It's a Nutty World...And Some of Us Have to be Careful!
I'm one of the lucky ones when it comes to food allergies. I can go anywhere and eat anything. But Rebecca, now 26, has suffered from food allergies since she was a kid. Her parents were attentive and responsive and she learned to navigate the world of food to stay safe. Here's her advice.
When it comes to food allergies, vigilance is the key. I am not a doctor or an allergist, but I do write this from the standpoint of a person who is horribly allergic to nuts and fish.
The first step is determining which food (s) your child is allergic to, and I would suggest going to an allergist if possible. Most allergies are unfortunately discovered through trial and error; when I experienced a horrible itching in my mouth and throat after eating tuna fish and, later, cashews, I knew I had a problem and simply avoided these foods. But as time went by, I discovered that my reactions were not limited to just these foods. I decided I needed to know the extent of the allergy and I went to see an allergist. She pricked both of my arms up and down with very small amounts of extracts from a range of nuts and fish, as well as other types of foods. I left her office being sure of what I could and could not eat.
Of course, that is not the end of the problem or the story, and eating out is a constant concern. It is not always obvious which ingredients kitchens are using. Which is why I always ask questions before I order and make sure that the wait staff in a restaurant is aware of my allergies. Still...it's a minefield! Several years ago I ordered a salad from a hotel in Miami, and after my first bite felt my mouth burn and tingle like crazy. It turned out that they had used ground hazelnuts in the salad dressing. Years later I ordered clams at a fancy restaurant (the one type of fish I am not allergic to is shellfish) and my voice dropped several octaves as my throat began to close. The broth, it turns out, was not clam broth but instead made from a variety of discarded fish parts.
Stores and restaurants are getting more aware of allergies (or, more specifically, of the legal ramifications of customers who have allergic reactions!) and putting labels such as "nuts may be found in some of our recipes" on anything from boxes of cookies to the tops of menus. But that is a fairly general warning leaving it up to the child or the child's parents, to ask and make sure that the ingredients do not contain any problem foods. This goes for children eating at friends' houses, with friends' parents, or at school.
And given that parents will not always be with their children when on playdates or at school or at restaurants, they should make sure their children know to ask a few simple questions--it could save their lives. Also, parents should inform schools of their child's allergies and anyone else their children see frequently, such as friends and the friends' parents.
Something else that is a must is that the child carries around Benadryl allergy pills, which cured me in both of my above allergy experiences. It should be noted that Benadryl causes extreme drowsiness after it is taken. My folks keep Benadryl in the car, in their bags and briefcases, and I never go anywhere without a stash of my own. For extreme allergic reactions such as anaphylactic shock, I carry an epinephrine pen ("epi-pen") which needs to be prescribed by a doctor. Another smart item is a MedicAlert bracelet, which lists your child's allergies on it in the case of an emergency and which provides critical information to doctors.
Food allergies can be scary and in some cases have dire consequences. But if both parents and children are as fully equipped as possible with knowledge and medicine, the resulting peace of mind will be worth everything!
(c) Chris Brink. Image from BigStockPhoto.com
Related WebMD Information:
When it comes to food allergies, vigilance is the key. I am not a doctor or an allergist, but I do write this from the standpoint of a person who is horribly allergic to nuts and fish.The first step is determining which food (s) your child is allergic to, and I would suggest going to an allergist if possible. Most allergies are unfortunately discovered through trial and error; when I experienced a horrible itching in my mouth and throat after eating tuna fish and, later, cashews, I knew I had a problem and simply avoided these foods. But as time went by, I discovered that my reactions were not limited to just these foods. I decided I needed to know the extent of the allergy and I went to see an allergist. She pricked both of my arms up and down with very small amounts of extracts from a range of nuts and fish, as well as other types of foods. I left her office being sure of what I could and could not eat.
Of course, that is not the end of the problem or the story, and eating out is a constant concern. It is not always obvious which ingredients kitchens are using. Which is why I always ask questions before I order and make sure that the wait staff in a restaurant is aware of my allergies. Still...it's a minefield! Several years ago I ordered a salad from a hotel in Miami, and after my first bite felt my mouth burn and tingle like crazy. It turned out that they had used ground hazelnuts in the salad dressing. Years later I ordered clams at a fancy restaurant (the one type of fish I am not allergic to is shellfish) and my voice dropped several octaves as my throat began to close. The broth, it turns out, was not clam broth but instead made from a variety of discarded fish parts.
Stores and restaurants are getting more aware of allergies (or, more specifically, of the legal ramifications of customers who have allergic reactions!) and putting labels such as "nuts may be found in some of our recipes" on anything from boxes of cookies to the tops of menus. But that is a fairly general warning leaving it up to the child or the child's parents, to ask and make sure that the ingredients do not contain any problem foods. This goes for children eating at friends' houses, with friends' parents, or at school.
And given that parents will not always be with their children when on playdates or at school or at restaurants, they should make sure their children know to ask a few simple questions--it could save their lives. Also, parents should inform schools of their child's allergies and anyone else their children see frequently, such as friends and the friends' parents.
Something else that is a must is that the child carries around Benadryl allergy pills, which cured me in both of my above allergy experiences. It should be noted that Benadryl causes extreme drowsiness after it is taken. My folks keep Benadryl in the car, in their bags and briefcases, and I never go anywhere without a stash of my own. For extreme allergic reactions such as anaphylactic shock, I carry an epinephrine pen ("epi-pen") which needs to be prescribed by a doctor. Another smart item is a MedicAlert bracelet, which lists your child's allergies on it in the case of an emergency and which provides critical information to doctors.
Food allergies can be scary and in some cases have dire consequences. But if both parents and children are as fully equipped as possible with knowledge and medicine, the resulting peace of mind will be worth everything!
(c) Chris Brink. Image from BigStockPhoto.com
Related WebMD Information:
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