Talking Allergies

Just a note to tell Sil that she had another brilliant idea !! I like the idea of a medical sweatband to wear just for sports, when rules don't allow jewelry, even though I don't think that Medic-Alert bracelets are really jewelry per se.

There's your million dollar idea, Sil!

Thanks Nicole.
Does that mean you will back me up financially as well?

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Sil

Let's see the business plan first! LOL!

But kidding aside, I think it has potential.

Because of my husbands profession, he was restricted from wearing any kind of jewellery. He would leave for work wearing his medic alert and have to take it off once on the job. Due to safety precautions. It made sense. All of his co-workers did know why he had a medic alert and of his condition. They also knew of the proper protocol to follow, if his medical condition did arise.

monty, at my husband's company some people have to remove them as well. For them, it's not a risk of it getting caught on something, it has something to do with metals. No keys or zippers or anything allowed in certain jobs.

How young were your children when they got their first bracelets?

ds just turned 1 last week. I am rarely away from him, but I'd like to get him wearing a bracelet as early as possible so it feels normal to him. I've had mine since I was 10 years old, and have had it on almost constantly in the 20 years since.

My kids were all wearing them before they started jk, so definitely by 3 they had them. Might have been wearing them at 2.

My kids were very young - Max was diagnosed at 2, and got one soon after that. Xavier was wearing his at around 15 months I think.

If I had it to do over, knowing what I know now about how important they are, I would have had Xavier wearing his from when he was first diagnosed (5 months).

K.

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Karen, proud Mom of
- DS1 (12 yrs): allergic to cashews, pistachios, Brazil nuts, potatoes, some legumes, some fish, pumpkin seeds; OAS
- DS2 (1o yrs): ana. to dairy, eggs, peanuts; asthma

thanks for your replies. Now this brings another question... what to have engraved on the bracelet.
DS is peanut allergic and milk and soy protein intolerant (not lactose intolerant), which he is supposed to outgrow, but we have to treat it like an allergy for now. I'm just not sure if I should only have the peanut allergy engraved, or if all info should be on there and then I can update... what would you do?
Thanks again!
Marla

cdnmama,

I would write all the allergies and then update if need be. I think that when it comes to health matters the doctors will sometimes find a connection to something that we think doesn't relate.

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Sil

cdnmama - DD got her braclette when she just turned 2. If we would have known about her allergies earlier I would have gotten for her early. She adjusted well. A few times she got the clasp stuck on the area rug (berber) but she's learned to play without getting it caught now.

The person I spoke with at Medic Alert was very helpful in figuring out what to engrave. She has multiple allergies but we made sure to get the most severe ones on first followed by the others. It also states Rx Epipen on there. In your case I'd write all the allergies as well.

just wanted to say thank you again for your advice on this. Alexander got his bracelet last week and doesn't seem to mind it at all! He sucks/chews on it occasionally, but doesn't seem at all bothered by it.
And I had a helpful CSR at Medicalert, too. She was great in helping me figure out the engraving, and listened to me vent a little about things with ds and his allergies. It was just one of those days...
Anyway, thanks again! I feel so much better now that he is always wearing his critical information.
Marla

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*Son, 5 years old: Asperger's, allergic to eggs, peanuts, and mustard seed (outgrew dairy and soy)
*Son, 23 months old
*Hubby: allergic to cats and trees (non-specified types)
*Self: allergic to penicillin

Glad to hear that you got it, Marla, and that the MedicAlert people were so helpful.

K.

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Karen, proud Mom of
- DS1 (12 yrs): allergic to cashews, pistachios, Brazil nuts, potatoes, some legumes, some fish, pumpkin seeds; OAS
- DS2 (1o yrs): ana. to dairy, eggs, peanuts; asthma

My baby is still young for that but I have already thought about it. I just ask myself how she will take it later. I know she'll understand we're doing that for her own good but still will she accept to carry around something that says: Hi! I'm here in case you might die!...sorry about that but sometimes when I meet new people and later tell them about my daughter's allergies they start to talk as if she was gonna die of it, as if it was cancer or something and that gets on my nerves. Then again, children at school are sometimes crual towards their young comrades so I guess the necklace is easier to hide under clothes than the bracelet. I'm not saying she should hide it as if it was shameful but I don't know...maybe I'm thinking too much. She'll decide herself when she grows up! As long as she has one of them it's okay for me. I just want her to be safe!

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Far away...that ship is taking me far away...

Starlight,

I can sort of relate to what you're saying about the bracelet drawing attention that you don't always want. Sometimes I wish Alexander had long sleeves on so that random people didn't get to ask what the bracelet's for. Because yes, some people tend to get rather dramatic when they hear the reason. Or, they start to share horror stories.

However, as parents of allergic children, we have to remember that we are "ambassadors," if you will. We need to get used to sharing our children's stories, as it will help us and other allergic children and their parents by having more people aware of food allergies and how serious they can be. There is certainly no shame in having an allergy!

I get great peace of mind from having A wear his bracelet. I know that in the event of an emergency, even if I can't speak for him, he will be okay.

From another angle, I got my Medic Alert bracelet when I was 10 years old. I remember it was irritating at first because it caught on my clothes and in my hair. That's the only negative side I've experienced. LOTS of people have asked about it through the years, but no one's ever made fun of me for it, not even when I first had it. And after a time, I quit noticing it on myself.

I hope my rambling helps you some. : )

Marla

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*Son, 5 years old: Asperger's, allergic to eggs, peanuts, and mustard seed (outgrew dairy and soy)
*Son, 23 months old
*Hubby: allergic to cats and trees (non-specified types)
*Self: allergic to penicillin