Talking Allergies

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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

Very True!! I have just emailed this camp my son is going on to get clarification ..http://www.camps.ymca.org.au/htm/pdf/anglesea_menu.pdf Down the bottom it says...OUR KITCHEN IS 'NUTFREE' -NO PEANUT PRODUCTS ARE USED

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twin boys-
c-eosinophilic oesophagitis
j-avoids peanut, sunflower, pineapple all ana-sensitised to maccadaemia.pecan.Passed barley (previous ana) last year...out grew egg ana and peanut at 3 years..became re sensitised with ana at 6 years to peanut.

That's great about the course.

As for food as a community builder? Where's my wall?

How much sugar, (and attendant allergens) does a community need? Did they not get the memo? Studies predict that a majority of this generation won't live as long as we previous gens. unless something is done to get the overweight, bad cholesterol etc. under control. Crazy to keep encouraging these cakes.

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Allergic to soy, peanut, shellfish, penicillin

Becky, re this statement:


It's very easy for them to presume. Even as an adult, if "special" food is brought out at a party or such - and the hostess looks at me and sweetly says, "sorry don't know if it has soy/peanut contam" - sure, I say: "Oh that's OK." But sometimes it still feels like - what am I? Chopped liver? For a kid, way worse.

Ask the friends the question: if it was your son/daughter being left out every time food was brought out, can you honestly still say it was no big deal? People don't stop and think; it's not just once, and it's not really even about the food. It's about being made to feel like the one with a big 'L' on the forehead.

Bet these same people wouldn't give one child a glass of lemonade in their homes if there wasn't enough for the 2 other kids also there.

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Allergic to soy, peanut, shellfish, penicillin

Show them this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytEy0PWn ... ata_player

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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

Thank you so much for all of your replies and support.

Part of my email to the teacher was offering to bring a baked item from home for the whole class to share on pink shirt day. Unfortunately there was no mention of my concern, other than 'thank you for your letter'.

An ironic aside, is that she asked that one be made without dye, since there is a child who is sensitive to it.

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DSs 7,7,9 all PA

Wow , just catching up on this thread. I need a wall now also....

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DD 12 yrs -no allergies
4 yr old DS - asthma/eczema Anaphylactic to Peanuts, all tree nuts, sesame , all pea/lentil legumes, gelatin.
Allergic to trees, grass,ragweed, feathers, dander, mold and dust.
Outgrew eggs, fish, shellfish

I also completed teachers college in an Ontario university and there was no mention whatsoever of food allergies. I went to the University of Ottawa.

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Mother of a fantastic little girl with peanut allergy, cat & dust sensitivities

Gwen, Everything you've said here really resonates with me. We have to try so hard to behave like "it doesn't matter" or "not to worry, we always have a spare snack", but let's face it, it's very hard to feel left out and watch all the others enjoy the same food while somehow, that spare "different" snack you've got, is nowhere near as enjoyable (even though, it probably is!)

My husband and I always try to make the best of every situation, and we really do try to keep the focus off the food, but it's SO HARD sometimes when everyone is sharing the same food. We put SO MUCH effort into bringing our sons entire meal to "match" what is being served (unless it's with immediate family that really "gets it", and he can safely eat most of what is being served - VERY rare!), but we find it's getting harder as he gets older. He's only just turned 10 years old, and he said to us about 2 weeks ago "I feel so limited"... it made me want to cry. We try so hard to be positive, but it is so hard sometimes. To feel excluded is hard. There have been some food activities in his class this year - smoothie day, pancake day, salad day... all celebrations that he could not take part in sharing a common food. He had to have his "different" food. Thankfully he managed this very well, but I feel it highlights how much more difficult this is going to become as he gets older.

Sorry for this downer post... I usually try to put a positive spin on the situation, but it's hard sometimes. Our son has other health issues, which are also challenging, but for some reason, the food allergies are often the most challenging, even though, those that know our family and our son, might think other parts of his health are more challenging, but I often find the food allergies to be the most limiting and difficult to deal with.

Now, do I hit Submit with this post??? It's not like me to submit something so negative, but here goes...

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14 yr old daughter: no health issues
11 yr old son: allergic to peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, fish, sesame, sunflower, mustard, poppy seeds, green peas, some fruits, instructed to avoid all other legumes (except soy & green beans), pollen, cats, horses

Julie, it's OK to submit a "downer" post! Venting and learning that you are not alone in these feelings can be very validating.

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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

That is not a downer post - it is reality.

For my teenager, oddly, grades 7 and 8 seemed to have the most food in the classroom. It got easier and harder in high school. Easier because food is rarely used as a reward or for an activity. Harder because there is a lot of snacking in class despite the "No Food in the Classroom" rule for the school. My child did not want to tell her peers not to eat yet they were eating her anaphylactic allergens plus others where the scent is strong. I had to enlist the Principal's support and thankfully this semester the teachers made it very clear that there is no snacking in class. In the cafeteria, she just moves if someone is eating one of her anaphylactic allergens near her but that rarely happens as she sits with a group of friends who know about her allergies. The rare time that she takes peanut butter for lunch she does it when her friends allergic to PB will not be there.

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me: allergic to crustaceans plus environmental
teenager: allergic to hazelnuts, some other foods and environmental