Talking Allergies

Hi, I'm a stay home mom and my 2 year old son has an anaphylactic milk allergy, he's had it since before he was 1 when i introduced yogurt for the first time. He's had total 3 severe reactions in an ambulance with epipen, and they rattle my whole world.

I'm finding it hard to know what to do with him, all the playgroups, storytimes, etc. allow food and most toddlers drink bottles of milk. I feel very isolated as a mom and worry that I'm being over protective, but I just can't take chances. Does anyone else feel this way and have any suggestions?

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Jessica

Check out your local library, ours had a free story hour. It's a good way to introduce him to other children and maybe you can meet some moms to arrange playdates with.
What about swimming lessons? They can't eat in the pool!

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Moderator
Daughter: asthma, allergies to egg, milk, peanuts, tree nuts, most legumes (not soy) & penicillin. Developing hayfever type allergies.
Husband: no allergies
Me: allergies to some tree that flowers in May
Cat: allergic to beef, pork and lamb

Jessica,

I think I saw on another thread that you're in Calgary. We went there last year and had a BLAST at the science centre. I recall no food was allowed in the majority of the "play" areas, and it was very fun. My daughters actually want to return to Calgary this summer just to go to "wow town", the little kids part of the museum.

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DD age 9 1/2 -peanuts, nuts,
DD age 7 1/2 - milk, eggs, chicken, peanuts, treenuts, cats, dogs,
DS age 2 1/2
Husband- asthma, eggs, treenuts, fish, shellfish environmental
Self - penicillan, eurithromiacin, mild laytex allergy.

I also wanted to suggest sledding and skating. I just learned to skate this year, and my girls have been doing great as well. At 2 years old...he might enjoy a trip to the rink on bobskates (2 blades for balance which attach to boots). Both my girls are on figure skates now, after not very long on bobskates. Neither of my girls had been out skating until this year, but I realized they could have been out there, at a reasonably allergy safe activity for the past few years. We LOVE our skating time. We go at least 2 times/week to a parent and tot skate at a local rink offered free from our city. Its pretty awesome that no one eats on the ice. I'm kicking myself for not doing this with the girls earlier, like from the time they were about 2.

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DD age 9 1/2 -peanuts, nuts,
DD age 7 1/2 - milk, eggs, chicken, peanuts, treenuts, cats, dogs,
DS age 2 1/2
Husband- asthma, eggs, treenuts, fish, shellfish environmental
Self - penicillan, eurithromiacin, mild laytex allergy.

My DD is ANA as well, to Milk and Mustard. *used to be contact to Milk, and allergic to Egg. She is 16months, and I have also had a heck of a hard time finding play groups that will take us. Friends or Goverment run ones. I did find a "safe" one that we can go to once every two weeks, I bring all the snacks and recepts. They don't have any milk, and make sure all hands/face are washed when we arrive. (Did I mention its at my Dr office, so I am very at ease with it.) BUT I have desided that twice a month is not enough "play time" for my DD so I am in the middle of opening my own home daycare. I am looking forward to having a house full of kids for my DD to play with.

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Mladyfred

I have a 6 1/2 yr old son with milk anaphylaxis, and we live in Calgary. I never restricted his activities because of what the other kids were eating / drinking because I realized quickly that with a milk allergy, the environment will never be safe! Even when he was in preschool, the other 8 kids' moms knew about his allergy and were so great - they all decided to bring only snacks that he could eat, without me even asking. However, I never trusted them - good intentions aside, I always had to ask what they made the snack with and often came the reply "butter". So, I always just took his own snack. In kindergarten at snack time I just had to insist that he not be given any food without my consent, and he always wore his epipen in a belt around his waist. Now, in Grade 1, I actually bring him home every day for lunch. He is well aware that he cannot eat any food offered to him. On St. Patrick's Day each child was given a chocolate coin, and he gave it to his best friend.

Bottom line, protect him from eating foods that others attempt to give him, but as early as possible, teach him that he is not allowed to eat anything unless you've checked it first. We had a close call when my son was 5 (we were at Spruce Meadows without his Epipen .... NEVER again!!), and we got him to the hospital just in time. He had a single bite of a hot dog, we had checked the ingredients, but we'll never know what caused the reaction. He can remember this .... and while I wish it had never happened, I guess it did reinforce the message we had been trying to teach him!

It has been tough - most Moms will refer to it as a lactose intolerance after I spend 10 minutes explaining it, so now, I just say to people "You know how some kids can die from having a tiny little bit of peanut butter? Well, that's the same as my son's milk allergy. He could die". It's blunt, but it seems to get the message across.

Sometimes I chuckle when I hear the peanut allergic Moms getting super-vigilant with the schools. Peanuts are banned, most parents are aware of it and understand it, but milk? My son is also anaphylactic to tree nuts, but I have NEVER worried about them because the nut policies in the schools are generally enforced very well.

I have now cut out articles about Sabrina and the latest tragedy in BC - both appear to have died because of a milk allergy. I will use them to show to people who refuse to believe it, and also to show my son when he is older so he doesn't get careless when I am no longer in complete control.

Anyway, enough rambling. I haven't been on this board in over a year, so lots of catching up to do.

Connie

Sometimes I think I am alone when it comes to dealing with my daughter's milk allergy until I read some of these forums. School is the most difficult when it comes to letting your guard down. My daughter is now in grade 4 and I am still nervous when she goes to school. She is very responsible and makes sure her friends wash their hands after they eat or she cannot play with them. They are very understanding at this age and actually are her biggest support group. If they see anyone eating cheese or yogurt nearby, they will tell them to be careful. She does not come home for lunch but has her own table at lunch. She is allowed to pick someone to sit with her only if they have a dairy free lunch or recess. She feels quite empowered about this and the kids are quite excited to see who gets to sit with her. She is never out of my sight and goes no where without her medicine bag. She understands her limits and eats nothing without my reading the ingredients 20 times. Even if she has eaten something several times before, I will always re read the ingredients because ingredients have changed on several occasions. Did you know McDonalds French Fries in the US now have milk, Duncan Hines cake mixes and frostings now may include milk, dunkaroos...

Anyway, keep your reminding your school of your child's allergies as they will help but need constant reminders. My daughter's teacher now tells the class every day rather that once a month to wash their hands after lunch. My daughter's allergies have cut down to basically 0 now since this has happened compared to 4 times a week.

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Heather
Daughter (9) anaph. to milk protien
Son (7) no allergies

My oldest has a milk allergy and she can not go to youth functions becaue they order pizza. She also can not go into skating rinks because they sell pizza. One of the places she enjoys is the library. Its hard but it does get easier. I don't send my daughter to school she wouldn't be able to go near the eating area. Its just easier that way.

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Karen in Ohio mom of 7
Allergic to tons and tons of food as well as perfumes, scented air sprays and cleaners. Hubby to Fish, ds #2 Shellfish, youngest to Eggplant, potato, Caesin, Raw Tomato & spinach.

Thanks for sharing your experiences with milk allergy. It's definitely given me things to think about. My child had his first reaction (and so far only, thank goodness) to yogurt too. He turned bright red, had hives all over, etc. I too am hoping to avoid further reactions and now carry an epipen everywhere.

I am wondering if there is any way to find out if there would also be a reaction to skin contact to the allergen (aside from just trying it out - don't want to do that!)? This would be important for our potential future involvement in playgroups, etc. where food is present. Right now he still naps morning and afternoon so activities are limited by his schedule.

One thing we've done is an informal park playgroup where on a certain morning once a week parents and kids get together at a local park - weather permitting. Word was spread by word of mouth, with people just telling friends etc. Sometimes there were only two people and sometimes a dozen. It's been a nice way to meet neighbourhood families!

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7 year old - no known allergies
1 year old - cow's milk allergy, asthma

OUr daughter reacts with huge red welts (hives) upon skin contact to milk. Beware the shopping cart, food court seats and public highchairs. We used a store flyer strategically torn to fit the bars of the shopping cart, wet wipes and a recieving blanket for the public charis.

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Moderator
Daughter: asthma, allergies to egg, milk, peanuts, tree nuts, most legumes (not soy) & penicillin. Developing hayfever type allergies.
Husband: no allergies
Me: allergies to some tree that flowers in May
Cat: allergic to beef, pork and lamb