Food Allergy Living Blog Tagged Results

As we all know, children with food allergies often go on restricted or special diets to eliminate the offensive foods. This can be challenging for the child, but also the entire family. One example I read that resonated with me was about a 4-year old girl with food allergies who had to be put on a restrictive diet. She did not handle this well and would become angry at friends and family. She especially became angry at her little 2 year old brother, who was allowed to eat whatever he wanted. Interestingly, the brother stopped eating what he was allowed and began eating the same restricted diet as his sister. I also read about another child with allergies that would take food from his sibling without his parents knowing!

These stories really made me think about how much food allergies can affect the entire family. In a survey of 87 families, pediatric allergy specialist, Dr. Mary Bollinger and colleagues at the University of Maryland found that half had made significant changes to their social activities to accommodate their child’s food allergy.¹ This may seem obvious to some, but its an important part of food allergy treatment that often gets overlooked.

Adjusting to a Food Allergy Life

In his book, Understanding and Managing Your Child’s Food Allergies, Scott Sicherer has helpful advice for dealing with food allergies as a family. One thing he says is reassuring, “People with a food allergies should do and can do everything that a person without food allergies does, except for eating the food to which they are allergic."

What are some ideas you have for helping the whole family cope with food allergies? Are there any ways you have found to help manage the siblings’ reactions to the situation? I would love to hear what you all have done. Although every child may need a different technique, if we all share our ideas, I’m sure it can help at least one family!

-Christine

1. M.E. Bollinger et al. (2006) The impact of food allergy on the daily activities of children and their families. Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, 96: 415-421. [Image Source]

As many of you may know, food allergy symptoms can appear in a variety of ways. One of the most concerning symptoms of a food allergy is when a person goes into anaphylactic shock. In fact, food allergies are believed to be the leading cause of anaphylaxis outside the hospital setting. The CDC reported that food allergies result in over 300,000 ambulatory-care visits a year among children.¹ Because this is the most life threatening response to food allergens, we wanted to review what the signs of anaphylaxis look like.

Anaphylaxis – What to Watch For

The signs of anaphylaxis may occur within seconds of exposure, or be delayed 15 to 30 minutes or even an hour or more after exposure (which is most typical of reactions to aspirin and similar drugs). Early symptoms are often related to the skin and include:

• Difficulty breathing; wheezing
• Changes in consciousness (including confusion, light-headedness, or stupor)
• Rapid swelling throughout the body
• Hives
• Blue skin
• Severe abdominal pain, nausea, or diarrhea
• Flushing (warmth and redness of the skin)
• Itching (often in the groin or armpits)

Throat and tongue swelling, difficulty swallowing, and difficulty breathing frequently follow the above symptoms. Vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach cramps may also develop.

If you know a child or adult with food allergies and suspect they are having an anaphylactic reaction, the most important consideration is time. Calling 911 or driving the person to the emergency room are the first things that should be done. Also, it is important to have an Epi Pen on hand for those times.

How You Can Protect Yourself or Others

• Follow-up with your doctor or allergist if you or your little one had a severe reaction.
• If you’ve been prescribed self-injectable epinephrine (i.e., EpiPen® or Twinject®), carry it at all times. (Here’s a great recent post on EpiPen usage)
• Educate others about your allergy. Teach them what you need to avoid, the symptoms of an allergic reaction, and how they can help during an allergic emergency. (Check out this post I did on being a PAL to a person with food allergies.)
• Teach yourself and others how to use an epinephrine auto-injector. Practice until it becomes second nature.
• Wear medical identification jewelry noting your allergy.

Have you or your little ones ever had an anaphylactic reaction? If so, what have you done to help minimize the risk of such a reaction?

- Christine

I have a friend whose daughter has severe gluten allergies. We often have long conversations about what it’s like to live with a child who has severe allergies, but one story she shared with me stands out. Her daughter was starting to get a horrible rash on her feet, and my friend could not understand what was causing it. After some investigative work, it turns out it was her daughter’s new flip flops! The sandals had gluten on them. She had found out by calling the manufacturer and was able to locate the culprit.

I was truly stunned by this! My friend works so hard at avoiding gluten by looking over all food labels and yet, there it was, in her daughters’ flip flops. This got me thinking; what other things are gluten and other allergens hiding in? Here is a list of some surprising hidden allergens in products other than food:

Gluten

• Adhesives on envelopes and stamps
• Self-stick labels and stickers
• Latex or rubber gloves for house cleaning
• Art supplies like play dough, clay, glue
• Hand lotion
• Shampoos

Dairy

• Chewing gum
• Toothpaste
• Sunscreen
• Clothing

Soy

• Adhesives
• Body lotions and creams
• Fabrics
• Paper
• Printing Inks
• Soaps

What are some weird and unusual places you have found an allergen? It always helps to discuss your findings with other families to help them in avoiding accidental exposure and frustrations! We’d also love to hear about any “safe” products you are using.

-Christine

Sources: http://www.celiacsolution.com/hidden-gluten.html http://www.celiac.com/articles/183/1/Additional-Things-to-Beware-of-to-Maintain-a-100-Gluten-Free-Diet/Page1.html

This week 80 kids with food allergies from around the country are gathered in Washington, D.C. to help raise awareness about food allergy at the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) Kids’ Congress on Capitol Hill. The “Junior Ambassadors” will visit with legislators to share their experiences about living with food allergies and to urge them to pass the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Management Act (FAAMA) and fund food allergy research and education.

The FAAMA bill has been reintroduced to Congress after it was passed by the House in 2008, but was not taken up by the Senate before Congress adjourned last summer.

To find out more about the Kids’ Congress and how you can support the FAAMA bill, visit the FAAN Web site.

-Mallory

I know, a harsh title. But that is what I thought of after reading the article, “A Plea for My Daughter,” in this month’s Newsweek magazine.

If you haven’t read the article, check it out. Rebecca King found out 6 months ago that her five-year-old daughter, Lydia, has a severe peanut allergy. Luckily, she came across the allergy as an “accident.” She had taken Lydia to an allergist for asthma, but walked out with the peanut allergy diagnosis.

Rebecca is going through what many allergy parents go through on a daily basis; understanding why saving your child’s life is an inconvenience to so many others. You feel guilty because you have to lecture a parent every time your child goes to a party. But that guilt doesn’t outweigh your child’s safety, not by a long shot.

There is a lot of backlash that comes from other parents who don’t really understand food allergies. Which I find really surprising because I feel pretty confident that if Rebecca’s daughter was at a pool party and she started to drown, any adult there would dive into that water to save her. And not one would talk about being “inconvenienced.” So, why all the eye-rolls and blasé attitudes about foods that threaten her life?

Maybe I have too much faith in humankind, but I have to think that it comes boiled down to a lack of understanding. So, the next time a parent rolls their eyes or becomes annoyed with you, try to take the time to sit down and chat with that parent. Maybe better awareness will make him/her think twice the next time he/she hears “my child has a food allergy.”

-Sarah