Food Allergies Can't Keep a Good Girl Down

My oldest daughter will be 10 years old tomorrow (omg...that's the double digits as she likes to say) and it's given me time to reflect about our journey with nut allergies up till now.

I know that I've discussed our big and small triumphs here in the past (most recently with my post "Thriving with a Nut Allergy"). However, something about this "double digit" birthday makes me really grateful for how far we've come since our family first learned of Alex's life-threatening allergy to nuts.

A lot of you are reading this blog because you've recently discovered your own child's allergy. I find out when my child was 4 years old and I know that many of you learned sooner. When you first get this diagnosis, it's so scary and can seem really disheartening once you realize how much it affects daily life. I still have my good days and bad days.

However, as my daughter reaches her 10th birthday, I'm very proud of how much she's been able to do and how confident she has become about handling her allergy issues.

For those of you new to this, here is some of my advice, some of it learned the hard way. :)

- Never let your child feel like they can't do something just because of their allergy. In fact, we've sometimes given our daughter a gentle nudge out into the world to prove that she can handle certain situations. Now that she's older, she initiates independence. That's really important to us since she is the one who will be caring for her allergy in the future.

- Be cautious, but keep things as normal as possible. Caution is key but so is a normal childhood in terms of things like birthday parties, camp and extracurricular activities. If you take all the proper precautions things will generally go well. Volunteering to help out at these activities when your kids are younger will help both of you feel more secure. Most important, don't focus too much on your child being the "allergy kid" beyond making certain an activity is safe for them.

- On the other hand, don't beat yourself up for the things you can't do. Trying every new restaurant is just not on our family agenda; likewise, sleepovers are off-limits except for very close friends of the family who we trust. Some things just aren't worth it and we stick to firm rules about them. Instead of focusing on what we can't do safely, we celebrate the things that we can.

- Realize that as your child gets older, your role as a parent must adapt to their growing independence. My daughter often reminds me these days that she knows what to do about her allergy and not too hover over her too much. In fact, there have been several situations where she exercised caution all on her own. She's still too young to be completely free of parental involvement, but I try to show her that I trust her to handle things when appropriate. It's been a real confidence-booster for her as well as a lesson in taking charge of her own allergy.

Now the flip side: Vigilance around high-risk foods can never let up. Until there is a cure for nut allergies, the risk of reaction must never be discounted. Sometimes we let our guard down if we've gone a long time without a reaction. This is a mistake--you can never plan when a reaction will occur. Stay vigilant with regard to foods and situations and keep teaching your child to stay vigilant while still encouraging their independence.

Just so everyone knows, I'm hosting next week's "Living with Food Allergies Blog Carnival" so if you're an allergy blogger, please submit an article. I need them in by March 3rd (next Wednesday). Thanks!

Peanut Butter and Bagels

The information I'm about to share is not to scare anyone away from dining out, but I think it points to the awareness we need to have at all times. It's not only about what food is offered at a restaurant or establishment and not only how the food is prepared. You've also got to ask yourself--WHO is handling the food.

Here's what my husband and I observed at a bagel shop on Sunday morning. (This was without the kiddos; they were with their aunt.)

While in downtown Chicago at a national bagel chain, my husband noticed a shop employee taking a jar of peanut butter out of her bag and preparing an elaborate peanut butter-centric meal involving all manners of fruits, breads and PB. LOTS of PB--she brought her own jar, for goodness sakes! This was being eaten in the customer area (so if anyone hasn't bought into the idea of putting down a "place mat" on the table when you dine out with your allergic child please reconsider--you never know who was eating what before you sat down.)

The actions of this restaurant employee raised all sorts of red flags to me because what happened after the employee had eaten her meal? Was she going to carefully wash off every trace of peanut butter before serving customers? Did she know she was potentially setting up a scenario for cross-contact that could adversely affect consumers? So far, Massachusetts is the only state requiring food allergy education for restaurant workers. Obviously, this education is needed everywhere--not just one state.

The other thing this incident points to is that while a restaurant or fast food joint may not have peanut butter on the menu, who knows what is going on behind the scenes? Even if you haven't seen one too many episodes of "Ramsey's Kitchen Nightmares" like I have, this is something to think about. It just proves that you want to stick to the cleanest, most professional, most hygienic places you can. That's not bad advice for anyone dining out but for food-allergic people it's a must.

The bagel shop we were eating at does offer PB as a topping for the bagels, and some of the bagels occasionally have nuts on them. I would probably not take my daughter there since I categorize a bagel shop as a small bakery and therefore, off limits.

But it sure got me thinking about the places we go and who is making the food. I always ask myself a few questions before dining out:

- First and foremost, does the place serve peanut butter food items? If so, do they prepare them in a confined area? Are the staff aware of the cross-contact dangers? Ask. Their answers will tell you a lot about whether or not you want to eat there. Pot Belly Sandwich Works does a good job of segregating peanut butter from the other ingredients but still, human error is always a factor.

- Who is working there? Is it staffed by young college students who may or may not be strict professionals about food service? Are they eating on the job?

- Have you done your homework about a place or are you just stopping in? If possible, stick to places where you know the menu and the general approach to food service. If this is not possible, don't settle if you think the place doesn't "get" food allergies. Better safe than sorry. And luckily, many places do get it now. Still, staying vigilant is always best.

I'm sure this bagel shop worker was a nice person who just wanted a quick snack on her break, but when she opened that jar of peanut butter she opened a can of worms. I'm going to shoot an e-mail to the manager of the store to let him or her know what I observed. And I definitely won't be taking my daughter to there.

Babies and Food Allergies

I just read this article in Chicago Parent about new research about introducing solid foods in babies. The timing of solids is thought to have an effect on later development of food allergies.

When my kids were babies, we were told to hold off on solid foods until 6 months of age. Now, the new research (discussed in the Chicago Parent article) shows that babies should be given solids at 4 months of age. This is thought to possibly prevent the development of food allergies.

Medical disclaimer alert! Of course, every baby is different, so please always consult your own doctor about the introduction of solids. Thank you. :)

I don't know about many of you, but I had no choice but to give my two kids solids younger than 6 months. Way younger. (I got the OK from the pediatrician, of course.) My babies were huge and they were hungry. Interestingly, one child developed food allergies and one didn't. This new research raises more questions for me, defintely.

The whole idea of babies getting diagnosed with food allergies is very interesting to me because I didn't know about my daughter's nut allergies until she was in preschool. I can imagine how difficult this would be for parents of infants -- what would you do about introducing new foods, for example. And of course, the introduction of babysitters takes on a whole new level of stress.

On a freelance writing note, I'm interested in writing about this issue for a local magazine, so any of you Chicago-area parents who have young babies getting diagnosed with food allergies, please send me an e-mail. I'd love to hear from you if you wouldn't mind sharing some of your experience with me for a future interview. I have a few sources already but I can always use more.

No matter where you live, I'd love to hear about your concerns in caring for food-allergic babies. What support and info do you need? Let us know.

Canadian Food Allergen Labeling: May Contain Nuts?

Calling all Canadians!! I know that I have a lot of Canadian readers, so let us know about the labeling practices there. I'm sure they're somewhat similar since Canada and the U.S. have so many shared products but have you noticed any differences?

Labels are on my mind a lot these days since I have been getting so many reader questions and have been having my own questions.

One thing I wonder about is the use of "may contains" labeling. Do you find that frequently on Canadian products and do you trust it? I've also noticed that some products that are U.S. based, when sold in Canada, have "nut-free" versions we don't have here. One example is Quaker Oats granola bars. What are some others?

Any input is welcome about labeling woes in Canada--or maybe you can tell us what you're doing better than the U.S.

Thanks in advance for the info!

Everything Changes...Especially Allergy Warnings on Food Labels!

With Valentine's Day right around the corner, you're probably looking for candy that's safe or screening candy given to your child by others. I thought it was time for a little "label reading review" since it's become confusing over the years.

Hard to believe, but I've been writing this blog for more than two years. In that time I've discussed the safety of several foods for nut allergies and my number one piece of advice is always to read the label. Not to say that they are foolproof, but they are a great place to start.

And of course, labels change. Occasionally what was once labeled "safe" for nut allergies gets a new allergy advisory warning. Especially with the spotty way that companies are responding to the needs of consumers, you have to be vigilant with labels. Jay's brand OkeDoke popcorn is one example. We used to buy it until one day it had a nut allergy warning (along with several other food allergens) on its new packaging.

These changes can happen for many reasons: new managers, new recipes, new lines used for processing. You just never know so check your labels often.

Occasionally, you'll see a food recalled with no warnings on the label. I am on a food allergy recall alert list through my membership with FAAN (www.foodallergy.org) and you can also visit their web site to see the latest allergen recalls.

Another site to check for allergy alerts on foods is Kids With Food Allergies.

Now, back to your basic food label reading. I make every effort to keep up with the changing labels of foods I use often and I will post any changes I find here. However, just be aware that just because a company web site no longer lists specific allergens on the web page, it doesn't mean you won't get accurate info from the actual food label. This happened recently with Sweet Tarts Candy Hearts made by Willy Wonka (Nestle foods.) The web site no longer give a list of specific allergens, just refers to the fact that some Willy Wonka candies may contain food allergens.

The package I have at home (bought a couple of weeks ago) says "Processed in a facility that handles eggs and wheat." That's pretty clear and with that level of detail and no mention of nut allergens, I would feel OK with that product.

Of course you can always call the company but check for their office hours--usually right near the customer service number. Sometimes they are only open until 5 pm or earlier -- a few are open until later in the evening. If you call and don't get an answer, try again and avoid the food until you have the info you need. Remember, nothing substitutes the saying "When in doubt, do without."

Most large food companies will let you know about the top 8 allergens on the label, so please read the labels. If allergy info is simply not present, I'd make a call or send an e-mail.

Any time I've called customer service lines, one of the things they tell me is to check each label, each time for each product. So start there, and then you'll be ready with specific questions so you can get the best answers.