Talking Allergies

Paramedics check the wrist first. Since seconds count, I want it where they look first.

My son has been wearing his medic-alert since before starting school. These days, so many kids have them it's a bit of an ice-breaker. "Hey, I've got one of those - I'm diabetic, what's yours for." "I'm allergic to bugs. What's diabetic mean?"

There are always going to be insensitive people in the world. I won't hide something that could save my child's life just because someone else has no manners.

My girls have been wearing theirs a lot. The youngest was really hesitant, but she is okay with it now. My main concern is not so much that someone will look at her bracelet in the event of her life threatening reaction (hopefully someone in charge of her knows anyways), but what if we are in an accident, or either girl gets lost, and I am unable to speak for them.

You just know how people are, they would give a child food to comfort them. Here little girl, you're lost, have a cookie. That is what I am trying to protect the girls from the most. I want it to be noticable, so someone would notice it and not stick food in my kids mouth.

My oldest really likes hers now, she shows it off to people and thinks its cool now. When people ask about it she just says "I'm allergic to peanuts and nuts" and it is no big deal to her at all. Its just an accessory to her now...not much different than a watch, or jewelery. She has the animals bracelet (her sister the flowers) and I might get them a few as they get older, so they can match their outfits and have fun with them.

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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.

When our daughter was an infant, my biggest fear was not that she woud be stolen, but that the thief would give her a bottle of milk.
Not that she'd ever take a bottle, she never took one from my husband or I.
I never thought of the MedicAlert bracelette back then, but it woud have eased my fear.

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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

We just bought our son a new medic alert bracelet with his updated allergy information, and we LOVE his new bracelet (it's a relatively new item being offered by Medic Alert). Our son thinks it's very cool. It's suitable for wearing ALL the time (we found the sport band style was not great when it got wet since it did not dry very quickly). If you're interested in checking it out, here's the link to the sport bands (we purchased item I419Promo): http://www.medicalert.ca/en/products/prodsport.asp

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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

It's funny - I've never thought of it that way. I've always wanted people to be able to see the bracelets - that's why I make sure my kids wear it on their right wrists, as they are right-handed and use that hand/wrist more for eating and writing and such.

(Plus Medic Alert says that necklaces aren't recommended for young children under 10 years, because of the risk of choking I assume, so you're kind of stuck with the bracelet when they're young.)

I know it's a very personal thing, and that some people are more private than others, but I really believe that the more open we are about life-threatening food allergies (LTFAs) and the more we talk to others about them (in an educational way, not in a horror story way), the better. It's nothing to be ashamed of - it's not like we asked to have LTFAs, or asked that our kids have LTFAs. It just is what it is, and if people know my kids have LTFAs, well, they might be quicker to react in an emergency and more likely not to give them unsafe food (or any food at all, once I'm done explaining things to them). So I tell everyone that might be even remotely interested...

When people say "Oh my God, I don't know how you do it! Your poor kids! And poor you!!", I just say that yes, it does change your life dramatically, but sometimes for the better (honest) -- and that you can get used to anything. My boys are beautiful and smart and funny and so much more than their allergies. And if I had to choose between allergies and other health problems, I'd take allergies most of the time.

Everyone is special is some way. This is just one way my kids are special.

Just my 2 cents. (I could go on and on, but I think I'll stop there. One day I think I'll write about book called Philosophizing About Allergies. )

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

I'm a bit disappointed. We took our son's bracelet in to have it made larger. (He eats very well during the summer. )

Apparently this is a service they provide IF you pay your yearly membership of $40. With four of us in the family wearing medic-alerts - that's $160. per year.

I guess when he outgrows it this time, I'll either get it fixed at a jewellry store (they never seem to do as good) or I'll just look for a different brand. Kind of a bummer actually.

I guess in the good old days (just a few years ago actually) a membership was for life. My mom is a "lifetime" member, I think. But yes, nowadays you have to pay yearly dues. It does add up if you have a number of family members. I wonder if they would consider some kind of family membership? Do they give a discount with every new family member that subscribes?

I guess it's like the rest of the world - they have to make a living and pay the bills too...

We've been fortunate -- here in Ottawa the watch repair people at Sears Carlingwood fix MedicAlert bracelets for next to nothing. I used to go to another jewelers downtown and they took me for quite a ride ($$$) each time. But luckily another member of the OASG put me on to the people at Sears.

Maybe check them out in your neighbourhood?

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

i'm glad i kind of browsed this post, i've lost 35lbs and my braclet is getting big on me, and i was looking to get it sized (it's only two years old) and i was afraid to let it out my hands, i live just outside ottawa (in carleton place) i think i might be going to carlingwood if they're repair is any good, cause downtown sears watch repair is a much farther treck, and the guy who fixed my watch last time i went there was a dirty old man who never stopped looking at my ***!

Quick question... Does everyone make their child wear their bracelts at home? I tend to let my three yr old take it off at home. But when we leave the house he has to put it on. He's gotten better with it. He reminds me he's got to have it on and I've got it up where the keys are so we don't forget it, just like grabing all of his meds when we go out (cause you never know). I feel like I need to haul around a big purse (bag) just for him He's got more stuff to take around than I do...

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Z - Anaphylaxis to Milk; Allergic to Cats, dogs, Coffee, Choclate, Mould, Dust Mites, addit. and pers.
D - milk? wheats? 10 mnths old
J - ??
Me - Hay fever to Cats, Dust, milk, rag weed, tabacco, tomatoes, feathers

DD wears her bracelet 24/7. We never let her take it off.

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4ye old DD allergic to sesame, peanut, raw egg , and mulitple environmental & seasonal allergies

2 yr old DS -no known allergies!

I don't understand why you would take the bracelet off at all. My kids wore them 24/7 from when they first got them. I wear mine all the time too. Granted, it probably didn't look real fancy when I was all dressed up for a wedding - but, c'est la vie.

My daughter never takes hers off either. She's had it since she was 2 years old so she always remembers having it on.

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7 year old daughter-Allergic to Peanuts/Nuts
6 year old son-No allergies
4 year old daughter-No allergies

My son wears his bracelet when he is without a parent. So - at school basically. This year in grade 1 he has to wear the bracelet and the epibelt. We have been practicing all summer and he is doing really well with it. When he is a bit older I will get him the silver bracelet to wear all the time, but my pediatircian and I felt that there were dangers with the stainless steel bracelet when they are younger and he suggested the sports bracelet.'We' have only taken it off twice - once at the sitters and once at school - in two years. It loops on his school bag so he sees it as soon as we head out.

MedicAlert also has a program called No Child Without run via the schools that can get your child his/her bracelet free. Check with the principal.

My daughters wear theirs when we leave the house. My youngest has eczema on her wrists and wearing the barcelet all the time would be very aggrivating. I would like them to wear it all the time, but I don't think the wrist itching all day would be fair...or encourage her to want to wear it.

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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 son just got his first medic-alert last week. He is 4. Maybe I am a bit late on the medic-alert step, but here we are at last.
On his first day, he only wore it an hour or so. Then he offered a suggestion that maybe he could only wear it when he goes out. I said ok, but that soon he might like to wear it all the time. Wouldn't you know it, by day 3 he was wearing it all day and all night, and he didn't ask to take it off again for a couple more days. He noticed it again on the weekend and asked me if we could take it off, and I agreed, as long as we put it back on again as soon as we get ready to leave the house.
Ultimately I want him to wear it 24/7, and I'm sure he will. But I think it's important for him to feel in control of what goes on his body. I don't want him to hate the bracelet or feel that it's "forced". It's bad enough being food-allergic, I don't want to add yet another restriction on his body.