What's better than chocolate on Valentine's Day? For those of us caring for people with nut allergies (or who have nut allergies ourselves) it can be difficult to find chocolate that is not only nut-free but also delicious.
Internet shopping to the rescue! Luckily, there are a few really good nut-free chocolate candy companies out there with everything we need to treat our kids or ourselves. You may have heard of some of these before but for those of you who haven't they definitely bear repeating!
First up is Vermont Nut-Free Chocolates, one of my all-time favorites. I've ordered from them numerous times and every product I've tried is absolutely delicious. Best of all, both of my daughters go ga-ga over this stuff! This is true gourmet chocolate at its finest. Plus, there are many Valentine's Day-themed chocolates that will make your child's day! In fact, Vermont Nut-Free has pretty much every holiday covered in terms of chocolate. They also offer great baking chocolate if you want to whip up a homemade treat. Check them out and tell them I sent you: www.vermontnutfree.com.
Next is Divvies, a fabulous nut-free candy company that is also egg-free and dairy-free. They have all sorts of Valentine's Day themed goodies and a great array of candies in general. I also like them because they offer a choice for people dealing with multiple food allergies.
Here's a new one that I just discovered recently from a blogger bud. Check out No Nuts About It Chocolate. They're nut-free and offer a delightful looking array of chocolate. The cool part about them is that they also will custom-make chocolates for you, using a custom mold that you help create. How fun is that for parties, weddings or school events? I haven't tasted this chocolate yet, but according to their web site, they create chocolate in the "Belgian" style. Yum. Sounds good.
I was also contacted recently by Sweet Delight Nut-Free Chocolates. Created by the mother of an allergic child, these chocolates are egg-free as well as nut-free. They have gift baskets for V-Day and themed candies as well. I haven't tried these yet either, but I will soon. Hey, this chocolate research is a tough job but someone's gotta do it!
Finally, many of you have tried Enjoy Life Foods chocolate treats. These are free of the top 8 food allergens as well as sesame and sulfites. Check out their website for Valentine's Day themed recipes using their delicious, allergy-friendly chocolate products!
Early next week I'll have a roundup of online allergy-free bakeries. I have some favorites but if you know of a really good one that ships across the country, let me know!
P.S. Don't forget to follow me on Twitter! My handle is Nut_FreeMom. Hope to see you there!
Friday, January 29, 2010
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Does Your Child Really Have Food Allergies? News from The Wall Street Journal
Yesterday I received many notifications about the Wall Street Journal food allergy article from friends and blog readers. Thanks everybody, 'cause this story is one we don't want to miss.
Please read the story for full details, but here is my take on it. First of all, I'm picturing allergist's phones ringing off the hook today from parents of food-allergic kids asking for new tests or more clarification. And that's who we should be calling: a board-certified, qualified and experienced allergist. I caution everyone not to put too much stock in all of these studies, articles and whatnot until we have much more scientific evidence. The bottom line is that life-threatening food allergies are a phenomenon that is still not understood very well, even by the experts. It doesn't serve our children, or ourselves well, to second-guess our child's condition each time a new article comes out. It's tempting to do so and for people who've never witnessed an actual reaction, I say, get more info from your doctor.
The article in WSJ quoted some of the top allergy docs in the country--people that I respect. These guys are not alarmists, nor are they dismissive. They see numerous cases every day and every year, so I appreciate their input on this story.
The gist of the article is that there is some evidence that food allergies may be over diagnosed in some cases. That makes sense to me and it doesn't point to the fact that food allergies don't exist. Two different things could be going on here at the same time.
For one thing, more kids are going to the hospital and being diagnosed with food allergies following a severe reaction. That can't be discounted. More people--adults and kids--are having severe allergic reactions to food. Who knows why, but a reaction doesn't need a blood test to prove anything. Identifying the food that caused it is enough. Dr. Sampson is quoted as saying as much in the WSJ article. Witnessing a severe reaction is what brought my family to the allergist with our first child.
However, here's the second thing. Once a child has experienced the reaction, subsequent children in the family are tested--even before they have a reaction. For example, in my family we were told to avoid giving our youngest any peanut butter products before 3 years of age--simply as a precaution. This was because my oldest had experienced a life-threatening allergic reaction.
Then at 3, my youngest was tested for all known food allergies. She came up with all negative results. Obviously, I was elated. But here's the thing--many siblings of allergic kids test positive to allergy tests. Parents are then told to avoid certain foods for the sibs--and rightly so. While a food challenge is considered the ultimate in diagnosing a food allergy, blood tests still can indicate severe food allergies. The problem is, they can also indicate seasonal allergies, eczema, etc.
Also, with more tests, come more positives--both true and false. I would think that's true for most medical tests--not just ones for food allergies.
Plus, every allergic response is different--sometimes even in the same person. Can there be false positives? Of course. They exist for every medical test out there. But does that mean that all positive blood or skins test are false? Sadly, no. It's not that simple.
More research is needed, obviously. Better, more conclusive tests have to be devised so that people don't have to restrict their child's diets and frankly, entire lifestyles without cause. What concerns me is that for whatever reason, many in the general public want to dismiss severe food allergies are a conspiracy between allergists and neurotic parents. (For the record, all of the allergists my family has worked with have been sensible and caring.) Despite being well-written and often illuminating, the WSJ article gives parents that much more to worry about and adds fuel to the detractor's fire. ("See, food allergies aren't really that big of a problem.") It's hard enough to get people to listen and take food allergies seriously.
That's the downside. However, if some people are truly not allergic, I hope they are "liberated" and get a correct diagnosis. That would be great. I'd also like to see a cure happen, because, like many of you out there in my shoes, I don't have to question if my child's allergy is "real" or not. I know that it is--reactions speak louder than words.
I hope everyone doesn't let all of these news stories rattle them--you know we haven't heard the last of this. Talk to your allergists and keep being cautious until you know you can do otherwise.
Please read the story for full details, but here is my take on it. First of all, I'm picturing allergist's phones ringing off the hook today from parents of food-allergic kids asking for new tests or more clarification. And that's who we should be calling: a board-certified, qualified and experienced allergist. I caution everyone not to put too much stock in all of these studies, articles and whatnot until we have much more scientific evidence. The bottom line is that life-threatening food allergies are a phenomenon that is still not understood very well, even by the experts. It doesn't serve our children, or ourselves well, to second-guess our child's condition each time a new article comes out. It's tempting to do so and for people who've never witnessed an actual reaction, I say, get more info from your doctor.
The article in WSJ quoted some of the top allergy docs in the country--people that I respect. These guys are not alarmists, nor are they dismissive. They see numerous cases every day and every year, so I appreciate their input on this story.
The gist of the article is that there is some evidence that food allergies may be over diagnosed in some cases. That makes sense to me and it doesn't point to the fact that food allergies don't exist. Two different things could be going on here at the same time.
For one thing, more kids are going to the hospital and being diagnosed with food allergies following a severe reaction. That can't be discounted. More people--adults and kids--are having severe allergic reactions to food. Who knows why, but a reaction doesn't need a blood test to prove anything. Identifying the food that caused it is enough. Dr. Sampson is quoted as saying as much in the WSJ article. Witnessing a severe reaction is what brought my family to the allergist with our first child.
However, here's the second thing. Once a child has experienced the reaction, subsequent children in the family are tested--even before they have a reaction. For example, in my family we were told to avoid giving our youngest any peanut butter products before 3 years of age--simply as a precaution. This was because my oldest had experienced a life-threatening allergic reaction.
Then at 3, my youngest was tested for all known food allergies. She came up with all negative results. Obviously, I was elated. But here's the thing--many siblings of allergic kids test positive to allergy tests. Parents are then told to avoid certain foods for the sibs--and rightly so. While a food challenge is considered the ultimate in diagnosing a food allergy, blood tests still can indicate severe food allergies. The problem is, they can also indicate seasonal allergies, eczema, etc.
Also, with more tests, come more positives--both true and false. I would think that's true for most medical tests--not just ones for food allergies.
Plus, every allergic response is different--sometimes even in the same person. Can there be false positives? Of course. They exist for every medical test out there. But does that mean that all positive blood or skins test are false? Sadly, no. It's not that simple.
More research is needed, obviously. Better, more conclusive tests have to be devised so that people don't have to restrict their child's diets and frankly, entire lifestyles without cause. What concerns me is that for whatever reason, many in the general public want to dismiss severe food allergies are a conspiracy between allergists and neurotic parents. (For the record, all of the allergists my family has worked with have been sensible and caring.) Despite being well-written and often illuminating, the WSJ article gives parents that much more to worry about and adds fuel to the detractor's fire. ("See, food allergies aren't really that big of a problem.") It's hard enough to get people to listen and take food allergies seriously.
That's the downside. However, if some people are truly not allergic, I hope they are "liberated" and get a correct diagnosis. That would be great. I'd also like to see a cure happen, because, like many of you out there in my shoes, I don't have to question if my child's allergy is "real" or not. I know that it is--reactions speak louder than words.
I hope everyone doesn't let all of these news stories rattle them--you know we haven't heard the last of this. Talk to your allergists and keep being cautious until you know you can do otherwise.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Tickle Your Tummy Nut-Free Treats!
As many of you know, baking is a must for those of us with nut-allergic kids. Bakery goods are off-limits so we've got to be ready to provide a yummy treat for classroom parties or birthday celebrations.
I don't know about you, but I don't have Martha Stewart-style decorating skills. I can do the decorating basics and make cakes, cookies and cupcakes that taste good, but when it comes to the finer points of decorating, it's time-consuming and tricky. Plus, let's face it: we don't always have the time to whip up a beautifully decorated baked item at a moment's notice, but we hate for our kids to miss out on bakery quality, decorated goodies.
That's why I am so thrilled about Tickle Your Tummy (TM) nut-free treats! This Canadian-based company churns out beautifully decorated cakes, cupcakes and cookies that are 100% nut-free. The best part is that these treats are available at Whole Foods markets throughout the country. You can also get them via mail order.
There are a lot of online nut-free food bakers and food manufacturers that I love, (just check out my links under "Nut-Free Foods") but how great to be able to swing by Whole Foods and pick up these treats on the spur of the moment? That's something that we can rarely do.
The other great thing is that you can recommend Tickle Your
Tummy to friends, family and classmates' parents who want to offer a treat that nut-allergic children can enjoy. In fact, my number one question that I get from non-allergic families is "Where can I find nut-free baked goods?"
Visit your local Whole Foods to locate these treats--they should be near the bakery section of the store. And if you don't see them, ask the store to order them.
Thanks to the La Grange, IL mom who alerted me to these tasty treats!
I don't know about you, but I don't have Martha Stewart-style decorating skills. I can do the decorating basics and make cakes, cookies and cupcakes that taste good, but when it comes to the finer points of decorating, it's time-consuming and tricky. Plus, let's face it: we don't always have the time to whip up a beautifully decorated baked item at a moment's notice, but we hate for our kids to miss out on bakery quality, decorated goodies.
That's why I am so thrilled about Tickle Your Tummy (TM) nut-free treats! This Canadian-based company churns out beautifully decorated cakes, cupcakes and cookies that are 100% nut-free. The best part is that these treats are available at Whole Foods markets throughout the country. You can also get them via mail order.
There are a lot of online nut-free food bakers and food manufacturers that I love, (just check out my links under "Nut-Free Foods") but how great to be able to swing by Whole Foods and pick up these treats on the spur of the moment? That's something that we can rarely do.
The other great thing is that you can recommend Tickle Your
Tummy to friends, family and classmates' parents who want to offer a treat that nut-allergic children can enjoy. In fact, my number one question that I get from non-allergic families is "Where can I find nut-free baked goods?"
Visit your local Whole Foods to locate these treats--they should be near the bakery section of the store. And if you don't see them, ask the store to order them.
Thanks to the La Grange, IL mom who alerted me to these tasty treats!
Thursday, January 21, 2010
What It's Like to Be a Food-Allergic Kid
As parents of kids with food allergies, we have a lot of extra stress when it comes to keeping our kids safe. When a common food can cause a life-threatening reaction, that kind of comes with the territory.
But have you ever wondered what it feels like to be on the receiving end of that care and concern? It may not always be what you think.
Check out this eloquent essay from the FAAN website, written by a 29-year-old who has suffered from allergies to dairy all of his life. Titled, "Creating Compromises," this article was eye-opening to me and confirmed that helping my daughter learn to be independent with her own allergy care is the right way to go. And it's never to early to start.
I am so impressed with this young man who is living proof that kids can learn to deal with severe food allergies and go on to lead healthy lives. Read it yourself and see what you think.
But have you ever wondered what it feels like to be on the receiving end of that care and concern? It may not always be what you think.
Check out this eloquent essay from the FAAN website, written by a 29-year-old who has suffered from allergies to dairy all of his life. Titled, "Creating Compromises," this article was eye-opening to me and confirmed that helping my daughter learn to be independent with her own allergy care is the right way to go. And it's never to early to start.
I am so impressed with this young man who is living proof that kids can learn to deal with severe food allergies and go on to lead healthy lives. Read it yourself and see what you think.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Thriving with a Nut Allergy
While sifting through the family pictures the other day, I began thinking about how far we've come with my daughter since her first severe allergic reaction and nut allergy diagnosis at the age of 4. The birthday cake photo is a picture of her a few months before her first, life-threatening reaction. We didn't know about her allergy at that point--the homemade cake is there because that's what she wanted! (A lucky thing she likes mom's cakes, as it turns out).
The first picture is her happy, sassy, self, nearly 10 years old. She's doing really well and we've managed the allergy--with her help, I may add--better than I thought we would when I first witnessed the allergic reaction that shook our family to the core.
I know that many of you have young kids who have recently been diagnosed and I remember what a frightening time that was for me. You feel alone and worst of all, you feel that your child can never have a normal social life, school life--any kind of life that you believed they could have. That's what I thought at first and thankfully, I was wrong.
Your child can thrive with a severe nut allergy. As my daughter approaches her 10th birthday, I've been remembering all the fun things she has done on her own--things that I thought a child with a life-threatening food allergy possibly could not do. However, my daughter has done so much. She's been having a great life, just one that's a little bit more cautious with food.
For example, my daughter has flown on an airplane, participated in Girl Scouts and Girl Scout day camp, gone on many play dates without me, been in dance classes and performed in shows, gone to summer science and computer games camp, moved to a new school and made new friends, joined Student Council and other extracurricular activities, joined the family for restaurant meals, eaten lunch at school, gone on field trips without incident and much, much more. Because of this blog, she's even been interviewed for our local newspaper.
Is there ever worry about her nut allergy on either her part or ours? Of course. And it will always be there. But I think a little worry (and I said a little, too much is not good!) helps us to keep our guard up and helps her stay reaction-free. The one thing we know is that there are no guarantees, so we must always be vigilant. However, when things goes well, I'm willing to be that we celebrate a little more than families without food allergies might do.
We have many more challenges ahead of us as she grows and becomes even more independent but I'm happy about all that she's overcome so far. And if we can do it, you can too.