulous products (the picture above is what the reader will receive):

"Ideal Portfolio" (This is what I use to list my weekly goals and other upcoming events)

100 sheet notebook (I use this for my day to day "To Do" list)

100 sheet composition book

Daily Notes Desk Calendar (one year's worth of weekly planning sheets)

Ultra thin calculator (polka dots...my favorite!!)

Card case (looks like a billfold but holds 24 business cards)

Stick on Notes and Flags (similar to Post-It's but waaaaay cuter!)

Do you struggle with staying organized so that you are prepared for whatever your child's food allergy throws your way? If not, this package is for you! Trust me, organization is key on keeping you child safe and keeping your own anxiety levels low.

If you would like to win the fabulous package above, just leave a comment. If you wish, tell us what you most challenging part of staying organized as it relates to your child's peanut allergy.

If you like Carolina Products, please join their Facebook group and follow them on Twitter.

Good luck!! The giveaway will end on February 17 at 7 a.m. EST. Please leave your email address in your comment so I know where to contact the winner.

February 4, 2010 edition of Living with Food Allergies Carnival

2010-02-04T09:35:00.002-05:00

Welcome to the February 4, 2010 edition of living with food allergies carnival.

Food Allergy News, Info and Commentaries

Kim, The Food Allergy Coach presents Interview with Allergy Author, Nicolette Dumke, Part 1 posted at The Food Allergy Coach, saying, "Author Nicolette Demke discusses her background and her best advice for people new to food allergies."

Kim, The Food Allergy Coach presents Interview with Allergy Author, Nicolette Dumke, Part 2 posted at The Food Allergy Coach, saying, "In Part 2 of the interview, Nicolette shares 3 recipes from her latest book in addition to hints about what she's working on next."

Food Allergy Assistant presents Food and Food Allergy Resources posted at Food Allergy Assistant, saying, "There are so many great resources on the internet related to food issues, including food allergies."

hall monitor presents Suit says teacher tried to sicken allergic boy posted at DetentionSlip.org, saying, "A teacher attempts to give a student peanuts to make him sick."

Dona Young presents Food Allergies and Birthday Parties posted at Allergy Kid Mom.

Lissa presents Focus Group on SLIT posted at Raising Food Allergic Kids!.

Lissa presents "Half Dead" posted at Raising Food Allergic Kids!.

Aly Co presents Allergy Dining (Food Allergies & Anxiety) posted at Allergy Dining, saying, "We'd love for you to share our new website at www.AllerDine.com"

Susan Weissman presents Susan Weissman: A Relucant Foodie Puzzles Out Peanut Butter And Jelly posted at The Full Feed from HuffingtonPost.com.

chupieandjsmama presents Food allergies, Epi pens and the school bus - WEGO Health posted at Janeen's Blog - WEGO Health.

chupieandjsmama presents Dr. Oz talked about food allergies today posted at Our Story.

Aaron Dwyer presents Back to School with Anaphylaxis – Episode #25 posted at Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Information - Blog.

Edwin Casimero presents Principles of natural eczema treatment posted at Eczema and Psoriasis Cure Blog.

Ruth Smith presents Support FAAN Walk & Receive Free Advertising posted at Best Allergy Sites, saying, "Please consider making a small donation to support the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network and Best Allergy Sites in the FAAN "Walk Towards a Cure"."

Maria Hardy presents Get The Map Out - The Indigo Girls (Taking Opportunities Part 2) posted at Allergy Life in Loudoun.

Food Allergy Friendly Recipes and Cooking Tips

leah aharoni presents Non-dairy calcium recipes « Ingathered posted at Ingathered.

Chris Mathew presents How To Grow Morel Mushrooms Indoors posted at How To Grow Mushrooms, saying, "Learn how to grow mushrooms at home, indoors or outdoors. Mushrooms are a great sources of nutrition for people with food allergies!"

Kim, The Food Allergy Coach presents Quinoa Chocolate Chip Cookies - free from the top 8 allergens, corn, refined sugar, and gluten! posted at The Food Allergy Coach, saying, "These cookies are free of the top 8 allergens, corn, refined sugar, and gluten...and are very yummy!"

OCMomActivities presents Awesome Peanut Butter Substitute! posted at OC Mom's Activity Guide, saying, "Thanks for reading! I know a number of people who live with Peanut Allergies, so this very recent post was a huge find for us!!!"

Annette Berlin presents Crustless Broccoli and Cauliflower Quiche posted at Craft Stew, saying, "This delicious and healthy pie doesn't have even a speck of flour!"

Shaunta Alburger presents Goal Met: GF Baking Without a Mix (sort of) « Live Once, Juicy posted at Live Once Juicy, saying, "This is an article about tackling gluten-free baking without a mix."

Alice presents Yellow Chicken in Red Sauce (Indian) (egg-, fish-, milk-, nut-, peanut-, shellfish-, soy-, and wheat-free) posted at Safe and Yummy, saying, "This is a recipe for a truly yummy Indian chicken dish that my friend Jenn made for us a week or so ago."

Sure Foods Living presents Make a gluten-free Valentine pizza! posted at Sure Foods Living - for celiac disease, gluten intolerance, food allergies, peanut allergy, nut allergy, gluten-free diet, gfcf diet, dairy-free, egg-free, soy free or other allergen-free living.

Ruth Smith presents Rich and Delicious Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Recipe | Your Food Allergy Resource Guide: Best Allergy Sites posted at Best Allergy Sites, saying, "This flourless chocolate cake is to die for and a great dessert for Valentine's day."

Food Allergy Assistant presents Nut Free Chocolate for Valentine's Day posted at Food Allergy Assistant, saying, "Time to order Valentine's Day chocolates. Check out these options for nut free and other allergen free choices."

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.