Food Allergy Feast

HB 211 – Fighting for Coverage of Elemental Formula for EGID Patients

2012-02-06T12:49:00.000-07:00

They say the third time is the charm, so let’s keep our fingers crossed that 2012 is the year the Utah Legislature comes through in passing a law for uniform insurance coverage of amino-acid based elemental formulas for eosinophilic gastrointestinal disorders (EGIDs).

Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Disorders (EGID) are a group of diseases that are characterized by having a large amount of a particular type of white blood cell, called eosinophils, in various places in the digestive system. These blood cells basically make it impossible to digest the proteins in food.

Food proteins exists in all natural foods, including vegetables, fruits, dairy, fish, and meats. Symptoms vary widely, and include just about every gastrointestinal agony you can think of, including nausea, diarrhea, severe pain, malnutrition, and reflux that doesn’t respond to any therapy. Because sufferers can’t eat many – or in some case, any – foods, symptoms can lead to severe malnutrition, failure to thrive, and starvation. The only way to confirm a diagnosis is with an endoscopy and biopsies.

While some medications can relieve some of the symptoms, the only treatment is an elimination diet. It’s not uncommon for EGID patients to be forced to eliminate so many foods that they can literally count their “safe” foods on only one or two hands. In many cases, these patients must resort to what’s called an elemental diet – that means, literally, no food. The only form of nutrition these patients can tolerate is a special “elemental formula” that contains amino acids, fats, sugars, vitamins, and minerals. Sometimes it can be drunk. Other times it must be administered through a feeding tube.

Can you imagine being a child or an adult, and being hooked up to a feeding tube and its machine every day for your only source of nutrition? And yet, you still have to go about all the same daily routines as everyone else – going to school or work, getting together with friends, raising your children, or doing the grocery shopping for the rest of the family who CAN eat?

As if eliminating all food weren’t difficult enough for these people (which include both children and adults), this elemental formula can cost as much or more than a mortgage payment EVERY MONTH.

Adding insult to injury, insurance companies don’t cover elemental formulas, even when they are prescribed by a doctor and are the only defense standing between the EGID-affected patient and starvation.

That’s why this legislation, HB 211 - Insurance Coverage for Amino Acid-based Formula, is so important.

Thirteen states have already passed laws for coverage, and six other states (in addition to Utah) are trying to pass uniform coverage laws this year. The food allergy and EGID community would greatly appreciate your support of this bi-partisan initiative.

If you’d like to help make a difference in the lives of families suffering from the financial hardships of living with EGIDs, here is a quick and simple thing to do – write some emails! Here are some tips for doing that:

First, email the members of the House Rules Committee and ask them to vote in favor of moving HB 211 out of the House Rules Committee and on to the Health and Human Services Committee. If you have personal experience with this awful disease, explain how the lack of coverage for this disorder has impacted your family, emotionally and financially (or for physicians, your treatment of patients). Don't make your email too long, but emphasize how the current status harms families.

In the Subject line of your email, put: HB 211 - Please Prioritize on Agenda

The following representatives are the most important people to contact. If either of these men are your representative, change your email subject to: HB 211 - I am your Constituent - Please Prioritize

Rep. Wayne A. Harper, Chair, wharper@utah.gov
Rep. Ryan D. Wilcox, Vice Chair, ryanwilcox@utah.gov

Next, send the same email to the following committee members, but change the email subject to: HB 211 - Please Support & Move to Committee

Again, if any of these are your representatives, change the email subject to HB 211 - I am your Constituent - Please Support

Rep. Jim Bird, jbird@utah.gov
Rep. Jack Draxler, jdraxler@utah.gov
Rep. Neal Hendrickson, nhendrickson@utah.gov
Rep. John Mathis, jmathis@utah.gov
Rep. Mike Morley, mikemorley@utah.gov
Rep. Larry B. Wiley, lwiley@utah.gov
Rep. Bill Wright, billwright@utah.gov

If you are unsure who your representatives are, click here to easily find out http://www.le.utah.gov/GIS/findDistrict.jsp. Emails from constituents are much more powerful.

Finally, make sure you sign every email with your full name and mailing address. You can also include your phone number if desired. They do check to make sure we are real people in Utah and/or their constituents!

If you would like more information, or if you would like to add your name to the list of supporters so that you can be emailed about this legislation’s status in the future, please send an email to either Tammy Zundel (from the Utah Eosinophilic Disorders Association, eos.utah@gmail.com) or Michelle Fogg (from the Utah Food Allergy Network, mfogg@utahfoodallergy.org).

THANK YOU for your help as we fight to gain coverage for this vital and life-saving medical formula used to treat those with EGIDs and multiple food allergies in Utah.

P.S. The Utah legislature is transitioning email address suffixes by the end of the 2012 session, but some have reported returned undelivered emails to particular representatives. If this happens, please re-send using the suffix @le.utah.gov

Food Allergies in Dogs and Cats

2012-01-23T16:47:00.000-07:00

Does your pet have a food allergy?

Believe it or not, dogs and cats can have food allergies. My dog-in-law Missy (who owns my brother-in-law and sister-in-law) is allergic to beef – so she has to have a restricted diet. No beef products in her food or snacks, and no rawhide chew toys for her. She also has to be careful of her toothpaste and medications, which sometimes contain beef flavoring. (This is Missy wearing her seatbelt and new bandana...Not just beautiful, but smart, too!)

Food allergies in dogs are more common than I realized. Food allergies are estimated to account for about 20% of cases where dogs suffer from itching and scratching. Most allergies occur after the animal has been eating the same food for a long time, even years. But food allergies are only the third most common reason for itchiness in dogs and cats, after flea bite allergies and airborne allergies, so taking your furry pal to the vet is a must, so that you can begin to identify the most likely culprit.

Food allergies in animals appear to act a little different from food allergies in humans, however. I haven’t found any mentions of anaphylaxis in my research – mainly itching and other skin problems, but symptoms can also include ear infections, hair loss, and hot spots.

Food intolerances are also common in dogs and cats. A food intolerance may cause diarrhea or vomiting, but usually not the itchy skin problems that true food allergies cause.

Animal food allergies don’t appear to respond well to skin prick tests or blood tests. The only recommended test for food allergies in a dog or cat is a food trial, where the dog or cat is fed with a completely new protein and carbohydrate source for 12 weeks, completely eliminating all other foods. (Talk to a vet before starting such a test, because the vet can help determine an appropriate hypoallergenic diet.) After that, former foods are reintroduced one at a time to see if the itchiness returns. If symptoms come back, a food allergy is strongly suspected.

After that, treatment is the same as for humans – complete elimination of the offending food.

If you suspect that your dog or cat is allergic to or intolerant of a particular type of food, here are some resources that might be helpful:

Peanut Butter Cheerios

2012-01-16T18:18:00.000-07:00

The makers of Cheerios have announced a new flavor -- peanut butter -- and it's created quite an uproar in the allergic community. Read the Chicago Tribune article about it here.

I'm a little bit amazed at the sudden furor over this. Yes, there will now be a peanut butter flavor of Cheerios, which means toddlers might be carrying around a peanut butter snack. But the manufacturer has indicated that there will be no cross-contamination with regular Cheerios, and they indicate that they use stringent manufacturing processes that will prevent cross-contamination.

And yet there are apparently a lot of people screaming foul over this.

I'm not sure that's the right response. Here's why:

1. There have been several flavors of Cheerios for years now that have almond ingredients (Honey Nut Cheerios, anyone?), yet those of us with nut allergies in our families have still enjoyed regular Cheerios without fear of contamination. We have learned to eye any Cheerio with suspicion until we see the box it came from, of course, but if we're careful, we're safe. Nothing is changing, except that perhaps people who aren't allergic to almonds, but are allergic to peanuts, have just realized that they have to read labels closely, which they are probably doing anyway. People with milk and wheat allergies have been having to avoid all Cheerios all along.

2. Regular Cheerios aren't changing. If they were suddenly going to eliminate Cheerios as a "safe" food for those with peanut or nut allergies, then there would be room for disappointment, and I'd be the first to be on the phone with the company pointing out that they would be losing a non-trivial percentage of their customers by contaminating all their flavors. But that's not the case. Regular Cheerios will still be safe.

3. Protesting a new nut flavor in a product line that already contains nut flavors doesn't make much sense, and takes energy away from making real changes where they can do more good.

4. A concern is that kids won't be able to tell the difference between safe Cheerios and non-safe Cheerios in places like preschool. Yes, that's true. But it's been true for years with Honey Nut Cheerios. It's been true for cookies, cakes, crackers, and every other type of snack that kids carry with them. Allergic kids shouldn't ever share food with other kids anyway, and this gives us a teaching moment to revisit that lesson and make sure it's still clear in their sweet little heads.

Yes, this change requires that families with peanut allergies should increase their vigilance when it comes to random Cheerios on the floor. But I really don't think a hysterical reaction will accomplish anything except alienating the allergic community from the non-allergic community, and that is the exact opposite reaction we want. We need for the outside community to support us, not throw up their hands in annoyance when we over-react.

Several years ago, the makers of Pop-Tarts announced they would include milk in all their products. Now that was a change I felt strongly about protesting. While they might not be the healthiest of breakfast products, they were still a milk-free, nut-free, egg-free breakfast and snack option for allergic families, and suddenly they were taking all that away. After much protest (including my own emails and phone calls), they backed down and kept their facilities and recipes milk-free for some flavors. That was a great accomplishment and victory.

This Cheerios debate, however, seems less vital to me, because they are still retaining their nut-free versions. So I'm accepting the fact that some people like peanut flavor (gasp!) and their preference will not adversely affect me in this particular case, because I can still buy my regular flavor with confidence.

So what am I taking away from all this? First, I need to teach my son that there's a new flavor of Cheerios to watch out for, in addition to the other 3 flavors that already had nuts in them. Second, I need to save my indignant and strong response for cases where a manufacturer suddenly contaminates a whole safe line of foods with a new unsafe product. And third, I have to manage my reactions so that I accomplish the most good with the least amount of alienation. Remember that old adage about "honey catches more flies than vinegar"? I've found that a positive approach to correcting problems accomplishes so much more than a negative response. Like I always tell my son, no one will go out of their way to help a whiner, but they just might go out of their way to help a friendly person with a problem.

That's just my two cents' worth. I'm sure there are plenty of other opinions ranging all up and down the spectrum of outrage, but this just doesn't seem like a battle I can afford to fight when there are so many other battles that are.

On we bravely fight...

Virginia First Grader Dies from Peanut Reaction

2012-01-09T13:21:00.000-07:00

That’s the headline none of us ever want to read. But it happened on January 2 to a 7-year-old girl named Amarria Johnson, when a friend who didn’t know about Amarria’s allergies shared a peanut with her on the playground during recess. Amarria was taken to the clinical aid in school with hives and shortness of breath. By the time EMTs arrived, she was in cardiac arrest and pronounced dead a short time later at a hospital.

Amarria had an action plan at school, authorizing the school to give Benedryl to her, but they didn’t do that. The school’s policy states that the parent is responsible for giving the child’s medications to the school, but reports don’t indicate whether the mother actually did give Benadryl to the school, and I can’t find any information about whether there was Benadryl in the clinic at all.

What’s even more concerning, though, is the mother is quoted as saying that at the beginning of the school year, she tried to give the school’s clinical aid an EpiPen for emergencies, but she said she was declined and told to keep it at home.

It’s devastating news. Our hearts, thoughts, prayers, and condolences go out to the family, to her friends, and to everyone else who was touched by this little girl’s life. Food allergy support groups across the country, including UFAN, have been sending the family our condolences and loving thoughts.

But sending our heartfelt prayers isn’t the only thing we can do. At Amarria’s funeral service on Saturday, the Rev. Louis Kelly said, “If you want to honor Amarria, don't grieve for the rest of your life. Do something about it. Let's honor her memory by making sure that what happened to her never happens to another child.”

What a wonderful idea.

Here are some ways we can all make a difference in our own children’s lives and in the lives of other allergic children in our schools. Hopefully Amarria’s story can make a difference.

Make sure you have filled out a medical action plan and given it to your school. Here are links to the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network’s (FAAN) allergy action plan in English and allergy action plan in Spanish. If you don’t have one filed with your school, DO IT TODAY. And print 2 extra copies: one to hang in your child’s classroom, and one to hang in the cafeteria.
Make sure you have EpiPens and an antihistamine (such as Benadryl) in your child’s school or on their person, labeled with their name, a photo if possible, and simple instructions for use. If you’ve already got the meds in the school, check their expiration date, and replace them if they’ve expired.
If you haven’t sat down with your child’s teacher to explain his or her food allergies, make an appointment right now. I’ve never had a teacher say no to such a meeting – most are very relieved to know exactly what they should be aware of. Show them how to recognize a reaction, how to administer the medication, and when to call 911.
Call your school’s principal and ask how their staff is trained for food allergies and EpiPen use every year. If they aren’t trained, ask them to please bring in someone to train them during a staff meeting. Your allergist or a school nurse might be willing to do a short training session. If you are in Utah, contact me (kjplindberg @ earthlink.net) or someone else in UFAN (http://www.utahfoodallergy.org/), and we can help hook you up with someone who can do the training quickly and easily and for free.
Make sure your child has at least one pair of EpiPens with them at all times. Some schools require medicine to be kept in the office. That’s okay, but by law in Utah (see H.B. 101, available on UFAN’s website), students are allowed to carry EpiPens and inhalers on their person. So my son has one set of EpiPens in the office, and another set in his lunchbox. If your school says the child can't carry their own EpiPen, show them H.B. 101 -- it's been legal since April 2008.
Especially for younger kids (kindergarten and elementary grades), offer to do a short presentation to your child’s class. FAAN has some great videos that teach young kids about food allergies, designed to make students aware of their allergic classmates’ needs. Here is a link to a short but effective slide-show presentation created by FAAN, called Food Allergies for Elementary Students. I’ve found that if you enlist kids’ support, they are usually far more receptive, much more interested, and much more concerned about keeping their friends safe than adults are, so kids can be your child’s best allies. Keeping your child’s food allergy a secret doesn’t help, and can definitely harm. I can’t even imagine how terrible the child who gave Amarria a peanut feels now. If she’d known about the allergy, she probably wouldn’t have put her friend in danger. The FAAN website has a whole section of FAAN downloads with presentations for adults and older kids, and other resources.
7. Even if your child doesn’t eat school lunches, take your child to meet with the lunchroom workers. Introduce your child to them and tell your child that these adults are the people they should tell if they think they’ve eaten something they’re allergic to, or if some other kid is threatening them with food. Make sure the lunch staff knows your child and show them how to recognize a reaction and how to use an EpiPen and call 911.

A story about Amarria’s experience was on the Huffington Post website, along with a poll asking: “Should schools stock EpiPens just in case?” Here are the poll’s results as of this morning:

91.83% Yes
8.17% No

Unfortunately, with school budgets so limited, I doubt many districts will ever be able to squeeze out enough to foot the bill for new EpiPens every year. But that’s still encouraging to know so many people think it’s a good idea. Overwhelmingly, most people want to protect children. That’s a no brainer. But they can only protect them if they understand what they’re protecting them from, and how to do it. That’s where we come in. Call your school now and make sure they know what to do in an allergic emergency. You may be saving your own child’s life, or the life of a child you’ve never met.

Do it for Amarria.

Happy New Year Headlines

2012-01-02T16:45:00.000-07:00

So, are you doing a little New Year’s cleaning today, too? Going through closets, drawers, and cabinets, trying to live up to that “decluttering” resolution on your New Year’s list?

Yeah, I gave up about an hour ago, too.

So instead of moving dusty papers out of one pile and into another (which is the highly practical activity I’ve been doing for the last couple of hours), I thought I’d post a few “dream headlines” that I’d like to see in 2012. These are stories I would really love to wake up some morning and see staring at me from the newspaper (yes, I still read those things).

1. Food Allergy Cure is 100% Successful, and Is Available Now for Free! (And no needles are involved!)

2. School Nurses are Reinstated in Every School

3. Class Sizes Restricted to 15 Students Per Teacher

4. National Debt Was Just a Typo – Billions in Surplus Redirected to Medical Research, Billions More to Education

5. Vitamin K Deficiency Discovered As Root of All Hatred. Wars, Gangs, and Bigotry Eliminated Overnight. Sales of Kale and Spinach Through the Roof. (And no one is allergic to kale or spinach anymore!)

6. Potato Chips Are New Health Craze

7. New Design Lets Desk Chair Tone Muscles, Burn Calories

8. Kids Lose Interest in Video Games Overnight! Books Are to Blame, Say Librarians

9. All Email Spammers Vanish from Earth. Officials Link Disappearance to Strange Lights in Sky Over Roswell, N.M.

And last but not least:

10. The Mayans Were Wrong: 2013 Will Be Seen at Its Regularly Scheduled Time

Hope your New Year is full of peace, health, comfort, and love.

Merry Calypso Christmas!

2011-12-19T11:20:00.000-07:00

I have an essay published in this month's (December 2011) issue of Sail magazine. The editor at Sail kindly gave me permission to post it on my blog. So here is my Christmas card to all of you (click it to enlarge it). I hope your holiday season, whether you're celebrating Christmas, Chanukkah, Kwanzaa, the winter solstice, or just a time to share love and friendship with those around you, is filled with light and love.

Breaking Our American Food Obsession

2011-12-12T15:06:00.000-07:00

(Between a sick kid and major deadlines, I’m squeezed too tight to be creative today, so I’m presenting an oldie but (hopefully) goodie from my archive of blog postings. Enjoy, and see you next week!)

Americans are obsessed with food. It’s one of our worst habits (aside from overspending, exporting bad dramas, consuming the majority of world resources, and gloating as morons humiliate themselves on reality TV shows). As a culture, we adults have become so food-driven that we can’t conceive of having any sort of social function without involving food. It’s the ultimate crutch – “Well, if we can’t think of anything to say, we can always eat something.”

Want to get together with a friend for an hour? Let’s do lunch or grab a coffee.

Want to go see a movie? Let’s get a large popcorn, even though we just had dinner.

Kids’ play date? Let’s bring snacks.

Business meeting? Order doughnuts.

Going to a kids’ soccer game, in which we actually get them outside running around? Quick, make an assignment list so we know who’s bringing the Oreos and Kool-Aid. Our kids can’t possibly last one whole hour without refined sugar coursing through their blood stream.

Science Fair award ceremony? We’d better order refreshments, ‘cause nothing says “Good job dissecting that cow’s eyeball” like a dry, store-bought, prefabricated chocolate chip cookie (speaking of science experiments…).

It’s obscene. No wonder we are a nation known for our obesity. (Not to mention diabetes, high blood pressure, and other health problems.)

The thing is, kids aren’t born like that. We go to great pains to teach them this behavior.

Adults would never leave half a cookie uneaten on a plate. Kids do. All the time. They get full (or bored) and they stop eating. Whoa, just try and find an adult that can do that! To most kids, snacks are cool, but playing is better. Ask a kid: Would you rather have a pizza or a new Legos set (or Barbie, video game, or ticket to the latest movie)? I guarantee you the kid will pick the new toy or movie.

This food obsession is an adult one. We force it onto our kids. It starts early, and we reinforce it hard. So by the time they’ve become teenagers, they’re firmly locked into the unhealthy eating habits that characterize America.

The frustrating part is, even if we try to break the habit in our families, our teachers do it.

Although our school has a well-known policy against using food in the classroom as rewards, we still have incidents crop up every month or two where we have to re-educate teachers or parents or substitutes about it. That’s just going to be the way it is, as long as adults are involved in our school. “The class that does the best Nutrition presentation gets a pizza party! Right after lunch! Yea!” Hunh? Yep, an adult would dream that one up. The kids would rather get a free hour on the playground. No brainer. But no one ever asks the kids. We just apply our tiny little restricted adult brains to the problem and come up with… wait, I know! Food!

A friend of mine in another school attempted to introduce the idea that using food as a reward is a non-useful teaching tool. (She doesn't have food allergy issues. She does, however, worry about her kids developing unhealthy approaches to food.) At her community council meeting when she brought this up, she encountered the resistance all adults throw up when faced with change. The immediate reaction was “How on earth could we NOT use Tootsie Rolls as rewards for getting right answers?”

Right there, I see two problems. First, they’re using food as a reward – bad American habit! Second, they’re REWARDING kids for getting a right answer. What? We have to bribe our kids to answer every question, now? That’s setting up a true sense of entitlement – another one of American society’s big ills. Getting a good grade should be the reward. A sense of accomplishment is a reward. Praise from the teacher (“Good answer, Freddy”) is a reward. Our kids are being turned into guinea pigs who have to ring a bell to get a pellet. But that’s a different issue for a different day.

It’s time we adults began to take a hard look at our own eating and socializing habits, because we can’t expect our kids to have a healthy view of food if we don’t. That whole “Do what I say, not what I do” thing really doesn’t work.

If you agree with me, let’s talk about it. We can do it over lunch.

Gingerbread Men, Women, Houses, and Other Gingery Sorts of Things

2011-12-05T19:49:00.001-07:00

It’s rapidly becoming the time of year when gingerbread houses and gingerbread men (and their assorted wives, children, neighbors, dogs, and lawn furnishings) make their appearance. Traditional gingerbread recipes are full of common allergens, so I did a little sleuthing to find some allergy-safe recipes for those days when you have entirely way too much creative energy and time on your hands. (Yeah, right. We can all hope.)

So if you’re in the mood to go all Habitat for Gingerbread Humanity on your family, here are a few places to jumpstart your allergy-free baking frenzy:

Gingerbread Cookies from Kids with Food Allergies
Gingerbread Cookies from Eating with Food Allergies
Gingerbread Cookies from Allergy Free Mom
Gingerbread House Frosting from Kids with Food Allergies
Links to several sites with instructions for Gluten-free Gingerbread Houses at About.com
Need inspiration? Check out the story of how Izzi B’s Allergen-Free Cupcakes entered a gingerbread house contest, on Julie Anne Rhodes’s website.

And, if you are infected with the gingerbread house fever, but you REALLY don’t have the time or patience to bake all the components yourself (and let’s be honest here, doesn’t this really describe most of us?), A and J Bakery has an “Allergen Friendly House Kit” that is free from peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, gluten, soy, egg, dairy, and sesame seeds. Cool, hunh?

Happy Gingerbreading!

Food Allergens in Nonfood Products

2011-11-28T09:13:00.000-07:00

If only food allergens were just in food.

It’s one thing to have to learn to read ingredients labels on the food you buy at the grocery store. But it’s crazy to realize you have to read labels for just about anything else, too. It’s surprising the places that common allergens, like nuts, eggs, milk, or gluten, will show up.

Last year, we received a cute polar bear soap dispenser as a gift. My son snatched the dispenser for his own bathroom, and I was so busy with other holiday activities I didn’t give it a second thought. Over the next few weeks, we began to notice that my son’s hands were becoming red, dry, and itchy. We couldn’t figure out what was wrong. After trying several lotions, reminding him to thoroughly rinse any soap off his hands when he washed them, and otherwise scratching our heads, I found myself standing in his bathroom one day staring at the polar bear dispenser. I had never checked its ingredients. Come to think of it, I don’t remember if it even came with a list of ingredients. I removed the dispenser from his bathroom, replaced it with some soap I know is safe, and within just a couple of days, his hands cleared up and he was back to normal. There must have been a nut oil, such as almond or macadamia nut, in the soap all along.

This time of year, gifts of soaps, lotions, and perfumes are common, so it’s a good reminder to check all labels. And if you or your child is experiencing allergic rashes you can’t get rid of, look especially hard at all of your soaps, lotions, detergents, and cosmetics.

Here are some of the unexpected places where you might find food allergens, especially nuts, milk, soy, eggs, or wheat:

Body lotions, creams, and moisturizers
Exfoliants
Shampoos and conditioners
Soap
Shaving creams
Makeup and cosmetics
Nail polish fast-dry
Household cleaners
Toothpaste
Dentist office toothpaste and polishes
Vaccinations and shots (many are egg-based)
Medications and vitamins (check both active and inactive ingredients)
Bird seed (often contain nuts)
Top soil (sometimes contains ground nut shells)
Fertilizers (sometimes contain ground nut shells)
The sand in sand & water tables (often uses crushed nut shells)
Play-Doh (contains wheat)
Moon Sand (contains corn starch, but the company states it does NOT contain wheat, gluten, milk, egg, casein, or peanut ingredients.)
Paints
Adhesives on stamps, envelopes, and stickers you have to lick (many contain wheat)
Livestock bedding
Pet food and treats
Beanbags (including some beanbag chairs, hacky sacks, beanbag-type stuffed animals, and doorway draft blockers, which might contain ground nut shells)
Ant traps and mousetraps
Potpourris
Scented candles

After you’ve lived with food allergies for a while, reading ingredients labels on grocery items becomes second nature. But it’s good to remember to read labels on everything your allergic family member comes into contact with, not just the things they eat.

Allergy-Safe Thanksgiving and Holiday Party Tips

2011-11-21T16:29:00.000-07:00

Thanksgiving is on our doorstep, with its family get-togethers and that huge traditional meal. And as soon as that’s over, we head right into the rest of the holidays, with office parties, family gatherings, neighbor parties, traditional dinners, non-stop goodies….

Egads. Andy Williams says it’s the most wonderful time of the year, but it’s also the foodiest time of the year, which makes it even more stressful for those of us with food allergies.

It’s worse if you have small children. Older kids and adults can understand how to avoid the foods that make them sick, and they can often adjust by limiting what they eat at the party. But for younger children who want to eat everything they see, or who are playing with other young kids who will invariably have food on their hands, it’s a much bigger issue.

So here are a dozen holiday survival tips that I’ve gathered from friends, family, and UFAN members that hopefully will help make this time of year a little easier to manage.

When you are invited to someone’s house for a meal or snacks, tell them immediately about your family’s food issues. Most people really want to keep you or your child happy and safe, and they will try hard to accommodate you. Hostesses don’t want to be surprised by a food allergy at the party, and then feel guilty that they served something unsafe. Tell them up front – trust me, you will really be doing them a favor.
If you’ve got a relative or two who just doesn’t “get it” and insists on bringing their famous nut-topped casserole, make sure you talk to them calmly beforehand about how serious the allergy is, and how skin contact can send you to the ER on Thanksgiving, which isn’t where anyone wants to be. If they still don’t get it, ask another relative to talk to them.
If diplomacy doesn’t work and you know there will be food around that will put your child at risk, remember that this is YOUR life and YOUR child, and you don’t have to do anything dangerous just because someone else thinks a traditional casserole is more important than your child. Don’t be angry or pouty, but explain that although you love them, your young child will be at risk and you’ll be anxious the whole time, so you’re going to skip the huge family gathering and catch up with people later one-on-one, when it’s easier to make sure you don’t end up spending your holiday in the ER. You can tell them that when the child is older, that maybe you can again join the giant food-fest, but for the next few years, you’re going to create your own holiday tradition within your own immediate family, where you know your child is safe. Family gatherings aren’t fun if you feel threatened, bullied, neglected, or ridiculed. Therefore, don’t put yourself or your child in that position. It’s okay to say no. If someone’s feelings get hurt, it’s not your fault. They chose to put your child at risk. You can choose to skip their party.
At the party, ask the other parents to make sure their kids wash their hands after dinner. This actually works out even easier if you talk to the kids – kids seem to “get it” and accommodate their cousins/friends more matter-of-factly than most adults. So talk to the kids, and then remind them after dinner, and they’ll probably be happy to oblige.
Carry some simple safe food with you. If there’s nothing safe at the party, you can always pull it out and let your child eat that. I used to carry safe chicken nuggets (cooked, chopped, and chilled) everywhere we went when my son was younger. I still tuck a couple of safe granola bars in my purse even now, just in case we can’t find anything at a party for him to eat – at least that will tide him over until we can make a graceful exit and find him some safe food.
When going to a potluck, always volunteer to take the dessert. When people bring desserts, they bring their fanciest creations, which for some reason almost always seems to ensure they will include the most common allergens like nuts, chocolate, and dairy ingredients. So volunteering to bring a dessert will cut down on some of that risk, and will ensure that your food-allergic family member gets something sweet to look forward to at the end of the meal.
It goes without saying, but make sure you have your antihistamine and EpiPens with you.
When you first get to the party, check out the food table, ask who made each dish and talk to them about the ingredients, and then decide which foods you feel comfortable with your child eating. Then take the child to the table and calmly explain which items are safe, and which items will make him/her sick. Try to do this before everyone is loading up plates – it will be more chaotic and noisy if you try to have this conversation while people are crowding the table, and your child will sense the stress.
When people say things like, “Gosh, your child’s allergies must be AWFUL! He can’t eat ANYTHING!,” try to turn it into a more positive statement. Those comments can stress kids out and make them suddenly think they’re missing out, when they were perfectly content a few minutes ago. So try to answer with “Actually, it’s not so bad once you learn a few ways to substitute safe ingredients/learn where to shop/read an ingredients label” or whatever works for you. Other fun replies include, “You’d be surprised how much healthier we all are now that we don’t eat all those cream sauces and processed foods.” Or, “It’s made me a much better cook, now. Would you like to try my fruit salad?” The main thing is to make them understand that dealing with food allergies might be an adjustment at first, but once we get our new routines established, it’s manageable, and our children are totally normal. (It’s perfectly acceptable to mention that Aunt Bertha’s green beans with the nut topping would have been so easy to make with safe bread crumbs or crushed potato chips or cracker crumbs instead. In fact, it’s kind of desirable!)
If you can, try to make an announcement before everyone starts filling their plates, asking them please not to use serving utensils in more than one dish. If they dip the sour cream spoon in the safe potatoes, those potatoes aren’t safe any more.
Move dishes with unsafe ingredients to one side of the table, and safe ones on the other side. If it’s not your party, explain to the hostess what you’d like to do, and they’ll be fine with it.
And finally, I have a little trick I like to use called bribery. Before the party, I make a deal with my son that if he can’t eat any of the desserts, he will get a special dessert when we get home. If I was organized enough to make it first, then I show it to him and say, “This is for you after the party, no matter how late it is, as long as you don’t throw a fit over the food at the party.” If I don’t have time to make it first, I promise him we’ll make it together the next day. That deal worked wonders when he was little, and it kept him from trying to sneak unsafe treats.

Do you have more suggestions? Post them in the comments so we can all learn from your experience and ideas. And here’s looking forward to a safe and yummy holiday season!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Honey and Food Allergies

2011-11-14T11:40:00.000-07:00

Honey seems pretty simple. I’ve never really given it much thought. Here’s the sum of what I generally think about honey: It’s a natural sweetener, it’s made by bees, and beekeepers are crazy folk who don’t mind getting stung.

A couple of weeks ago, I bought a small bottle of local honey at an arts and crafts fair, thinking it would be nice to support a local farmer. That started an interesting learning experience.

As I was talking to one of the beekeepers, she told me that eating local honey can help your seasonal pollen allergies (hay fever), because the honey is made using local pollens and therefore helps desensitize you to those pollens. I thought that was sort of interesting and decided to look into that a little more.

When I got home, my friend (who was also at the craft fair) called me and told me that after I left, the same woman had told someone else that their bees spend the winter in an almond orchard. The woman also said that most of the bees in this area (Utah) winter over in almond orchards (presumably in California). My friend knows of my son’s nut allergies, so she immediately called me to tell me this.

So that sent me into research mode.

The first thing I researched is the claim is that some people seem to find relief from seasonal pollen allergies by eating a teaspoon or two of local honey every day for months before pollen season hits. (According to the beekeeper I talked to, you should eat honey made within 20 miles of your home, so that you’re sure of getting the same pollens that you’re exposed to in the air. What a great sales pitch!) The idea is that it’s a form of desensitization, sort of like allergy shots. See “Can You Fight Allergies with Local Honey?” on the Discovery Fit & Health website for more on this concept.

However, the few medical studies I located on this show no conclusive proof for this claim. So while there may be anecdotal stories saying some people find relief, it hasn’t been scientifically proven. If it works for you, great. But don’t expect a miracle. Here is an article from the New York Times about one of these scientific studies: “REALLY? Eating Local Honey Cures Allergies.”

The next thing I discovered is that people can actually be allergic to honey. Honey itself contains proteins, and you can develop an allergic reaction to anything with a protein molecule, so it is possible to develop an allergy to honey. And, like other food allergens, it can sometimes cause anaphylaxis.

Another problem with honey is that it’s made by honey bees carrying pollens back to the hive. That means pollen molecules from all those flowers can be found in the resulting honey. So if you’re having an allergic reaction after eating honey, it is nearly impossible to know if your reaction is caused by the honey itself or the pollen suspended in the honey. The website AllAllergy.net says some authors of studies recommend that allergists look at honey as a possible allergen when they can’t find another culprit causing food-allergy reactions in a patient.

What I can’t find out is if being allergic to almonds means you’re also allergic to almond flower pollen. I know that if you’re allergic to birch pollen, you might also react to almonds (along with apples, kiwi, pears, peaches, plums, coriander, fennel, parsley, celery, cherries, carrots, and hazelnuts). But the world of cross-reactivity and oral allergy syndrome is complicated. So I’m not sure if almond-allergic people can safely eat almond-grove-produced honey.

So I think the short answer is: be cautious. If you have been having allergic reactions that you can’t identify, there is a possibility, it seems, that you might be getting exposed to your allergen through honey. Honey is an ingredient in a surprisingly large number of commercial food products. If this seems to be happening to you, talk to your allergist about performing an allergy test to the honey you buy.

On the other hand, if you’ve been eating honey just fine with no problems, don’t let this article make you panic! If you’re not having symptoms after eating honey, there doesn’t seem to be any reason to assume that honey is a problem for you. So enjoy your sweet tooth.

Everyone is different, every allergy is different, and everyone’s body chemistry is different. And I’m not a doctor, of course! I just thought I’d share what I found out this week about honey. Investigate this more with your allergist if you suspect honey may be causing problems for you.

The Bright Light of Friendship

2011-11-07T11:37:00.000-07:00

The Italian Renaissance artist Giotto di Bondone had it figured out when he said, “The sincere friends of this world are as ship lights in the stormiest of nights.”

My son started junior high this year, and with that milestone, I’m discovering that I continue to have to learn ways to let go. But I was recently reminded, once again, that just because I can’t always be there to solve problems for him, smooth the way, and anticipate obstacles doesn’t mean he’s on his own.

A couple of weeks ago, he attended his very first dance at the junior high school – a Halloween dance. As if it’s not weird enough seeing your child go to his first dance, I also had to contend with the idea that there would be food there. But I felt a little better about that this time because one of his friends had stepped in to keep him (and other allergic kids) safe.

Since it was a Halloween dance, the student council had planned a creepy activity where you stick your hand in a box labeled “eyeballs” or “brains” or “guts” and gross each other out. The eyeballs are really grapes, the guts are really cooked spaghetti, etc.

But here’s where the value of friendship comes in: one of the girls on the student council has been really good friends with my son (and with his allergic friend) since preschool. So during one of the planning meetings for the dance, she brought up the question of kids in the junior high with food allergies and suggested they make the creepy-feely exhibit allergy-safe.

The teacher and council agreed, a quick email was sent to one of the food-allergic parents for suggestions, and voila! We were involved in the planning and shopping and we could help make the dance allergy-safe. (And it turned out to be a truly awesome Halloween dance!)

I’ve often said that today’s kids are far more allergy-aware and allergy-accepting than grownups. This generation of kids is growing up with food-allergic classmates and teammates, where in my generation, food allergies were all but unheard-of. That makes us grown-ups less inclined to remember about food allergies than our kids, who are around them all the time.

So as my son races head-long into his rebellious teenage years, it’s comforting to know that some of his fellow teenage rebels will also be friends who care enough to keep an eye out for hazards.

Thanks, B, for being there for your allergic friends, and for keeping those lights burning in a stormy sea.

Dressing Up Rice

2011-10-31T11:14:00.000-06:00

Rice. White rice, brown rice, Spanish rice. Okay, that pretty much covers my repertoire of rice cookery.

Apparently I’ve been a little restricted in my thinking.

A friend sent me this link to an article in The Atlantic, “The Rice Principle: A Reminder That We Share Similar Appetites,” and it made me realize that there’s a lot more to love about rice than I realized.

Especially for people with gluten or wheat allergies, rice quickly becomes a staple – but how can we dress it up so that it’s not always the same old thing? Food fatigue can be such a problem, even for people without food allergies (I run out of dinner ideas by Tuesday every week), and it’s an even bigger problem when you’re restricted in the foods you can eat.

This article, by chef Tamar Adler, rattles off an amazing number of ideas for jazzing up rice with simple, easy-to-find and easy-to-cook ingredients – of course, some of her ingredients are common allergens like egg or nuts, but by the end of the article, I was convinced that rice dishes are infinitely flexible, totally forgiving, and worth a second look. She even includes a recipe for Rice and Lettuce Soup. Really? Really! And she makes it sound good!

With a few easy substitutions, like using safe margarine or olive oil instead of real butter, her on-the-fly recipes sound like they’ll come together quickly even on a busy school night. And since rice is one of those foods that most kids like, that’s a plus.

The author offers several methods for cooking rice, and takes us on a quick trip around the world with her story – from Asia to Italy and several places in between. And even though she covers a lot of territory, she doesn’t even mention Spanish paella or Cajun-country jambalaya, both of which are filling dishes that let you toss in whatever veggies and meats you have on hand, regardless of what the recipe might actually call for. (Can’t eat shrimp? Toss in chopped chicken instead!) And don’t forget Greek Lemon Rice Pilaf (search for a vegetarian version if you can’t have chicken broth).

So if rice is on your list of safe foods, check out her article, and like me, maybe it will help you start thinking outside the Minute Rice box.

And if you have a great rice-based recipe, share it with us in the Comments section!

Allergy-Safe Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

2011-10-24T22:13:00.000-06:00

Over the weekend, we went to a Halloween party – kids and grownups alike dressed up and spent a fun evening eating and having a great time.

Here’s something crazy: Four of the six families there had kids with food allergies. We didn’t plan it that way. We didn’t go out and hunt for folks with allergies. Food allergies are just becoming that common.

So anyway, in addition to our usual prohibition of milk, egg, peanuts, tree nuts, sesame seeds, fish, and shellfish (which we’ve been eliminating from our parties for years), at this party we also got to eliminate gluten and citrus fruits.

And it still worked out great, with plenty of food to spare! We had tacos with all the fixings (including Daiya cheese and Tofutti sour cream), salsa, corn chips, pinto beans, Spanish rice, Jell-O Jigglers, cornbread, and pumpkin chocolate chip cupcakes. Those cupcakes were so good! I asked Cathy if I could post her recipe here, and she graciously said yes. They’re easy to make using an allergy-safe yellow cake mix! So here is her super-yummy recipe, just in time for Halloween and Thanksgiving get-togethers.

Cathy’s Allergy-Safe Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

1 box safe yellow cake mix (Cathy used Cherrybrook Kitchen’s Gluten-Free Yellow Cake Mix)
1 15-oz can of pumpkin (make sure it’s canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling)
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg, and 1/4 ground cloves)
1/4 c. rice milk
1/2 c. dairy-free, nut-free chocolate chips (such as Enjoy Life brand)
Frosting
Safe decorations, like colored sugar, safe sprinkles, or plastic spider rings

Mix the cake mix according to the directions on the box, then add in the pumpkin, spice, rice milk, and chocolate chips. Pour into paper cupcake liners, and bake according to the instructions on the box. (Cathy baked hers at 350 degrees for 18 – 20 minutes.) Cool, frost, and decorate!

For frosting, try Pillsbury Creamy Supreme Cream Cheese Frosting (warning: contains soy), or use your own safe recipe. Cathy used this recipe, which tasted amazing:

Cathy’s Dairy-Free Cream Cheese Frosting (contains soy)

1/4 c Tofutti dairy-free cream cheese
1/4 c safe margarine (such as Earth Balance or Nucoa)
1 tsp vanilla
2 c powdered sugar

Beat until smooth, then frost.

Thank you so much, Cathy!

Allergy-Safe Trick-or-Treating Tips

2011-10-24T08:00:00.001-06:00

Last week I talked about ten ways to celebrate Halloween even if you have food allergies. One of those ways is trick-or-treating, which may surprise some people. But you really can make trick-or-treating safer, so this week, I’ll offer some tips for doing just that. Remember, these tips work just as well for trunk-or-treats, too.

Tip #1: No one eats anything until everyone gets home and the parent reads the label on every piece of candy. That way, no one is eating unidentified foods and having a reaction while you’re out in the dark a block away from home. Make sure the kids agree, understand, and agree again. No one sneaks anything (not even Dad).

Tip #2: If you child is super-sensitive to an ingredient, you might have them wear gloves with their costume, so that any allergenic candy that touches their hand on the way into the bag doesn’t cause a skin reaction. Toss the glove in the wash or in the trash when you get home.

Tip #3: Unlabeled candy is assumed to be unsafe. Period. The only exceptions are brand-name candies that you are already very familiar with and know are safe. (For example, I know Starbursts and Skittles are okay for my son, so I’ll let him keep those.) If there is a type of candy that he’s particularly interested in, I might promise to look for it at the store the next day, and read the ingredients there. But it goes into a separate container until we’ve seen it at the store and verified its safety. See my post from Oct 10, "Allergy-Safe Halloween Candy 2011, Part 2," for a list of Halloween candies and their ingredients – it might help you sort through what isn’t safe.

Tip #4: A week or a few days before Halloween, try setting up a network of “safe houses” – families in your neighborhood who will agree to have some “safe” candy to give to your child. Most neighbors would be more than happy to accommodate your child if they know ahead of time. No one wants to think they’re ruining a child’s big night. You’d be surprised how willing most people are to help.

Tip #5: Before you head out on your adventure (preferably several days before, so that the kids aren’t overly excited and can actually hear you), talk about what you’re going to do with any candy when the night is over. Here are some ideas:

Go trick-or-treating with a friend or sibling, and at the end of the night, dump both kids’ candy together, then make two piles – a “safe” pile for the allergic kid, and the other pile for the non-allergic kid. If they both know about this plan beforehand, they are usually more than willing to do this. (My son often trick-or-treats with a friend who has braces – there are plenty of candies the friend can’t eat because of the braces, and plenty that my son can’t eat because of allergies, and it’s amazing how generous they both have been about handing over “safe for you” loot.)
Buy a bag of safe candy ahead of time, and at the end of the night, let your child “trade” you for all the unsafe candy he brought home.
“Buy” the unsafe candy from your child – but establish a price ahead of time, such as a nickel a piece, a dollar a pound, or the whole kit and caboodle for a new DVD, a new toy, a trip to the movies, a night out with Dad, a visit to the dollar store, or other such treat.
Look for a dentist or other business in your area that buys candy from kids on the day after Halloween. There’s at least one dentist in Layton that does. The kids get money, and the dentist donates the candy to a children’s hospital, I think.
Let the child “donate” the unsafe candy to Mom or Dad, so they can take it to work and share it with their coworkers.
Let the child donate the unsafe candy to a local women’s shelter, food bank, homeless shelter, or family of a soldier – the soldiers always seem to appreciate candy that they can share with friends or give to children in Iraq or Afghanistan.

Got any more trick-or-treating tips? Post a comment and share!

And don’t forget UFAN’s NO-CANDY Trunk-or-Treat, this Saturday, Oct 29, 2011, at the Intermountain Medical Center in Murray, Utah. Decorate your trunk and bring non-edible treats (toys, small novelties, etc.) to pass out. There will be prizes for the best-decorated trunks as well as festive music. See http://www.utahfoodallergy.org/ for more information.

Whatever your family chooses to do for Halloween this year, I hope it’s spooktacular!

Ten Allergy-Safe Ways to Celebrate Halloween

2011-10-17T12:16:00.001-06:00

First, a quick “candy corn update”: http://www.peanutfreeplanet.com/ is now selling A and J Bakery Candy Corn that is nut-free, peanut-free, and gluten-free, but it still contains soy, egg, and corn. (For those of you who hate candy corn, I apologize for the updates – but it’s a hot topic every year!)

Meanwhile…Halloween is about more than candy corn (yes, it’s true!). It’s also about parties and trick-or-treating, both of which can add stress to an already-stressed parent of allergic kids. So it’s time to post some suggestions for ways to help take the “scary” out of Halloween.

Especially for parents of newly diagnosed kids, this holiday brings up a lot of questions. Should we let them go trick-or-treating? Should we have a party instead? Should we stay home, lock the doors, and turn out the lights? What about that giant bag of unsafe candy?!!

In our family, we’ve discovered that the candy is really the least important part of the holiday. The adventure is the best part. Candy seems like the goal (“I’m going to fill this WHOLE bucket!”), but it’s really just the excuse for dressing up, running around the neighborhood in the dark squealing with flashlights, and getting together with friends.

Focus on the adventure, and create your Halloween traditions around the parts of the holiday your kids love best. Here are ten ideas for a fun Halloween:

1. Go trick-or-treating. If they want to trick-or-treat, don’t be afraid of it. There are plenty of things you can do with unsafe candy afterwards, and if the kids know about the rules ahead of time, it will be surprisingly easy to keep them safe while doing it. (I’ll post my tips for safe trick-or-treating next week. I promise you can do this if your kids have their hearts set on it!)

2. Have a party at your house – that way you can control the food that comes in and out of your door. Kids can wear costumes, decorate mini pumpkins, play games, or watch “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!” (Okay, it’s probably too tame for kids these days, but it was always MY favorite.) If you go to a party at someone else’s house, call them ahead of time to offer your help planning the menu, bringing safe treats, etc.

3. Visit a haunted house or Lagoon’s Frightmares (which has attractions for tiny tots as well as older kids and teens).

4. Get lost in a corn maze. Many of them have additional attractions, like small rides, hayrides, or pumpkin patches.

5. Rent The Nightmare Before Christmas and snuggle up together in the dark with your favorite safe popcorn or candy. Wear your costumes, or indulge in some Halloween pajamas for the whole family!

6. Catch a movie at the theater (the kids can dress up!).

7. If your kids are a little older, reserve tickets for a “ghost tour” of your local city. In Salt Lake City and Ogden, Utah, you can find these tours offered by storytellers through Ogden & Salt Lake City Ghost Tours. (Just be sure to buy your tickets ahead of time.) The tours run from Oct 20 – Oct 31, 2011.

8. Stage a “Zombies vs Aliens” soccer game or Frisbee match – invite all their friends to join. It could be even more fun after dark with glowstick-bracelets (available at most dollar stores)! (Or it could be “Zombies vs. Humans,” “Princesses vs Superheros” or any other combination your kids like.)

9. Attend the Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebration at the Utah Cultural Celebration Center in West Valley City. It’s not to be confused with Halloween at all, but this Mexican celebration honors and remembers loved ones who have passed. The Cultural Center is hosting this annual family-oriented community gathering featuring altar displays, folk art exhibit, and more. You don’t have to be Catholic or of Mexican descent to attend – what a great way to expand your kids’ horizons and bring new meaning to “remembering our lost ones.” (Note that skulls made of sugar and bread shaped like human bodies or bones is a traditional part of Día de los Muertos, so be aware that there will be allergens present.) The celebration istelf will be on Nov. 2, 2011, from 6pm - 9pm, but he altars will be on display from Oct 17 - Nov 3.

10. And finally, don’t forget UFAN’s FOOD-FREE Halloween Trunk-or-Treat on Saturday, Oct. 29, 2011, at the Intermountain Medical Center (southwest parking lot), 5121 Cottonwood St., Murray, UT. Decorate the trunk of your car, and bring plenty of non-edible goodies (small toys and novelties – no candy or food!) to pass out. There will be decorated trunk prizes and festive music, so don’t miss it! See UFAN’s website, http://www.utahfoodallergy.org/, for more info. This year’s Trunk-or-Treat is presented by UFAN, the Utah Eosinophilic Disorders Support Group, and the Intermountain PKU and Allied Disorders Association.

There’s plenty to do this Halloween where you can control the food your child comes into contact with. So have fun, and don't get spooked by Halloween!

Allergy-Safe Halloween Candy 2011, Part 2

2011-10-10T18:57:00.001-06:00

Last week, I told you about some places online to order your allergen-free Halloween candy. This week, I’ll tell you about the candy I found in stores locally.

But first… an update on the Great 2011 Candy Corn Hunt. If you’re looking for nut-free candy corn, I found the Sunrise candy corn this week at the Dollar Tree – a huge bin of it, and each bag is only $1. I had my husband and son join me in an entirely non-scientific survey to compare the Sunrise candy corn with Smith’s Kroger brand candy corn, and we all agreed that the Sunrise candy corn has a better flavor (more honey flavor).

Also, many thanks to Daniella for tracking down the Jelly Belly Candy Corn. She contacted the Jelly Belly company to find out about the ingredients and manufacturing processes. If I understand all of her correspondence correctly, their candy corn contains soy protein, and it’s manufactured on shared equipment with milk, wheat, tree nuts, and coconut, but they say their manufacturing and cleaning processes are very stringent. If you’re allergic to soy, avoid them. If you’re allergic to milk, wheat, tree nuts, or coconut, whether or not you want to eat them depends upon your comfort level with possible cross-contamination, taking into account their assurances that their manufacturing processes are allergy-aware and stringent. For the complete information that Daniella received from the company, see Daniella’s blog post on her Smart Allergy blog.

As an alternative to candy corn, the Dollar Tree also has gumdrops shaped like pumpkins, called Gummy Candy Pumpkins. They’re not individually wrapped, but would be fun on safe cupcakes, etc. They contain corn, but are free from the other Big 8. They come 25 gumdrops to a bag, for $1.

Now, on to the Halloween candy I found in local stores. This year, I hit Sam’s Club, Smith’s, Target, and Dollar Tree. The biggest disappointment this year is that Wonka candy is increasingly unsafe – old standbys like Nerds now have egg warnings. Wonka is very good about labeling their candy individually, so be sure you read the labels before your kids consume it.

Remember, this is just a sampling of what’s out there. Double-check every label before you buy anything (I may have missed something or made mistakes as I scribbled my notes while standing in the aisles). If you find a mistake, let me know! Also, if you find a great source for safe candy, let me know that, too.

Remember that many manufacturers have multiple factories, so different sizes or packaging may have different factory warnings. Read every label every time.

First I’ll list candies that don’t list corn as an ingredient (because there aren’t very many of them). Then I’ll list the candies and treats that do contain corn, but are free from some or all of the Top 8 allergens (peanuts, tree nuts, milk, egg, soy, wheat, fish, shellfish). I've also thrown in a few non-candy ideas, like cookies or Slim Jims.

By the way, EVERYTHING on this entire list is nut-free and peanut-free. That's where I started, then I broke them down by the other allergens. I hope it helps simplify your Halloween season!

Corn-free as well as free from Top 8 (These candies don’t list corn syrup in their ingredients, so they may be safe for corn-allergic kids – please double-check ingredients):

Smarties (Target, 67 pcs per bag, $2.49 I think; or Smith’s has a 71-pc bag for $2.79 or a 180-pc bag for $6.99) [Note: Dollar Tree sells “Smarties in a Pouch” that contain corn]
Pixie Stix (Target, 120 per bag, $2.49 I think; or Smith’s has a 150 bag for $2.50 and a 250 bag for $4.99)
Giant Pixy Stix (Sam’s Club, 50 giant stix for $11.78)
Bob’s Sweet Stripes Soft Mint Candies (red & white peppermints) (Sam’s Club (290 per bag, $6.64)
Whistle Pop candy (doesn’t list corn, but does list “glucose syrup”) (Dollar Tree, 25 pops for $1)
Candy Jewelry (doesn’t list corn, but does list “glucose syrup”), (Dollar Tree, 15 pcs for $1)
Spongebob Gummy Krabby Patties (doesn’t list corn, but has “glucose syrup” and beef gelatin) (Dollar Tree, 10 for $1)

Corn-free, but contains Soy warning:

Marvel Superhero Halloween Candy (Walmart, 35 boxes per bag, $4.98; or Target, 52 pcs per bag for $2.49) [Note that I found Marvel Heroes candy sticks at Dollar Tree that contain corn, so read labels carefully]
Bakers & Chefs Starlight Mints (contains “glucose syrup” and traces of soy); (Sam’s Club has 620 for $6.78

Corn-free, but contains Wheat and Egg warning:

Wonka Nerds (Sam’s Club, $13.18)

Everything from here on down contains corn ingredients:

Free from Top 8 (Wheat, Peanut, Tree Nut, Milk, Egg, Soy, Fish, Shellfish):

Betty Crocker Halloween Fruit Snacks; (Sam’s Club has 48 pouches for $7.48; Walmart has 25 pouches for $4.96)
Kellogg’s Fruity Snacks (contains coconut oil) (Sam’s Club, 24 per box, $6.98)
Great Value Fruit Smiles (Walmart has 42 pouches for $5.28)
24 Halloween Candy Sticks (Sam’s Club has 24 for $8.98)
24 Halloween Lollipops (Sam’s Club has 24 for $8.98)
Skittles (Walmart has bag of 20 for $1.98; Target has bag of 21 for about $2.49, Smith’s has bag of 21 for 2/$6)
Starbursts (Walmart has bag of 32 for $198; Target has bag of 32 for about $2.49, Smith’s has bag for 48 for 2/$6)
Skittles and Starbursts Assortment (Sam’s Club has 172 per bag, $9.88, or Walmart has a bag of 45 for $4.48)
Skittles, Starbursts, and LifeSaver Gummies assortment (Target has 180 for $13.99)
Dum-Dums (Sam’s Club has 360 per bag, $8.08, or Smiths has 300 for $6.99, or Target has 350 for 9.99 or bags of 48 for about $2.49, or Dollar Tree has 26 for $1)
Marvel Heroes Candy Sticks (Dollar Tree, 22 for $1)
Jolly Rancher (Sam’s Club has 5 lb bag of 378 pcs for $10.48) [Note: in an assortment bag at Walmart, the Jolly Ranchers were listed has containing corn and soy]
Jolly Rancher Lollipops (Target has 18 per bag for about $2.49)
LifeSavers (Sam’s Club, 24 rolls for $8.74)
Baby Bottle Pops (Sam’s Club, 20 for $10.78)
Laffy Taffy (Sam’s Club has 145-pc tub for $5.72, Target has a bag of 32 for about $2.49; Smith’s has bag of 32 for $2.50)
Hot Tamales (Sam’s Club has 24 vending-sized packs for $14.17)
Mike & Ike (Sam’s Club has 24 vending-sized packs for $14.17, Target has bag of 21 small pouches for about $2.49)
Sour Patch Soft & Chewy (Target has bag of 16 for about $2.49)
Sour Patch Kids (Sam’s Club has 24 vending-sized packs for $13.32)
Swedish Fish (Sam’s Club has 24 vending-sized packs for $13.05, Target has bag of 16 small pouches for about $2.49)
Swedish Fish & Sour Patch Kids Assortment (Target has bag of 115 for $9.99)
Dots (Smiths has bag of 17 mini-boxes for $2.50; Dollar Tree has bag of 6 mini-boxes for $1)
Haribo Gummy Bears (contains coconut) (Smiths has a bag of 44 for $4.99)
Life Savers Spooky Shapes Gummies (Target has bag of 12 for about $2.49)
Bubble Babies Sour Gum Balls (contains coconut), (Dollar Tree has bag of 62 for $1)
Mini Sour Dudes Straws (Dollar Tree has bag of 10 for $1)
Gummy Candy Insects (Dollar Tree has bag of 15 for $1)
Gummy Body Parts (Dollar Tree has bag of 15 for $1)
Gummy Pirate Choppers (Dollar Tree has bag of 12 for $1)
Grave Gummies (contains coconut) (Dollar Tree has pkg of 12 for $1)
Smarties in a Pouch (Dollar Tree has bag of 35 pouches for $1)
Comix Mix Candy Sticks (Dollar Tree has bag of 22 for $1)
Push Pops (Sam’s Club has 24 for $10.62)

Contains Soy or Soy Warning (but free from other 7 top allergens):

Wrigley’s Gum (Doublemint, Big Red, Juicy Fruit, Spearmint); Sam’s Club (40 5-stick packs for $7.14)
Marvel Superhero Halloween Candy (Walmart, 35 boxes per bag, $4.98; or Target, 52 pcs per bag for $2.49)
Hubba Bubba Bubble Tape (Sam’s Club, $8.88)
Laffy Taffy Ropes (Sam’s Club, 48 ropes, $9.52)
Jolly Rancher Fruit Chews (Sam’s Club has 12 for $6.72)
Marvel Superheroes Halloween Lollipops (Walmart has bag of 65 for $4.98)
Jolly Rancher Snack-Size Fruit Chews (Walmart has bag of 40 for $1.98)
Kool-Aid Bursts drinks (Walmart has 6-pack for $1)
Star Wars Lollipops (Target has bag of 26 for about $2.49)
Big Chew Fruit Flavored Bubble Gum (Dollar Tree has bag of 88 pcs for $1)
Double Bubble Bubble Gum (Dollar Tree has bag of 30 for $1) [Note: The bag of 380 from Sam’s Club also has a milk warning]

Contains Wheat or Wheat warning (but free from other 7 top allergens):

Super Ropes (Sam’s Club has 30 for $10.98)
Wonka Super Shockers (Sam’s Club has 24 vending-sized pkgs for $13.18)
Sour Punch Straws (Sam’s Club has 24 for $10.46)
Red Vines (Sam’s Club, 15 bags for $6.88)
Twizzler Rainbow Snack Size (Walmart has bags of 33 for $1.98)
Airheads Chewier Mini Bars (Target has bags of 30 for about $2.49)

Contains Milk or Milk warning (but free from other 7 top allergens):

Ring Pops (Sam’s Club has 40 for $11.43)
Sixlets (tiny cellophane tubes of 6 round candy-coated chocolate flavored balls): (Dollar Tree has bags of 20 for $1)
Exploding Candy (Dollar Tree has bags of 25 pouches for $1)

Contains Egg or Egg warning (but free from other 7 top allergens):

Wonka Stretchy & Tangy Laffy Taffy in 3 Flavors (Sam’s Club has 24 for $13.18)
Now & Later (Target has bags of 36 for about $2.49)

Contains Soy and Wheat or warnings (but free from other 6 top allergens):

Twizzlers (Sam’s Club has a tub of 180 ind. wrapped for $7.24)
Twizzler Nibs (Sam’s Club has 36 vending-sized pkgs for $19.88)
Twizzler Snack Size Twists (Target has bags of 60 for about $2.49, Smith’s has bags of 60 for 2/$4; Walmart has bags of 60 for $1.88))
Twizzler & Jolly Rancher Assortment (Sam’s Club, 225 for $9.98)
Airheads (Sam’s Club: 90 for $8.98)
Airhead Extremes (Sam’s Club has 18 for $8.62
Utz Pretzel Treats (Sam’s Club, 70 bags of Halloween-shaped pretzels, contains wheat and barley, made on equipment that processes soy and sesame seeds, $6.98)
Keebler Crème-Filled Sugar Wafers (cookies, contain barley, too) (Sam’s Club has 24 pkgs for $8.48)
Oreo cookies (Sam’s Club has 30 pkgs for $9.56)
Austin Zoo Animal Crackers (Sam’s Club has 36 bags for $7.78)
Chex Mix (Sam’s Club has 36 bags for $9.78)
Slim Jim Meat Sticks (also contains beef and chicken), (Sam’s Club has box of 100 individually wrapped sticks for $14.82)

Contains Wheat and Milk or warnings (but free from other 6 top allergens):

Charms Blow Pops (Sam’s Club has bags of 100 for $8.86, Walmart has bags of 50 for $4.48, Target has bags of 23 for about $2.49)
Charms Mini Pops (Dollar Tree has bags of 26 for $1)

Contains Milk and Soy or warnings (but free from other 6 top allergens):

Double Bubble gum (Sam’s Club has 380 for $6.88) [Note: the Double Bubble Gum from Dollar Tree and from Target doesn’t have a milk warning, so they may use multiple factories. Check labels carefully before eating]
Kraft Caramels (Walmart has bags of 50 for $1.98)

Contains Wheat and Egg or warnings (but free from other 6 top allergens):

Wonka Nerds Ropes (Sam’s Club has 24 for $13.18)
Wonka Nerds (doesn’t appear to contain corn) (Sam’s Club has them for $13.18, Target has bags of 27 for about $2.49, Smith’s has bags of 27 for 2/$4)

The following candies come in big assortment bags, which you might find in your child’s trick-or-treat bags:

Columbina candies – Dollar Tree sells many varieties of candy from this company, and all have a factory warning for Peanuts, Egg, Tree Nuts, Soy, Milk, and Wheat
Wonka Nerds from the Wonka Mix-Ups bag (Sam’s Club) contain corn, wheat, and egg
Wonka BottleCaps from the Wonka Mix-Ups bag (Sam’s Club) contain wheat and egg
Wonka SweeTarts from the Wonka Mix-Ups bag (Sam’s Club) contain wheat and egg
Wonka Spooky Nerds from the Wonka Monster Treats bag (Walmart) contain corn, wheat, and egg
SweeTarts Skulls and Bones from the Wonka Monster Treats bag (Walmart) contain wheat and egg (no corn)
SweeTart Chews – contain corn and soy
Howlin’ Laffy Taffy from the Wonka Monster Treats bag (Walmart) contain corn and soy
Twizzler Pull N Peel from various assortments bags contain corn and wheat (no soy)
Apple Stix from the Jolly Rancher & Twizzler assortment (Walmart) contain corn and soy
Tiger Pops – packaging lists all allergens
Lemonheads contain only corn, but are usually found in assortment bags that include warnings for all the allergens on the overall packaging
Jawbreakers contain only sucrose (doesn’t list corn), but packaged in an assortment that lists all the allergens in a factory warning
Warheads – contains corn, but comes in an assortment listing all allergens in a factory warning
Bazooka Gum-Filled Pops – lists only corn, but comes in an assortment listing all allergens in a factory warning
Cry Baby Sour Gumballs – contains corn
Double Bubble twist-wrap gum and gumballs – both contain corn with a soy warning
Jolly Rancher Candy Stix – contain corn and soy

Non-Food Treats:
Don’t forget, you don’t have to hand out candy to your trick-or-treaters. You can also hand out non-food treats like:

Bat or Spider Rings (Walmart has 100 for $1.94)
Halloween bouncy balls (Walmart has 12 for $2.44, or http://www.orientaltrading.com/ has lots of varieties)
Vampire teeth (Walmart has 16 for $1.44)
Halloween-colored bracelets (Walmart has 30 for $1.94, http://www.orientaltrading.com/ has tons, or party stores have these, too)
Halloween pencils or erasers(Walmart has 12 for 94 cents)
Glow Sticks (Dollar Tree, 12 for $1)

Allergy-Friendly Halloween Candy & Nut-Free Candy Corn Hunt 2011

2011-10-03T21:19:00.003-06:00

Yep, it’s that time again… my annual candy corn hunt! Everyone seems to either love or hate candy corn – there’s no in-between – but for those of us who love it, it’s hard to live without it every year because of nut allergies. So every year, people ask me if I’ve found any nut-free candy corn.

You’ll be happy to hear I’ve found two sources for nut-free candy corn again this year, but they both contain egg, soy, and corn syrup.

The first is the Kroger brand – sold in Smith’s here in Utah, and possibly in other Kroger stores elsewhere. They sell nut-free candy corn, mellowcreme pumpkins, and Autumn Mix. Yummy!

The other is made by Sunrise Confections. You can order the Sunrise candy corn (as well as their Autumn Mix and Blueberry Hill Indian Corn) from Peanut Free Planet.

I heard there was a safe candy corn brand at Target, but when I went there today, I couldn’t find any. If I locate any more, I’ll let you know!

I’ve also been shopping locally for candy to see what types of allergen-free candy we can find in stores. Next week, I’ll post a list of what I found and where I found it. Most of it contains corn syrup and food colorings, of course. So if those are your issues, you’ll probably want to order candy online, and you’ll want to do it this week so it arrives in time for Halloween. There are also some good online resources for Halloween chocolates and gluten-free candy, so this week I’ll focus on online candy sources.

Indie Candy: This site is the place to go for all-natural candy with no dyes or any of the Big 8 allergens at all! Most of their candy also appears to be corn-free, too. They have a large selection of confections including gorgeous crystal lollipops, chocolate, and gummis, and you can search by your specific allergy needs.
Yummy Earth: Yummy Earth candies (lollipops, drops, gummy bears, and gummy worms) are corn-free, as well as being free from the big 8, and they use natural colorings and flavorings. You can buy them online at www.YummyEarth.com {http://www.yummyearth.com/} and on Amazon.com.
Peanut Free Planet: This allergy-friendly grocery site sells a ton of different candy from lots of different manufacturers, including Vermont Nut Free, Enjoy Life Foods, and Amanda’s Own. You’ll find chocolate, jelly beans, and all sorts of allergen-friendly groceries. They also sell KitKats, Mars bars, and Nestle Aero Milk chocolate bars that are made in a Canadian factory, and therefore nut-free (unlike their American factories). And most importantly, THEY HAVE NUT-FREE CANDY CORN!
Amanda’s Own Confections: They offer chocolate in some fun Halloween shapes, as well as jelly beans and other candies, all dairy-free, nut-free, egg-free, and gluten-free!
Divvies: Nut-free, dairy-free, and egg-free chocolate ghosts, jelly beans, gummy stars, and chocolate chips! Oh my!
Vermont Nut Free: Their chocolates are peanut-free and nut-free, but they do have milk and egg warnings on them. Their huge selection of nut-free chocolates includes caramel and chocolate pumpkins, chocolate-covered marshmallows on a stick, and foil-wrapped chocolate shapes (like bats, witches, and ghosts). They also sell skippers, which are similar to M&Ms, but nut-free, of course.
Chocolate Emporium: Read the ingredients carefully on this website, but they do offer a lot of allergen-friendly goodies. Call before you order to ensure you get what you need.
Oriental Trading Co.: Remember, trick-or-treats bags don’t have to be filled with candy. Oriental Trading Company offers a bazillion (I counted them) super-cheap novelty toys, many that you can buy in quantities of 50, 144, or more.

Updates: I found Sunrise candy corn at the Dollar Tree! And I think it tastes better than the Kroger brand. In addition, Jelly Belly Candy Corn contains soy, and it's manufactured on shared equipment with milk, wheat, tree nuts, and coconuts, but they say their manufacturing and cleaning processes are very stringent. For more detailed info, read Daniella's Smart Allergy blog for her correspondence with the company. And finally, A&J Bakery Candy Corn is now available at http://www.peanutfreeplanet.com/, but they contain soy, egg, and corn (but they're nut-free, peanut-free and gluten-free).

FAI’s Food Allergy Prevalence Study

2011-09-26T08:00:00.000-06:00

In 2008, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimated that 1 in every 25 children had a food allergy. Now, just three years later, a new survey sponsored by the Food Allergy Initiative (FAI) estimates that 8%, or 1 out of every 13 children, has a food allergy.

Published in the July 2011 issues of Pediatrics, the journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, this latest study analyzes interviews from over 38,000 households with at least 1 child under 18 years of age to discover “The Prevalence, Severity, and Distribution of Childhood Food Allergy in the United States.”

One out of every 13 children is an alarming number – that means 2 children in every classroom in the United States has a food allergy. This study verifies what many people in the food allergy community and in the medical profession have been feeling for some time – food allergies are increasing at an appalling rate.

Here are some of the other findings published in this study, published on FAI’s website:

38.7 percent of the children in the survey had a severe or life-threatening allergy
30.4 percent had multiple food allergies
Children with food allergies were most commonly allergic to peanuts (25.2 percent), milk (21.1 percent) and shellfish (17.2 percent), followed by tree nuts (13.1 percent), and egg (9.8 percent)
Severe reactions were most common among children with a tree nut, peanut, shellfish, soy, or fin fish allergy
Children aged 14-17 years were most likely to have a severe food allergy
Food allergies affect children in all geographic regions
Asian and African American children were more likely to have a convincing history of food allergy, but were less likely to receive a formal diagnosis when compared to white children

While food allergy has been an increasing concern in the medical world, sparking a growing number of research projects and studies, this new study may help to propel even more projects into the funding spotlight. In addition to potential treatments and cures, research into the possible causes of food allergy, as well as identification of the individual protein molecules that cause reactions, will carry us much further towards a real understanding of this complex and frustratingly confusing disease.

In addition, the results of this survey may encourage more food manufacturers to examine their production processes and facilities for ways to more closely control cross-contamination with the major allergens. Especially for manufacturers of kid-oriented foods and snacks, knowing they are eliminating up to 8% of their potential customers by not adhering to strict allergen cross-contamination prevention may be just the catalyst they need to change their processes.

It would be easy to look at this study and see only the bad news: food allergies are becoming more wide-spread. But it’s important to look at the positive news this also represents: because food allergies are becoming so wide-spread, more researchers, manufacturers, chefs, teachers, doctors, coaches, colleagues, and neighbors will become committed to finding cures, treatments, safe practices, recipes, and other solutions to eliminating food allergy from our world sooner, rather than later.

Teach the Teachers with C.A.R.E.

2011-09-19T08:00:00.001-06:00

School is in full-swing now, but students aren’t the only ones learning. Teachers are also learning this year, thanks to a new online course called “How to C.A.R.E. for Students with Food Allergies – What Educators Should Know.”

This course was prepared through a collaboration of the Food Allergy Initiative (FAI), the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN), Anaphylaxis Canada, the Canadian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (CSACI), and Leap Learning Technologies. The course was funded by FAI, and the curriculum is based on FAAN’s well-respected Safe@School® program.

Available at http://www.allergyready.com/, the course helps educators (and anyone else who is interested, from day care providers to camp counselors) learn how to create an allergy-smart school environment, using the C.A.R.E. approach:

Comprehend the basic facts about food allergies
Avoid the allergen
Recognize the symptom of a reaction, and
Enact emergency protocol

The best part is, the online course is FREE. It takes less than an hour to go through the course, which covers everything from what a food allergy is, to how to spot allergy risks in the classroom or cafeteria, to how to use an epinephrine auto-injector.

The course is available for free to anyone who registers at http://www.allergyready.com/. So tell your school, preschool, or other organization about it today, and you might help save a life tomorrow.

I’ve already gone through the course myself, and it is simple to use, easy to understand, and comprehensive. So if you’re looking for a way to teach your child’s teachers about food allergies, give this online course a try.

Two Deaths in Atlanta

2011-09-12T11:13:00.000-06:00

Last month, in two separate incidents, two different teenage boys in Atlanta died from apparent allergic reactions to food.

This is the type of news parents everywhere dread.

The first boy was a 15-year-old who was shopping with his aunt. While she shopped, he went out to her car to grab a chocolate chip cookie. He didn’t realize there were traces of peanuts in the cookie. After eating the cookie and realizing what it contained, he ran to a nearby McDonalds to rinse out his mouth, then took an over-the-counter medicine. Neither did enough to stop the reaction. By the time he was transported to a medical center, then flown to a hospital, it was too late. He didn’t carry an EpiPen even though he knew about his allergy, because he thought he was cautious enough. (“Teen Dies After Eating Cookie Containing Peanut”)

The second boy was a college student at Kennesaw State University, who apparently had a reaction to something he ate at the school’s Commons Student Culinary Center. He ate a meal there, then left. Then he returned to the Commons “in distress” and called 911. By the time he got to the hospital, he was dead. According to people who knew him, he was aware of his allergies and had used EpiPens “often.” But no one knows why he didn’t have one with him at the cafeteria that day. (“KSU Student Dies After Apparent Allergic Reaction”)

My heart bleeds for those parents, families, and friends. I can’t imagine anything worse.

Members of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology and the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) maintain a registry of fatalities from food allergy reactions so that they can try to identify patterns in these deaths, such as the type of food, where it was consumed, and the age and gender of the affected individual. The registry isn’t a systematic or complete record of all fatal food-induced allergic reactions in this country, but it helps show where more education is needed to help prevent these fatalities.

One of the patterns they’ve noted multiple times is that the largest percentage of fatalities is usually teenage boys who were allergic to peanuts or tree nuts, who consumed food away from home and didn’t have their epinephrine with them at the time.

Neither of the boys in Atlanta had an EpiPen.

As my own son enters his teenage years, I worry about him more and more. He’s forgetful. He’s image conscious. He’s always in a hurry. He doesn’t want to be bothered by having to carry things, keep up with things, or wear something bulky on his belt.

He’s a typical teenage boy.

That’s bad enough, by itself. But when a teenage boy has a severe health issue that he has to maintain, whether it’s food allergies, diabetes, epilepsy, or any other disease, it gets that much worse.

The only thing I can do is keep educating him, keep reminding him of the severe consequences of not taking his EpiPen with him everywhere he goes, show him stories like these, and engage him in finding his own solutions to the problem of how to carry those EpiPens, how to ask about ingredients, how to say no. I have to do everything I can to prepare him and educate him, and then trust him to make the right decisions even if I’m not there.

But I still hug him tighter every day.

The Importance of Being Vigilant at Restaurants

2011-09-05T16:48:00.000-06:00

In May 2011, a report called “Restaurant Staff's Knowledge of Anaphylaxis and Dietary Care of People with Allergies” appeared in Clinical & Experimental Allergy, the journal of the British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology. The authors, S. Bailey, R. Albardiaz, A.J. Frew, and H. Smith, reported on the results of a telephone questionnaire administered to staff members at 90 table-service restaurants in Brighton, England.

What they found was pretty disconcerting. The good news is “eighty-one percent reported confidence (very or somewhat) in providing a safe meal to a food-allergic customer.”

The bad news is that at least some portion of that 81% got a lot of their food allergy information wrong on the questionnaire, which means there’s a good chance they’ll contaminate a food-allergic customer’s food anyway.

Here are some of the highlights (lowlights?) of the report from the journal’s website:

90% reported food hygiene training.
33% reported specific food allergy training.
56% could name three or more food allergens.
38% believed an individual experiencing a reaction should drink water to dilute the allergen. (Not true!)
23% thought consuming a small amount of an allergen is safe. (Not true!)
21% reported allergen removal from a finished meal would render it safe. (Not true!)
16% thought cooking food prevents it from causing allergy. (Not true in most cases! Some milk-allergic people can tolerate milk when it’s baked in foods, for example, but it should always be assumed that cooking does not render an allergen safe!)
12% were unaware allergy could cause death. (Eeek!)
48% expressed interest in further training on food allergy. (Well, at least that’s good news!)

This study is a good reminder that we can’t assume restaurant staff really understands the serious nature of a food allergy until we’ve discussed it with them fully.

Some of the tried-and-true methods for ensuring your dining-out experience will run as smoothly as possible include:

Checking the restaurant’s website for allergen information
Checking a restaurant site, like www.allergyeats.com, for other customers’ reviews.
Calling ahead and speaking with the manager about your specific allergies and what the restaurant can do to accommodate you.
Carrying an allergy card with you that explains what you can and can’t eat (and if you’re traveling, get an allergy translation card, too, from http://www.selectwisely.com/).
Informing the waiter of your allergies, even if you’ve already talked to the manager.
Double-checking when the food arrives that the cook prepared it safely.
Keeping your EpiPens and antihistamine with you at all times.

Many restaurants are really making an effort to accommodate food-allergic customers, so it’s worth the extra effort to find the ones that will be safe for you.

(You just might be a little extra careful if a trip to Brighton, England, is in your future!)

Getting Creative with School Lunches

2011-08-29T08:00:00.001-06:00

When I was a kid, school lunches were so terrible you only bought one if you absolutely had to. Just about everyone brought a sack lunch from home instead. It was actually embarrassing to have to eat school lunch.

Nowadays, even though kids assure me that the quality of school lunches hasn’t improved much, almost everyone buys one anyway. We’ve apparently become so addicted to fast food, instant gratification, and convenience above all, that it seems this generation is completely flummoxed by the idea of making a home lunch every day. “What? And take those extra five minutes? That’s inhuman!"

But when our kids are diagnosed with one or more food allergies, sending a lunch from home may suddenly sound like the smart thing to do – and although it sounds awful at first to add one more thing to our frantic morning schedule, we soon find that the extra five minutes is worth the comfort of knowing our kid will have safe food to eat and less risk of a reaction.

Like everything else, making a lunch for school soon becomes a regular part of our routine day. And then we discover that finding that extra five minutes to throw one together isn’t the hard part.

No, the hard part is coming up with ideas for healthy, safe lunches that our kids will actually eat. So what’s a parent to do if their kid is sick of the same ol’ sandwich every day for lunch?

I went hunting for ideas, and here are some links to websites with lunch ideas. The main thing to remember is balance – try for a serving of carbs, a serving of protein, a serving or two of fruit and/or veggies, and something with calcium (some fruit juices are fortified with calcium, if dairy is off the list). Things that dip in dressing, barbecue sauce, apple sauce, or Sunbutter are often a hit (cooked meatballs, veggies, sliced fruit, etc.). Last night’s leftovers can be great if you heat them up, and then put them in a good lunch-sized Thermos. Get wild with sandwiches – add fruit to that Sunbutter and jelly sandwich, add diced apples or mango to your safe chicken salad recipe, make a Mexi sandwich with bean dip and olives, or use safe tortillas or safe rolls from last night’s dinner instead of sliced bread.

For more ideas, check out these links:

If you and your child decide to give the school’s lunch program a try (I sure hope they don’t still serve those Army-drab-colored peas from when I was a child!), be sure to read FAAN’s article called “Consider School Meals.”

If you have a great idea for school lunches that your kids love, please share it with us!

Mainstreaming Allergy-Friendly Foods at the Grocery Store

2011-08-22T13:08:00.000-06:00

Last week, the Smith’s Food and Drug store in Layton, Utah, had a grand re-opening. They’ve moved some aisles around, hung new signs, increased the variety of produce, and given the whole place a shiny new paint job. Nice, but pretty standard stuff for a grocery store remodel, really.

Except for this: Now there’s an entire aisle devoted to health food, organic food, gluten-free food, and allergen-free food.

Halleluiah!

Eleven years ago, when I found myself thrust reluctantly into the world of food allergy when my toddler turned red after eating a bite of a peanut butter sandwich, my resources were few. Grocery shopping was frustrating and tear-inducing. Ingredient labels were vague and confusing, with around 30 names for possible milk proteins alone. Avoiding an allergen was like walking through an unmarked minefield. And my husband suddenly found himself in a peanut-butter-free house, which he took awfully stoically, seeing as how peanut butter had been a major food group for him for decades.

As the years have gone by, the outside world has become more aware of allergies. We now have a law that food manufacturers must list the top eight allergens in their ingredients labels, and they have to use the word “milk” instead of just “casein,” “whey,” or other non-obvious words. Manufacturers are responding more and more to their allergic customers. For example, Chex cereals used to have barley malt in them, so those with gluten problems (or a barley allergy, like me), couldn’t eat them. Now Chex cereals are proudly advertised as “gluten-free” and they’ve become a staple for people avoiding gluten. (They’re great crushed and used as a breading for chicken!) Every year, companies are making more allergen-free foods like cookies, cake mixes, and bread mixes.

And the day I discovered Sunbutter was the day my husband did a happy dance.

But still, finding all those allergy-friendly foods was challenging. Health food stores and Whole Foods Market are the most reliable sources, but if you don’t live in a major metropolitan area that has those stores, your shopping trip might include a lot of driving or expensive online orders. So when regular grocery stores like Harmon’s, Albertson’s, or Dick’s Market began expanding their allergy sections, it was always a cause for celebration.

But a whole aisle? Wow! This is big news in Layton! Now people in this part of Davis County no longer have to drive to Salt Lake City to find products like Sunbutter, Tofutti soy sour cream and cream cheese, Silk Live yogurt, Earth Balance margarine, or Enjoy Life! Foods.

But this development at Smith’s isn’t just good because it makes my own life more convenient. (Although I’m very grateful, Smith’s!) It shows that food allergies are becoming mainstream, with an estimated 12 million Americans living with them every day. On the one hand, that’s a bummer, because we all wish food allergies would simply vanish (tomorrow, if possible!). But on the other hand, since food allergies ARE becoming mainstream, it’s great to see mainstream retailers and manufacturers accept that we’re a growing target customer base and begin to carry more of the items we need, crave, and thrive on.

Being mainstreamed into regular grocery stores means more convenience, more variety, and less expense. For those of us with restrictive diets, those are huge benefits.

If you have a grocery store near you that seems to be beefing up their allergen-free shelves, find the manager and say thank you, or drop a thank you note in the mail.

For those of us used to swimming around in those dark, scary backwaters, it’s good to find ourselves being welcomed into the mainstream for once.

Cancelled – Fun in the Sun Carnival

2011-08-17T07:47:00.002-06:00

Due to problems securing a location, the UFAN Fun in the Sun Carnival has been cancelled. So sorry for the disappointment, but UFAN will be holding the extremely popular food-free Halloween party in October, so we’ll look forward to that instead!

Time to Re-Test?

2011-08-08T08:00:00.001-06:00

My son’s best friend was re-tested for food allergies two weeks ago. We were all anxiously awaiting the results. He’s been allergic to several foods since he was a baby, and every time he’s re-tested, we all keep our fingers crossed that he’ll have outgrown even one or two. Although he’s 13, we were once again hoping he’d outgrow some of them this time.

So the big day came, and he went to a trusted board-certified allergist for a skin-prick test.

What the doctor learned is that he is still extremely reactive to milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, and shellfish. We all have to admit, we were keeping our fingers crossed, and the fact that he is still allergic to so many foods is disappointing, even though we were emotionally prepared for that. And to add insult to injury, it looks like he might be allergic to flax now. (There is a greater risk for being allergic to flax if you’re already allergic to peanuts, I’ve heard.)

On the other hand, the doctor said it looks like our friend might be able to try raw tomatoes and sesame seeds in a food challenge to see if he can tolerate them now. So we were happy about that!

When it comes to food allergies, we are more than ready to celebrate even small victories. Being able to eat salsa made with fresh tomatoes will be a real treat for this boy (who loves commercial salsa with its high-heat processed tomatoes, which he can tolerate). And being able to tolerate sesame seeds will make finding safe hamburger buns a little easier for him, too.

So even though his big allergies (milk, eggs, nuts, fish) didn’t go away and he might have gained a new one, at least this time we’ve got a couple of his food allergies that we can be optimistic about. And if he has developed an allergy to flax, it’s better to find out in the doctor’s office and prepare for it, than have a sudden reaction somewhere and not have a clue what’s causing it.

His experience is a good reminder of how important it is to periodically re-test for food allergies, no matter how old the child (or adult) is.

Most allergists recommend children get re-tested once a year, but check with your allergist for your own particular needs. If it’s been over a year, it’s probably time to schedule a test with your allergist. Even if your child hasn’t outgrown any of his or her allergies, at least you’ll know for certain, and that brings its own type of confidence. And you never know… if he or she has outgrown one or more of her food allergies, that might make life just a little easier (and tastier) for both of you!

And that’s something worth celebrating.

Back to School Shopping List

2011-08-01T17:12:00.000-06:00

Don’t ask me where the summer has flown to, but it’s already back-to-school shopping time! This does NOT make my son happy. The mere sight of all those brightly colored school supplies lined up on the shelves of all the local department stores sends him into a deep blue funk. But whether he likes it or not, school is just around the corner, and I’m stocking up on paper and pens.

Of course, I also have to stock up on a few extra items because of his food allergies. So if you, too, are preparing a back-to-school shopping list for the food-allergic student in your life, don’t forget these essentials:

Epinephrine Injectors – Have yours expired since last year? It may be time to get new ones. I get a pair to leave at the school’s office, and a pair for him to carry in his lunch box (along with instructions). (EpiPens and Twinject are the two brands used in the U.S.) Be sure you check the expiration dates on the new ones to make sure they’ll last through the school year.
Antihistamine (Benadryl, Zyrtec, Claritin, Allegra, etc.) – Like with the EpiPens, I put some in the office, and some in his lunch box. Again, check the expiration dates.
Lunch Box – He always takes a home lunch and sits with his food-allergic buddy.
Thermos for hot foods – He lives on noodles, but these are great for safe soups, chili, and casseroles, too.
Food Containers – Invest in a few plastic containers that will fit inside the lunch box for things like salads, dressings, sandwiches, fruit, etc. They’re more economical, more ecological, and far less “squishable” than plastic baggies.
Beverage Thermos or water bottle
Handi-Wipes – I always put a couple of individually wrapped Handi-Wipes in his lunch box so he can clean off the table if he needs to.
Food Allergy Action Plan – Make an appointment with your child’s allergist or pediatrician now, and have them fill out a Food Allergy Action Plan to give to your school. I attach a current photo of my son, and then I make a few color copies of it. I give one to the school office, one to each of his teachers for them to hang in their classroom, and one to the school cafeteria manager for her to hang in the kitchen, so that the lunch workers will know him and recognize him if he has a reaction. If your doctor doesn’t have their own form, use this Food Allergy Action Plan from FAAN (Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network). It’s probably the most widely used form in the U.S., and most doctors recognize and use it.
Medical ID Bracelet or Necklace – If your child will wear one of these, it’s a great idea. It is a visual reminder for teachers of your child’s allergies, and it’s an instant help for EMTs who might be summoned if your child has a reaction.
Clean-up Wipes – I always take a couple of tubs of wipes to his teacher, for cleaning desks. (I usually take tubs to the teacher throughout the year, too, since they often go through them quickly.)

Do you have any other great suggestions for allergy-aware back-to-school supplies? Be sure to share them with us!

Happy shopping!

Touring Chili's Restaurant

2011-07-25T18:21:00.001-06:00

Every summer, I work with several other moms to arrange educational experiences and field trips for our kids during the summer – it’s kind of a co-op summer day camp. Last week, we went on a tour of the Chili’s Restaurant in Layton, Utah.

The main reason I chose this Chili’s is because I know my son’s best friend has been able to eat there despite his allergies to milk, egg, nuts, peanuts, and seafood. His mom has worked with one of the managers there several times, and they have always agreed to make his dinner safe for him.

When I called and explained to the manager Charles that we wondered if our group of 11 kids and 5 moms could have a “behind-the-scenes” tour of the kitchen, he bent over backwards for us. He had us come at 10:00 in the morning (before the restaurant opened), gave us a tour of the whole kitchen, had one of his managers (Scott) talk to us about what kind of training it takes to become a cook at Chili’s, and so on.

They also took the time to talk to us about how they handle food allergies, from how they separate their food preparation areas and their grill surfaces, to the menus they can show their customers. Chili’s actually has a whole set of allergy information on their website – updated every month – that breaks down their menu by the 8 most common allergens. If you’re allergic to milk, they have a list of suggested items you can order. If you’re allergic to eggs, there’s a different list for you. If you have multiple allergens, it’s a little more complicated, because you have to compare the lists until you find items that work for all your allergies. But still, the lists seem complete and very helpful. You can download the Chili’s Allergy Information here.

The managers printed out a copy of all 8 allergen menus for each of the kids in our group (2 of them have food allergies, but all of them care about each other), and answered all our questions. We were all very impressed with how helpful the manager and his staff were, and how they really seemed responsive to our food allergy needs in particular.

There’s never a guarantee, of course, when it comes to food allergies – accidents can happen at any time – but it’s nice to see yet another restaurant chain really take food allergy issues to heart and understand how important it is to take their customers’ concerns seriously.

Thanks, Chili’s, for giving us such a great tour… and for serving us such a wonderful and SAFE lunch afterwards!

Trying Out New Melons

2011-07-18T16:39:00.000-06:00

Summer is a great time for discovering new fresh produce!

Last week I discovered Swiss Chard and wrote about super-easy ways to prepare it. This week, I’ve been using my family as guinea pigs testing out new and different melons.

Ask anyone to name a few melons, and you’ll probably get the usual suspects: cantaloupe, honeydew, and watermelon. But there are a whole slew of different melons showing up in the markets these days, so I decided there’s only one way to find out if they’re any good!

Personally, I love cantaloupe, hate watermelon, and don’t particularly care for honeydew. So I eye new melons with an approach-avoidance thing. If it tastes like cantaloupe, I’ll be happy. If it tastes like watermelon, my husband and son will be on their own eating it.

But I’ve decided to experiment this month anyway, and so far, my luck is holding – I’ve really liked what I’ve discovered.

The first experiment was a big melon called a Galla. When I cut it open, it looked green like honeydew. But it has a much more cantaloupe sort of flavor – mild and sweet. I really liked it!

My second experiment was even more interesting. I found a “Lemondrop” melon at Sam’s Club and took it home to try. And I’m really glad I did. Inside, it’s green like a honeydew, but the flavor is a cross between a cantaloupe and a lemon – like a cantaloupe lemonade, maybe? Hence the name, Lemondrop! Sweet, surprisingly sour, and refreshing!

I’m headed back to the store tomorrow to try another new melon. If you’ve found a favorite, let me know!

Swiss Chard and Other Fresh Finds

2011-07-11T14:15:00.000-06:00

Finding fresh vegetables and fruits at the store, farmers’ markets, and roadside stands is definitely one of the highlights of summer.

Last week, my son and I got to go on a tour with some friends of a local farm, East Farms, which grows more than 50 types of vegetables and supplies grocery stores and restaurants all across Utah. It was fascinating to learn first-hand how farmers buy and share water to irrigate their fields, to learn how many varieties of vegetables can grow in this climate, and to see how much work it takes to bring fresh veggies to our table every day.

My son even got to practice putting a rubber band around a bunch of spinach. Sounds easy, but he ended up shredding many of the leaves and took far too many seconds – professional pickers can cut and band around 95 bunches of spinach an hour, we heard. We have a whole new appreciation for something that looks simple and that we take for granted in the grocery store.

We also learned that our whole growing season here in Utah is about a month behind normal – so it’s not just my own garden that had a hard time getting started this year!

Even though it’s early, there are still some delicious finds in the produce aisle and farmers’ stands these days. My latest discovery is Swiss Chard. I planted some this year only because I couldn’t find any spinach to plant, and the nursery recommended Swiss Chard as an alternative. I took a chance and planted it. So far, it’s the only thing in my garden that’s growing like gangbusters, so I’m glad I did. If nothing else, it makes my garden look good. But fortunately, it also tastes good!

I hit the internet to figure out what to do with it, and found that it’s easy to prepare. Swiss Chard is similar to cooked spinach, but with a little more flavor (but milder than kale). Consumer Reports even mentioned it this month, describing it as an “overlooked” vegetable worth trying, having “a wealth of nutrients” including iron, magnesium, potassium, and vitamins A, C, E, and K, which are all “key for growth and immune system support.” (See Consumer Reports’ “Five Overlooked Vegetables that Deserve a Second Chance.”)

The easiest way I found to cook it is to just cut or tear it into big pieces (2 inches or so), then sauté it with a little garlic in olive oil and safe margarine (about one tablespoon of each), until it wilts like cooked spinach. It’s good plain like that, or if you want, you can add a dash of your favorite flavoring to the sauté: lemon juice, white wine, or balsamic vinegar. (Sprinkling the sautéed Swiss Chard with parmesan cheese is also tasty, if you’re not allergic to dairy.) My family really liked this – even my picky son.

Another day, I sautéed diced tomatoes with the Swiss Chard using the same recipe, then put it over pasta with some sautéed shrimp. Replace the shrimp with crumbled bacon, grilled sliced chicken, or whatever your family likes for a fast and fresh summer dinner.

As the farmers’ markets are getting started, I hope to find some more fun veggies or fruits to try. If you run across an interesting new or “overlooked” veggie or a great summer recipe for an old standby, please share it! We can all use a little fresh summertime inspiration.

Caribbean Memories

2011-07-04T11:46:00.000-06:00

I’m looking at a photo of my son pretending to drink a “sandy colada” on the beach in St. Martin. It’s one of a couple thousand photos we and our Baltimore friends took while we spent a week together on a 46-foot catamaran sailboat exploring the Dutch and French West Indies islands in the Caribbean. We just got back a few days ago, and I think I’ve nearly gotten all the sand out of our duffle bags – but not out of our memories, like this photo.

It was an incredible trip. Combine two couples who’ve been friends forever, their four boys ranging in age from 12 to 21, a week of perfect weather (despite the fact that it’s the start of hurricane season… whew!), a sailboat, a million tropical fish, assorted sea turtles, sting rays, barracuda, a nurse shark (“No, really, Mom, they’re practically harmless!”), and a giant pile of snorkel and scuba gear, and you’ve got a recipe for paradise.

At least in my cookbook, that is.

We chartered the sailboat from The Moorings, a company that charters boats all over the world. One of the nice things about this company is that they provide you with a list of meals for the week, you select the food you want, and they’ll stock the boat for you when you arrive. On the menu list, I make copious notes about the food allergies we have in our group (my son’s peanut and tree nut allergies, and the other mom’s kiwi allergy), and they are pretty good about making sure the provisions they bring on board are safe. I always go through every item carefully to make sure nothing sneaks by, and if it does, the company is good about swapping it for something else.

We cook most meals on board, so that makes it easy to control any allergens. And when we eat at a bar or restaurant on shore, we can usually check ingredients labels or talk directly to the chef to make sure the food is safe. If not, I carry a load of safe granola bars as a backup plan.

We’ve found that as the years go by, more and more people are aware of food allergies, even in the more remote places where we travel. It’s slowly becoming easier to talk to chefs – they understand immediately the seriousness of allergies, and they are usually willing to suggest safe alternatives. And labeling is becoming universally more allergy-friendly, so even local brands are making an effort to indicate allergens or allergy-friendly manufacturing processes.

Things have changed a lot in the last ten years, for the better, making travel a little bit easier every year. Of course, I still have to read everything, check everything, talk to everyone, and pack a ton of my own food supplies…you can’t stop being vigilante, ever. But at least there are growing options and increased awareness.

And that makes me happy, because experiencing all the world has to offer is an irresistible goal for our family – and my son would rather live on two weeks’ worth of safe granola bars alone rather than risk missing out on swimming through tropical coral reefs and play peek-a-boo with a nurse shark. Me? I could live without the shark. But those iridescent blue parrot fish?… Never!

Food Allergy Tables at School

2011-06-27T08:00:00.000-06:00

A frequent question I get from parents of kids just about to enter first grade is “What do we do about school lunch?” One solution that has worked for my son is an “allergy table” in the school cafeteria. I’ve written about this before, but since it’s a perennial question – and an important one – I thought I’d write about it again.

My sixth-grade son has eaten at an "allergy table" since first grade. What's made it great is that his best friend also has allergies, so they both sit at the table together. When the best friend is on vacation or sick, there's another friend whose mom I can call and ask if she'll send a safe lunch with her daughter so her daughter can sit with him. (My son, his allergic best friend, and the non-allergic girl have all been best buds since they were babies.)

I worried about the isolation, but that's never been a problem with him. His friends understand the allergies, and they've never (so far as I know) made any big deal about him sitting apart from them. They all seem to know it's just so he's safe, not that he's anti-social. He has tons of good buddies that he plays with as soon as he's done eating, so no one seems to care that he's not sitting with them for the "food" part of the lunchtime. In fact, the friends sit at the closest “regular” table, so they turn around and talk to each other while eating, anyway.

Here's what's interesting: my son and his allergic buddy are so attached to their table, they've always kind of felt like it was their "club" and anyone who brought a safe lunch to sit with them was cool. Other allergy kids have also sat at the table through the years, so it's been a safe haven for them all.

They've been doing this for 6 years now, and even though they're old enough to try sitting with their trusted friends at another table, they actually aren't interested in doing that.

In fact, my son's friend was out of town for a week last November. So I asked my son if he'd like to try sitting next to some trusted friends at a non-allergy table while his best pal was gone. He said yeah, so we talked about who he would sit with, and that if he didn't feel safe, he could always go back to the allergy table.

The first day, he came home and said it was great, he had a blast with his friends, and everything went well. The next day, he went back to sitting at his allergy table by himself. I asked him why, and he said it was faster (he didn't have to wait for his friends while they stood in line) and he didn't have to worry about anything. So for him, it was just easier and more efficient to have his own table, and it reduced the stress of something unfamiliar, even though there hadn't been any problem the day before.

He wolfs down his food in minutes and hits the playground with his buddies fast anyway, so the eating part is really the least important part of lunch, he says.

I think both boys have really come to rely on the safety of that table. It eliminates all stress from the eating part of the day, and because they have each other, they don't feel isolated. But even when they're not together at the table, they don't seem to feel isolated, because their other buddies still like them and play with them.

So.... this is a long way of saying that the lunch table may look isolating to us grown-ups, but it might NOT feel that way to your child. If you’re contemplating asking your school if your child can sit at an allergy table, I think the main thing is to find a friend or two or three who would be willing to bring a "safe" lunch to school once or twice a week to sit with him/her. Maybe you could talk to the moms, explain the situation, and see if their kid would be willing to be your child's lunch buddy on Mondays, for example. And find another one for Tuesday, etc.

Change is always difficult, and the transition to all-day school is always scary, but it might not be as bad as you think. I guess a lot of it is just in the mental preparation and how you approach it. My son and his friend approach it like a "club" and they've had friends over the years who've asked if they could bring a safe lunch to sit with them. That's pretty special, not isolating.

As for the logistical details – the lunch staff uses signs to designate the allergy table, and they use a separate bucket of cleaning solution and separate rag just for this table. The boys actually sit at a split table -- one side of it is nut-free, and the other side is nut- and milk-free (also egg-free, but we find that eliminating milk eliminates most egg-containing products, too). The split table is because there are nut-allergic kids who get school lunch and drink milk, so they need a safe place, too. And they tend to be VERY careful with all food, knowing that the kids at the other side of the table are allergic to different foods. It's worked fine, and they've never had a problem (knock on wood). So I made two signs, one that says “No Nuts or Peanuts” and one that says “No Nuts or Milk.” I print the signs on card stock, then laminate them. Then the cafeteria staff tapes each sign to the appropriate side of the table, and they stay there.

The boys also know if someone tries to sit at the table with unsafe foods, they can either explain the situation to the confused kid, or go get a lunchroom staff member to remove the kid. It’s worked well for six years.

So if you’re contemplating an allergy table at your child’s school, I hope our positive experience helps. But remember that there are a lot of other parents and kids who’ve chosen NOT to sit at an allergy table, and they’ve had great success, too. So it’s really up to what you and your child want and feel comfortable with. Let your own comfort level be your guide.

Latest Study on Allergies and Allergy Testing

2011-06-20T08:01:00.000-06:00

Last month, a new study on allergy testing from Quest Diagnostics, manufacturer of the ImmunoCAP® IgE blood test for allergy diagnostic testing, was released. Quest Diagnostics used its access to the largest national database of allergy blood test results – with results from two million patient encounters – to analyze the effect of allergies on the health of Americans. The 4-year study didn’t measure the prevalence of allergies in the general population (plenty of other studies have done that). Instead, it looked at people who were already suspected of having allergies (both food and environmental allergies), in an effort to see how allergies are changing or affecting the allergic population.

Some of the study’s key findings include:

The overall sensitization rate (patients having an allergen-specific IgE) increased by 5.8% over 4 years.
The number of patients tested for allergies increased over those 4 years by 19%, which Quest says is significantly faster than the growth in general laboratory testing.
Sensitization to ragweed and mold is increasing rapidly, which is consistent with other studies that show climate change may be linked to an increase in environmental allergies (because of the change in growing habits of plants, for example).
Men showed higher sensitization rates than women.
Children showed higher sensitization rates than adults.
Peanuts were the most common food allergen in kids who were tested for food allergies, with 30% of the kids under 5 years of age and nearly 25% of the kids from 6 to 18 testing positive for peanut.
Patients with asthma have more allergies (averaging 4.1 allergens per person) than patients without asthma (averaging 3.4 allergens).

Another interesting part of the study is that it confirms the “Allergy March,” which shows a disease progression where children with sensitivities often develop different allergic diseases as they mature, for example: moving from a single food allergy in childhood, to environmental allergies, to asthma.

In most cases, this study seems to be confirming what we already know or at last suspected about allergies and allergy testing from smaller studies. This study is significant, however, because of the sheer size of the patient base, and the fact that it used blood tests rather than patient-response surveys for its data.

To read the complete study and learn more about its findings, click Quest Diagnostics Health Trends Allergy Report 2011, “Allergies Across America.”

Emergency Kits

2011-06-13T08:00:00.001-06:00

It’s been a bad year for natural disasters. Earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanoes, tornadoes, wildfires, flooding… and we’re just barely starting hurricane season.

Until we’ve lived through one, it’s hard to imagine what we’d do in a natural disaster. But it’s safe to say that thinking calmly and rationally might not be our first reaction – at least for most of us! (Okay, at least for me.) What if you only had a few minutes to throw things into a suitcase and escape? What if you don’t even have that much time?

Every time I see a news report talking about people being evacuated to a shelter, I worry about the people arriving who have food allergies. I doubt the shelters are equipped to handle people with food allergies – especially multiple food allergies. Perhaps they are – maybe they have meals set aside for people allergic to gluten, milk, eggs, and nuts, for example. But more likely, they’re making do with whatever they have on hand, and the cross-contamination alone must be a constant threat.

That’s why experts say it’s important to prepare an emergency evacuation kit before there’s a natural disaster, so that you don’t forget something vital, like medications, phone numbers, safe food, and cash.

There are lots of websites you can visit to find recommendations on how to pack an emergency kit, such as:

But one thing these sites might not mention is to pack essentials for your food allergic family member. So when you’re assembling an emergency kit, remember to pack:

EpiPens (or TwinJect)
Antihistamine (Benadryl, Claritin, Zyrtec, Allegra, etc.)
Safe food (Sunbutter, gluten-free crackers, beef jerky, or whatever will sustain you for 3 days)
Copy of your medical insurance card
Phone numbers of important people, including relatives and doctors

If you’ve got these things with you, at least you’ll have one less thing to worry about. One emergency at a time is enough.

Plan to Attend the Free UFAN Food Allergy Conference

2011-06-06T08:00:00.002-06:00

Have you registered yet for the first annual Utah Food Allergy Conference? It’s going to be held on Saturday, June 25, 2011 at the Intermountain Medical Center in Murray, in the Doty Family Education Center (5121 South Cottonwood Street, Murray, Utah).

And it’s free!

Hosted by the Utah Food Allergy Network (UFAN), the one-day conference will be the first in Utah to focus entirely on food allergies. You’ll hear from a truly impressive line-up of local and national speakers:

Richard Hendershot, MD, president of the Utah Society of Allergy & Asthma
Eleanor Garrow, VP of Education and Outreach for FAAN (the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network)
Gina Clowes, from AllergyMoms
Sharlene Coombs, Registered Dietician
Jan Bernhisel-Broadbent, MD, allergist
Molly O’Gorman, MD, pediatric gastroenterologist
Kathryn Peterson, MD, adult gastroenterologist

The conference runs from 9:00am – 1:00pm, and includes a Q&A session at the end. You won’t want to miss this event.

The conference is already filling up fast, so don’t wait to register.

Go to UFAN's website at http://www.utahfoodallergy.org/ for more information and to register online. Do it now, while you’re thinking about it!

We’ll also be announcing our first annual UFAN Excellence Awards at the conference to recognize people who’ve made a difference for the food-allergic community in Utah. Know someone who deserves an award? Nominate them by June 10th clicking the UFAN Excellence Awards 2011 Nomination Form here.

See you there!

Etiquette Lunch – A Success!

2011-05-30T15:23:00.002-06:00

Last week I wrote about preparing for my son’s “etiquette lunch” with his sixth grade class at a local restaurant. I mentioned that I and another mom visited the restaurant, discussed safe menu items they could serve our two food-allergic boys, arranged for allergy-aware friends to sit with the boys, and had the support of both the teachers and the restaurant manager.

So, how did it go?

“Epic,” says my son. “The food was amazing – it was tasty and they catered to our needs. It was good to sit with my friends because they know about my food allergies and could help me.”

When I asked him if he felt different or isolated, he said “No.” All the kids sat in groups at various tables, so his was just another table of silly kids laughing and having a good time. He said no one made a big deal of his allergies or anything else.

I know that accidents can happen, and that the best intentions and plans can still go awry because of unforeseen contaminations. But teaching my son how to be prepared and careful will go a long ways towards reducing the number of accidents he’ll encounter.

That’s especially true as he is about to enter his teenage years (he’s 12 now). Statistically, the most dangerous time for food-allergic people is during their teen years – they are feeling more rebellious, more image-conscious (they don’t want to carry those bulky EpiPens), more peer pressure (“Come on, try it!”), and more embarrassed about everything that makes them seem different. And then there’s that whole dating and kissing thing – can you picture the enormous self-esteem it will take for a teen boy to ask a girl if she’s eaten peanuts, milk, or eggs before he kisses her? And the self-control to keep from kissing her if she has? Hoo boy. These are not years I’m looking forward to.

So all I can do is hope that I’m modeling the careful behaviors I want him to use when he spends more time on his own and away from his protective mom. This etiquette lunch was a good example of how a little prep work can keep him from missing out on a fun experience, or worse, keep him from interrupting a fun experience with a trip to the ER.

While other sixth graders were learning how to keep a napkin in their laps and which fork to use with a salad, my son was also learning how to keep from suffering a life-threatening emergency at a restaurant. Just a little extra sixth-grade lesson.

I can’t wait to see what new challenges junior high brings.

Navigating School Events

2011-05-23T11:40:00.000-06:00

I’ve said many times that the older my son gets, the easier it is to manage his food allergies. He can read labels, he knows to stay away from birthday cakes, and he is perfectly willing to quiz a waiter or cook on ingredients if I’m not there to do it for him.

But that doesn’t mean we don’t still encounter new challenges each year. This year, for example, he’s in sixth grade. As part of the sixth grade curriculum, the students are learning about manners and etiquette. Tomorrow they’ll cap off this unit with an “etiquette lunch” at a local restaurant. Just picture this: 100 sixth graders are descending upon a restaurant, dressed in their Sunday best, with the goal of showing off the manners they’ve been learning.

Ugh. Sounds like the ragged edge of disaster if you ask me. But somehow the teachers have pulled this off two previous years in a row, so they are undaunted and confident that the kids will behave themselves and won’t devolve into a reenactment of that famous food fight scene from Animal House.

Of course, lunch at a restaurant sounds fun, but the food they’ll be serving is full of milk, eggs, and possibly nuts (this particular restaurant serves lots of nuts in several entrees). So for my son and his friend who both have food allergies, we’ve had to make some extra preparations.

I have to admit, at the beginning of the year when we first heard about this lunch, I and the other boy’s mom (Kim) both had the same first reaction – maybe we’ll just keep our boys home that day. But then we quickly realized that would make them miss out on an event that the other kids would all be looking forward to. Our goal has always been to make sure our boys are treated the same way, experience life the same way, and enjoy activities the same way as other kids. So we decided to see if we could make this experience work before we gave up on it totally.

Now the time for the lunch is almost here. So this morning, Kim and I went to the restaurant to talk to the manager. After some discussion, we came up with a plan – while the other kids are eating turkey and mashed potatoes with gravy, quesadillas, and dessert, the restaurant will cook two plain chicken breasts and plain rice for our two boys. Then Kim and I will bring from home some safe plain tortillas and a slice of safe apple pie for our boys. That way, they’ll be able to eat approximately the same things as the other kids at the same time, making the experience as normal as possible.

We also talked to the teachers a few weeks ago and requested that our boys sit at a table with a couple of their friends who know and understand their food allergies. The teachers were 100% committed to keeping our boys safe, and promised that they’d make sure they were surrounded by their “allergy-aware” buddies to create a safe zone.

So… we have a food plan, we have the restaurant manager’s support, we have the teachers’ support, we have allergy-aware buddies lined up to help, and of course we’ll have EpiPens and Benadryl on hand, as usual. And even better – Kim is going to be there as a chaperone.

I think we’re as prepared as we can be. Now we’ll just keep our fingers crossed that all goes according to plan tomorrow.

I’ll let you know next week how it went!

Food Allergy Books for Kids

2011-05-16T13:34:00.001-06:00

A great way to help kids learn about their own food allergies, or to help their classmates in preschool or elementary school learn about food allergies, is through colorful, informative, and engaging book.

The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) blazed the trail with food allergy books for kids. On their website, you can find plenty of books they’ve produced, as well as books written by other authors and publishers (see FAAN's books for kids here). Many more food allergy titles are available on http://www.amazon.com/ and http://www.barnesandnoble.com./

Here’s what my survey of food allergy books for kids turned up. I haven't read them all, so I don't guarantee they'll fit your needs, but use this list as a starting point. Got a favorite I haven’t listed? Post a comment and share the title and author!

Alexander the Elephant – This wonderful series of books from FAAN covers lots of events, like school bullies, babysitters, plane rides, birthday parties, and Halloween trick-or-treating. There are also coloring books. Alexander is allergic to peanuts, and his friends are allergic to other common allergens, so the lessons are universal. The Halloween book is a great way to prepare little ones for a safe trick-or-treating experience.

Lenny the Lion – Also from FAAN and similar to Alexander the Elephant, Lenny the Lion is allergic to milk. Perfect for little kids, this series includes Lenny Learns About Food Labels and How Lenny Found Out About His Food Allergy.

Susie’s Sister Has a Food Allergy – This FAAN book is perfect for siblings who are maybe a little confused or even jealous of the attention their allergic sibling receives.

Kim Goes to Camp – This FAAN book is for slightly older kids who may be worried about going to sleep-away camp. In Kim Learns How to Take Care of Herself, Kim learns the value of managing her own food allergies and eczema.

Allergy Tales, by Carey S. Shoemaker – FAAN and Amazon offer two books in this line: A Birthday Party, and Making Friends.

The BugaBees: Friends with Food Allergies, by Amy Recob – This book features 8 bugs with different food allergies having fun together in a variety of places.

No Lobster, Please!, by Robyn Rogers – James starts out upset, but learns that he’ll be okay with his seafood allergy if he’s careful.

One of the Gang, by Gina Clowes – Includes photos of real children “who come together to understand and cope with their feelings about living with food allergies.”

The Peanut-Free Café, by Gloria Koster – In this story, teachers and friends find a way to make school lunch safe and fun for a new peanut-allergic student.

Why Am I Different, by Naomi Antenucci – A picture book for preschoolers that explains how having a food allergy is just part of who they are.

Taking Food Allergies to School, by Ellen Weiner – A colorful picture book that explains food allergies to kids. Includes a Kids’ Quiz and Ten Tips for Teachers.

Allie the Allergic Elephant, Chad the Allergic Chipmunk, and Cody the Allergic Cow, all by Nicole Smith – A good introduction to food allergies for kids. Allie is allergic to peanuts, Chad is allergic to tree nuts, and Cody is allergic to milk.

The Princess and the Peanut Allergy – A girl plans her birthday party, complete with a nutty brownie birthday cake, but when she finds out her friend can’t come because of her peanut allergy, they have a big fight. Then the birthday girl reads “the Princess and the Pea” and realizes that her friend is so sensitive that even a tiny piece of peanut can hurt her – just like the tiny pea under the princess’s mattresses. So the birthday girl finds a solution that will make everyone happy.

A Day at the Playground with Food Allergies, by Tracie Schrand – Shows why it’s important to be careful at the playground, and why sharing isn’t always a good idea.

No Nuts for Nutty, and Nutty Scurries to School, by Stacey Fisher – In this series, Nutty the squirrel can’t eat nuts.

Abby the Alley Cat: Staying Safe from Dairy, by Myronie McKee – A picture book about Abby and how she refused dairy without feeling like she’s missing out.

The Very Non-Dairy Christmas, by Stephanie Haag Foraker – Jonathan feels sad that he’s missing out on Christmas goodies because of his milk allergy, but guess who is also learning to deal with a milk allergy? Santa!

Food Allergies and Me: A Children’s Book, by Juniper Skinner – Join Jack for a day as he goes to school, an allergist visit, and a playground, and even takes his own “safe cupcake” to a birthday party.

The Day I Met The Nuts, by Mary Rand Hess – A boy discovers he’s allergic to The Nuts one day at school, and goes through a range of emotions and he learns about them.

The Allergy Buddy Club, by Cindy Rice Andrea – From the Green Apple Tales, this book shows three animal friends learning how to protect themselves, make new friends, and help others. The book includes info for adults, as well as two recipes at the end.

Can I Eat This?, by Trinace Johnson – Appears different from other food allergy books because this one uses rhymes and crosses racial barriers.

Horace and Morris Say Cheese (Which Makes Delores Sneeze), by James How, Amy Walrod, and Jason Harris – Delores the Mouse finds out she’s allergic to cheese just before the big Everything Cheese Festival, and all she can think about is cheese. These characters appear in two other books (non-allergy related), and the language is rhythmic and delightful.

Everyday Cool with Food Allergies, by Michael Pistiner, MD – Designed for both kids and their caregivers, it discusses food allergy safety and management.

Food Allergy Awareness Week, May 8-14, 2011

2011-05-09T11:15:00.000-06:00

Welcome to Food Allergy Awareness Week!

It seems like everyone is raising awareness these days, about one cause or another. After a while, it can start to feel a little boring – gee, another week, another cause. Do we really need to be “aware” of all these things?

Well, yeah. I think we do.

When I was younger (at least a hundred years ago, it seems), no one knew much about anything. Food allergies? I didn’t know anyone who had them. Autism? Never heard of it. Heart disease in women? Nah – only men got heart attacks, right? Breast cancer? I didn’t know about it until my beloved grandmother suddenly got it and died, leaving me devastated. Disabilities? Why should we make businesses, homes, and retail stores accessible to people in wheelchairs – do they spend money, crave social activities, and want to enjoy life, too? Depression? That was something you were supposed to either snap out of or take Valium for, but it was all in your head anyway, so just stop feeling sorry for yourself.

Awareness. In the last twenty years, we’ve all become a lot more aware of a lot of things, and not just because we became grownups, either. We began to talk about things that had been taboo before. Individuals got tired of reinventing the wheel when their child or loved one was diagnosed with a scary condition, and they began to band together, to seek each other out, to build campaigns to teach the rest of the world what it is like be them. And we learned something… we learned that everyone is the same the world over, we all have challenges, and often it doesn’t take a lot of effort to understand each other and make the world a little easier for us all to live in together.

Food allergy awareness has blossomed in the last eleven years since my son was diagnosed. Back then, restaurants were clueless, teachers were scared and/or skeptical, and patients and their families felt isolated.

A decade later, through the tireless efforts of organizations like the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN), Kids With Food Allergies, and the Utah Food Allergy Network (UFAN) it’s already a new and more tolerant environment for my son. His school has implemented food allergy policies. Teammates on his sports teams have had allergies, too, so the coaches are clued in. Restaurants bring him special menus. There have been television shows, magazine and newspaper articles, and dozens of books produced to teach everyone about food allergies.

Awareness – just that, just being aware – has made the world a lot safer for my son and the other 12 million Americans who have food allergies. Sure, there are still dangers, still people who don’t “get it,” and still situations that put him at risk, but every year those dangers are being minimized by other people – friends, family, or total strangers – who understand how serious food allergies are and are willing to take an extra step or two to keep him safe.

So I’m thrilled to help celebrate Food Allergy Awareness Week, and I hope you’ll join me in helping to spread the word. It doesn’t take much:

Talk to someone about food allergies.
Give a short presentation to your kid’s class about allergies.
Read a food allergy book for your local library’s story time.
Ask a restaurant how they handle food allergies.
Donate allergen-free food to your local food bank (Sunbutter, WowButter, gluten-free pasta, Enjoy Life granola bars, etc., all make great donations).
Make a cash donation to UFAN or FAAN to help further education, advocacy, and research.

UFAN has a whole week’s worth of great ideas for celebrating FAAW, including signing up for the Food Allergy Walk in October, so check it out at http://www.utahfoodallergy.org/. Or go to FAAN’s website to see their ideas: http://www.foodallergy.org/.

Whatever you do, no matter how small, know that you’re making a difference in someone’s life this week. Thank you!

Happy (and Safe) Cinco de Mayo!

2011-05-02T11:12:00.001-06:00

Hola!

Everyone’s favorite pseudo-holiday, Cinco de Mayo, is this Thursday! Because we Americans love any excuse to celebrate, we’ve co-opted yet another minor holiday and turned it into a giant beer- and food-filled fiesta! (Think St. Patrick’s day, but with spicier fare.)

Not that I’m complaining, mind you. I love Mexican food! (And the margaritas are nice, too.)

But while you’re celebrating, keep in mind that Mexican restaurants are one of the most likely places for a nut-allergic person to have a food allergy reaction.

Nuts, you ask? At a Mexican restaurant? Dairy, sure. Seafood, okay. But nuts?

Yep, nuts.

Mole (pronounced "mole-ay") sauces, a mainstay of many upscale Mexican restaurants, are wonderful, flavorful sauces for enchiladas. However, almost all mole sauces are made from ground-up nuts – almonds and peanuts being two of the most common, but not the only ones.

But moles aren’t the only culprits. Plain ol’ enchilada sauce – that ubiquitous red sauce that smothers enchiladas, burritos, heuvos rancheros, and just about anything else that comes on a plate, can often have a nut warning on the label.

So before you move your fiesta to a restaurant, call ahead or check their website to see if there are safe menu items for your nut-allergic family member or friend. My son knows to stick with a plain cheese quesadilla whenever we go to our favorite Mexican establishments, but that would never work for someone allergic to milk, of course.

Mexican food is delicious and often fairly easy to make at home, where you have complete control over the ingredients. So this year, consider turning Cinco de Mayo into a fun-filled family fiesta, with everyone joining in the cooking activities!

Tacos are super-easy (even for little ones to help with), and they can be made with any protein source you’re not allergic to (shredded pork, ground beef, chicken, fish, shrimp, black beans, pinto beans, etc.) a few safe spices, diced onions, tomatoes, black olives, lettuce or spinach, salsa, etc. If you’re allergic to milk, try Tofutti’s soy sour cream and Daiya’s shredded vegan cheddar cheese (also soy-free) for toppings (both found at Whole Foods and some health-food markets).

Add some safe corn or flour tortillas, or some home-made cornbread (use rice milk and your favorite egg substitute in the recipe – bakes up great!), and some fresh fruit, and you’ve got yourself a simple school-night dinner that’s muy bueno! And for an extra treat for the kids (and for the adults who aren’t interested in beer or margaritas), check the Mexican food aisle at your grocery store for some authentic Mexican sodas, in flavors like pineapple and mango. It’s a super-simple addition that can make an ordinary meal into something a little more especial!

UFAN's Easter Egg Hunt a Success!

2011-04-25T23:27:00.000-06:00

Today, I've asked Michelle Fogg, president of the Utah Food Allergy Network, to write about the first annual UFAN Easter Egg Hunt, which was held on Saturday, April 23! Thanks, Michelle!

The holidays... Oh, how I love them but oh, how they present many challenges for the food allergic and their families! Back in 2005 when my first child was diagnosed with severe food allergies to peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, milk, soy, and mustard, a community, neighborhood, church, or even family Easter egg hunt would have been completely out of the question. Hunting for eggs would have been like navigating through a minefield since almost all candy/food contained her allergens and could cause a life-threatening reaction if innocently ingested...who can keep a 15 month old from putting things in her mouth when they look so pretty in those shiny brightly colored wrappers?!

On Saturday, the Utah Food Allergy Network provided parents and children with a totally worry-free environment during our first annual food-free Easter egg hunt! Thanks to the hard work, tenacity, and generosity of our new Marketing & Outreach Coordinator, Maryann Alston, and the other volunteers, it was a huge success! Over 100 people were in attendance and I felt so happy and humble to be able to offer our members a chance to participate in a community egg hunt where they didn't have to go without! The kids got to mingle with and meet the Easter bunny himself, dance and hop around to some festive music, and then hunt their hearts away while filling their baskets with as much as they could with no worries...they got to keep it all! Toys, trinkets, coloring books, movies, balls, stickers galore, but I could tell that what provided the most satisfaction for all involved was seeing the kids uninhibited and safe. In the world of food allergies where everyday requires vigilance and awareness, even without candy, it was so sweet to savor a moment of freedom! We also proved that you don't have to have food to have FUN!!

We have received many unsolicited responses and notes of thanks from those who attended but none summed it up better, or made me cry, than the following post on our UFAN Facebook page by Melanie in Riverton who said, "I just want to say THANK YOU for the Easter Egg hunt. It was the first one my 9 year old participated in that we didn't have to go home and trade out all of the candy. I didn't think it was that big of a deal to him until I saw how differently he acted at this hunt today. He was so excited to go through his eggs. Then he was dancing around as he waited in line to redeem his tickets. Thanks again and again. I'm so glad there are people out there who get it." These photos are worth a million words.

The Salt Lake Tribune also wrote a great article which helps raise food allergy awareness, of which I am SO thankful. ("Kids Celebrate Allergy-Free Easter," Salt Lake Tribune, 4/23/2011) We have already been able to reach out to numerous new members and have surely raised some awareness! I am looking forward to next year already and can't wait to do it all again and try to make it even better!! Thank you to all who attended and gave of their support and sentiments...it really keeps us motivated to serve you. :)

Michelle Fogg, President
Utah Food Allergy Network

Mandatory School Lunches

2011-04-18T16:23:00.000-06:00

Last week, the Chicago Tribune ran an article about a public school on Chicago’s West Side that has banned home lunches (“Chicago School Bans Some Lunches Brought From Home,” Chicago Tribune, 4/11/11). The principal feels that kids who bring lunches from home aren’t bringing healthy choices, so now all kids are required to buy a school lunch.

However, they do make an exception for medical reasons, such as allergies.

I’m a huge believer in nutrition. So many studies have linked good nutrition with improved learning and decreased behavior problems that I find it hard to believe schools don’t make healthy nutrition a priority. I firmly believe that schools should buy and provide fresh vegetables and wholesome products (and use locally produced food when possible). I believe vending machines in schools should not serve junk food and soda, but should sell healthy snacks, juices, and water. Kids and their parents are welcome to buy junk food on their own time. They can survive without it for 6 hours out of the day.

But while I strongly encourage schools to provide nutritious lunches, I don’t quite understand forbidding students from bringing a lunch from home.

I completely understand and joyously support schools that forbid home-made treats in the classroom, for hygiene and health reasons. I like knowing that food being shared by everyone in class wasn’t handled by someone’s snotty little brother with a virus infection and poor hygiene habits. And I like knowing that food being shared by everyone doesn’t have an allergen or contamination that will put allergic kids at risk, and factory labels help minimize that.

But lunches aren’t shared with the entire class, so the infection/contamination problem isn’t as large of an issue. So it becomes a more individual choice, and less a matter of group health.

It’s true that kids who pack their own lunch can’t always be counted on to pack nutritious lunches. But I think that’s the fault and responsibility of the parents – they should be ensuring that their children make healthy food choices for the right reasons.

I don’t think requiring kids to buy a lunch at school and forbidding home lunches is going to accomplish what the principal expects, because it’s a one-size-fits-all solution that doesn’t quite fit all. The article says it appears that many of the kids buy the lunch because they have to, then throw it all away because they don’t like it. That’s a lot of wasted food and hungry kids. That didn’t accomplish anything useful for those kids, and it wasted both private and personal dollars.

Heaven knows it’s not easy being a principal, administrator, or head of a school district. And there are never any easy answers. This principal must have felt that requiring students to buy a school lunch would protect them from themselves and from the poor choice some invariably make. But I don’t think it’s going to prove to be the answer she was looking for. The right answer is probably a more flexible, and therefore more complicated one.

In my humble opinion, her decision to make her school offer nutritious lunches is great. But instead of forcing parents to buy those lunches, she should focus on incorporating nutrition education into the curriculum so that kids see the value in it, maybe add some communication to parents showing the demonstrated links between good nutrition and enhanced school performance so the parents can reinforce those concepts at home, and then let the parents and children make their own decisions, even if they are bad. That’s the point of education, after all. We train our children to face their futures by giving them all the tools we can, then stepping aside to let them forge their own successes and their own mistakes.

It’s not really a food allergy issue. The article says kids with food allergies would be exempt from having to buy the school lunch. And presumably the school would make exceptions for religious beliefs, such as kosher restrictions, allowing those kids to also bring home lunches. So selfishly, this policy wouldn’t really affect me even if my school adopted it. But I think it’s an example of someone trying to force their single “right way” onto the entire population. There is seldom a single “right way.” There are good ideas, and good intentions, but they are never as useful if they aren’t backed up by education and flexibility.

ID Tags for Allergies

2011-04-11T11:48:00.000-06:00

As my son has gotten older and has started attending school and participating in sports, I realized that there were times when I wouldn’t be with him, and that means other adults will have to know how to help him if he has a food allergy reaction.

I dutifully talked to all of his teachers and his coaches, taught them how to use the EpiPens and what to watch for. Then one day I was looking at all 25 backpacks hanging on hooks in his classroom, and wondered to myself, “How will the teacher know which of these 25 backpacks has his medicine in it?”

My solution? I went online and found a site that makes luggage tags with photos on one side, and contact info on the other.

A couple of weeks ago, Dr. Douglas Jones of Rocky Mountain Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology in Layton, showed me a similar type of tag he’s created for all of his food allergy patients (and an asthma version for his asthma patients), because the same worry had occurred to him.

So I wanted to share these ideas with you. I put a tag on my son’s lunch box, his backpack, and his soccer bag, so that the teacher or coach can find it immediately in the pile of other bags.

Dr. Jones’ tags have a pocket that contains a card with complete information about the type of medicine to administer, instructions for administering it, and contact information. A neon sticker on the outside of the tag grabs your attention.

The luggage tags I ordered didn’t have room for such complete information, so I list my son’s name, allergies, type of medicine, and contact phone numbers. Then, inside the pouch that contains his medicine, I have a laminated card with more complete emergency information on one side, and general information about how to recognize and respond to a food allergy emergency on the other.

If your kids are in school or in sports, you might want to consider creating an ID tag for their bags for the same reason. The easier we can make it for someone else to find our kids’ medicine and emergency information, the faster the response will be.

If you have a similar idea for ID tags, will you share it with us? Thanks!

Sidetracked by Jury Duty

2011-04-04T19:21:00.001-06:00

Some days just don’t go the way you plan.

Late last week, I got a postcard telling me I might have to report for jury duty this morning. I had to call a number Friday night to find out for sure. I called it. Yep, they needed me to show up.

So I showed up at the courthouse bright and early this morning, certain I’d be rejected as a possible juror because I have opinions, I’m a writer, and I’m an uppity female. Lawyers hate people like me, right?

We started the day with more than 50 of us sitting in a room. A couple of really mind-numbing, nerve-wracking hours later, we were down to 8 of us.

Guess who’s Juror #8?

Sigh.

Immediately after the jury selection process was over, we jumped right into the trial. It’s only expected to last for two or three days, which is a relief.

While it’s not at all the way I expected to be spending my week, I feel like I’m doing what I need to be doing anyway. It’s easy to spout off about my civic duty, I guess, but I really do believe in our form of government, the rights we too easily take for granted, and the responsibilities that come with those rights. It’s my responsibility, my duty, and my honor to participate in this trial by a jury of peers, no matter how corny it sounds (and no matter how awful the case).

Although I thought I’d spend an hour or two getting rejected and then be back home working, it turns out that getting my week hijacked and rearranged for me reminds me that sometimes I have to look to the larger world and set my own problems into perspective. And it also reminds me once again how privileged I am to live in this country, where justice isn’t always easy, but it’s crafted by our own hands.

Next week I’ll be back writing about food allergies. Until then, keep your fingers crossed that I and my seven new friends reach the right verdict.

School Nurses -- So Few but So Valuable

2011-03-28T10:20:00.001-06:00

Do you remember being young, getting sick at school, and going to see the school nurse?

That’s not an experience most of our children will ever have.

As the VP for the Utah Food Allergy Network (UFAN), I spent two days last week with a table at the Utah School Nurse Association’s annual convention, meeting Utah’s remaining school nurses and talking with them about food allergies. As we chatted, I asked them how many schools they were responsible for.

The numbers were frightening.

A handful of nurses worked in only one or two schools – most of them charter or private schools. Most of the public school nurses would blink back the hysterical look in their eye, smile bravely, then tell me how many schools they had under their wing – 6, 8, 10, or even 23. One man told me he was a Physician’s Assistant in a clinic, the sole medical provider in his entire rural county, and he’d contracted with that county to be their only school nurse.

The school nurse role is no longer the first line of defense for our children while they’re at school. In many ways, the school nurse has become strictly a consultant. They try to train teachers and administrators to watch for signs of flu or chicken pox. They help make sure action plans are in place at the start of the year for kids with diabetes, heart conditions, asthma, or food allergies, and that the staff understands how to implement them. They remind administrators about vaccination requirements.

But it seems like very few get to interact directly with our children anymore.

That’s a sad but unavoidable result of our constant education cut-backs.

Understanding that we’ll probably never reverse the trend of squeezing funding for basic teacher salaries, let alone school nurse funding, what can we parents do?

First, we must recognize that we are our children’s strongest and fiercest protectors. Although the school nurses would do more if they could, we cannot depend on anyone else to champion our children’s health, so we must be willing to do it ourselves.

We have to educate ourselves on what our child’s health concerns really mean, how to effectively keep them safe, and how to balance that need to keep them safe with the needs of the other 25 or more kids in the class.

We must shoulder the responsibility for training the teachers, lunchroom staff, and office staff to recognize food allergy reactions and administer EpiPens, and work with them to ensure the entire experience feels as “normal” as possible so that no one – on either side of the table – feels ostracized or bullied.

We must work with our own allergists to create a workable medical action plan. (If you don’t have one, use FAAN’s food allergy action plan, which is in common use by many allergists.)

And we must find out who our school nurse is, even if he or she is only in our school for one day a week or less, and work with that nurse, making sure we’re both on the same page and not working at cross purposes.

Because even if the school nurses are spread far too thin across far too many schools and miles, they are still trying their very best to build safety into our children’s school experience.

I was delighted – and a little surprised – at how crowded my Utah Food Allergy Network table was at the convention. At every break, nurses would stop and talk to me about food allergies, asking questions like “Is coconut a tree nut?” or “Do the foods have to be ingested to cause a reaction, or is skin contact bad, too?” They were sharing stories of food-allergic kids they had and some of the policies they’d put into place to help them. They were asking why food allergies seem to be growing so much more common.

And just about every single nurse I talked to signed up to join our UFAN school nurse email list, so that we could send them updates about things like food allergy guidelines, new legislation, or other information that could help them do their herculean jobs more efficiently.

They care. They work extremely hard. And they want to learn more. We parents can help them, and they will do what they can to help us.

Thank you, school nurses everywhere.

Creative Easter Egg Fillers

2011-03-21T12:40:00.000-06:00

It’s fun being a creative mom. Or so I’ve been told.

Most days, I’m feeling far too tired/frazzled/exhausted/rushed/over-scheduled/overwhelmed to even think about being creative. So I love it when someone else is creative for me, and then I can just steal their ideas. Don’t you?

In that spirit, I’m offering some creative Easter Egg ideas, so that you can steal them and simplify your Easter celebrations! And I know there are other parents out there with even better ideas, so PLEASE post them in the comments! With food allergies, filling the eggs with candy isn’t always an option. (And even without allergies, who wants their kids hopped up on all the sugar anyway?) So here are some candy-free ideas.

First, a quick tip: Oriental Trading Co. is a wonderful resource for small, cheap novelty toys to go into Easter eggs. You can buy eggs pre-filled with toys and stickers (super-easy!), or you can buy small toys, erasers, bouncy balls, or jewelry to fill your own. (You can also order empty eggs and even jumbo-sized empty eggs that will hold larger toys or dollar bills,) Most of their novelties come in quantities of a dozen or more. Not sure you want to buy 12 of something? Talk to other parents and see if they'll go in with you on an order, then split up the toys between you. I’ve done that several times, and it works out great.

Most of the party stores in town seem to get a lot of their supplies from Oriental Trading Co., too, so if you just need a few things, try the party stores or the party aisle at discount and pharmacy stores like Walmart, Target, or Rite-Aid.

Now for some ideas:

At Oriental Trading Co.’s website, don’t just look at the Easter-themed novelties. Check out all the toys, from glow rings to mini plush animals, from surf-board necklaces to water squirters, from tiny flashlights to mini skateboards. They even have small, inexpensive craft kits.
Summer is coming – look for sidewalk chalk (open the package and put each chalk in a different egg), bubbles, pool diving toys, or foam water balls. Putting 2 or 3 water balloons in each egg is cheap and will get them well-supplied for that first water-balloon fight of the season!
UFAN member Suzanne suggests buying a Legos set, then putting a few pieces into each egg, and the instruction book in their basket. Got more than one kid? Color-code the eggs so each kid knows which eggs he can collect, so the sets don’t get mixed up.
Got a girl who’s into Polly Pockets or Barbie? Buy a few clothing sets, open them, and put the clothes and accessories into each egg.
For boys, take HotWheels cars, Bakugan balls, BeyBlades, or Nerf Darts out of the packages and put them in the eggs. (You’ll need jumbo-sized eggs for most of these things.)
For girls, try hair accessories in every color, fingernail stickers, or rolls of ribbon to make their own bike streamers or hair decorations.
For older kids, try trading cards, Silly Bandz, friendship bracelets, lip gloss, nail polish, guitar picks, earrings, sweat bands, cool shoelaces, magnets for their school locker, key rings, bicycle spoke clip-ons, or marbles.
Try craft supplies, like beading, sand art, mosaics, clay (make sure it’s allergen-free), ribbons, embroidery thread, cotton loops for weaving pot-holders, wire, paints for model-building, and foam pieces. Break up the sets and put the big pieces in the basket, and little pieces in the eggs.
Is your child a budding gardener? How about packets of seeds?
Last year, my son got The Big Book of Boy Stuff in his basket, then found eggs with the things that are used in the book’s activities, like dice, kick sacks (for juggle balls), and marbles.
Is your child saving up to buy something special, like an iPod or video game? Put coins or bills in each egg, along with a note or a little picture of the item to show her what the money’s for.
Is there a family trip coming up? Again, put money in the eggs with a note that says what it’s for, or pictures of the place you’re going. Headed to Europe? Order Euros from your bank and hide them in your child’s eggs. If you don’t want younger kids carrying real money, print fake money (like the Lego Loot or Mickey Money I made for my son when we went to California one year). Then tell them they can trade the money to you for souvenirs – it gives them a lesson on managing money without you worrying that they’ll lose it along the way.
Just want to focus on the basket or one larger gift? Fill the eggs with clues to find the basket. Each egg can have a clue that points to the next egg, which points to the next egg, and so on until the child finds the basket.
One more tip: If you’re hiding the eggs outside, be aware that if the kids open the eggs outside, they may lose the contents in the grass. So if you’re using tiny things that will be a problem if they get lost (like Lego pieces or Barbie’s new shoes), discuss the rules ahead of time – if you want them to bring all the eggs inside before they open them, be sure they understand, and make it part of the fun to keep the surprise until everyone is inside and can see.

Well, that’s what I came up with so far. If you’ve got a good idea for filling eggs, please, please share it, so that all of us frazzled moms and dads can steal your idea and make our kids’ Easter more fun. Like UFAN member Suzanne told me, “The most important thing is making sure our kids don't get gypped on holidays.”

Easter Candy Round-Up

2011-03-14T18:51:00.000-06:00

Once again, it’s time for my annual Easter Candy Round-Up! Easter is still six weeks away, but don’t wait too long, especially if you have to order online.

Every year I hit a few stores looking for typical Easter candy – specifically jelly beans and chocolate bunnies. What I find varies from year to year. Just because something was allergen-free last year doesn’t mean it will be this year, because manufacturers can change factories and suppliers with alarming frequency. And sometimes different package sizes and packages in different parts of the country will carry different ingredient warnings, too, because they were produced in different factories. So double-check every single ingredients label before you buy anything, even if I’ve included it in my list here.

For nut-free and egg-free chocolate bunnies, your best bet is Hershey’s. I found a 6-inch solid Hershey’s “Magic Bunny” at Walmart, and a package of 6 Hershey’s solid chocolate bunnies at both Wal-Mart and Smith’s (but avoid the package of 6 “cookies and cream” flavored Hershey’s bunnies, because they have a nut warning). Target has several nut-free Hershey’s chocolate bunnies – a Princess Bunny, Speedy Bunny, Snap-Apart Bunny, etc. Some flavors of Hershey’s kisses are also nut-free, as well as Hershey’s mini foil-wrapped chocolate eggs. But double-check labels – many Hershey’s products have nut warnings, so don’t assume they’re safe until you check. And remember, all Hershey’s chocolate includes milk and soy.

To avoid additional allergens like milk and soy, head for the online candy manufacturers. There are several online sources with really yummy allergen-friendly chocolate in lots of fun holiday shapes. (See my list below.)

Looking for jelly beans or mini egg- and bunny-shaped candies? Here are some that are free from the Big Eight. All contain corn, however, and most contain artificial dyes. A few may contain soy lecithin, but I tried to screen for that (but I apologize if I missed one or two). I checked Wal-Mart and Smith’s, but I know most of these are also carried by other grocery stores.

Skittles Blenders (Wal-Mart $1/box)
Sour Patch Bunnies (Wal-Mart $1/box)
Swedish Fish Eggs (Wal-Mart $1/box)
Starburst jelly beans (Wal-Mart and Smiths)
Jolly Rancher jelly beans (Walmart and Smiths)
Jelly Belly gourmet jelly beans, smoothie blend, and sours (Wal-Mart $2)
LifeSavers jelly beans (Smiths $2.19)
LifeSavers Gummies Bunnies & Eggs (Smith’s $2.19)
Kroger jelly beans (Smith’s $0.79)
Nerds Bumpy Jelly beans (Smith’s $2.19)
Wonka Spree jelly beans (Smith’s $2.19)
Private Selection Gourmet Jelly Beans, 41 flavors (Smith’s $3)

Walmart also has some cute giant marshmallow lollipops for $1 that were free from the Big 8.

Luckily, several great online manufacturers and grocers offer allergy-friendly chocolates and candies for every holiday and just about every type of allergy. So check out these sites, but be sure to order in plenty of time (Easter is April 24).

Allergies and Me: This is a great find for gluten-free candy and other allergen-free candies.
Vermont Nut Free: Their chocolates are peanut-free and nut-free, but they do have milk and egg warnings on them.
Divvies: Nut-free, dairy-free, and egg-free chocolate bunnies, and jelly beans.
AllerNeeds.com: This online grocer sells allergy-friendly foods from several vendors, but they also sell some candy manufactured in Canada’s nut-free and peanut-free factories, so it’s worth checking out.
Amanda’s Own Confections: They offer a whole line of chocolate goodies for Easter and Passover, as well as jelly beans and other candies, all dairy-free, nut-free, egg-free, and gluten-free.
Chocolate Emporium: Read the ingredients carefully on this website, but they do offer a lot of kosher (parve) chocolate items for Passover and Easter. Call before you order to ensure you get what you need, allergen-wise.
Peanut Free Planet: This site sells candy from lots of different manufacturers, including Vermont Nut Free and Amanda’s Own. You’ll find chocolate, jelly beans, and all sorts of allergen-friendly groceries.
Yummy Earth: Yummy Earth candies (lollipops, gummy bears) are corn-free, as well as being free from the big 8, and they use natural colorings and flavorings. They’re available in health food stores, and from Amazon.com here: Yummy Earth Organic Lollipops. Yummy Earth Organic Gummy Bears.
Indie Candy: Check out the gorgeous crystal sugar flower-shaped lollipops on this site (no dyes or common allergens at all!). They have a large selection of confections and let you search by your specific allergy needs.
Oriental Trading Co.: Remember, Easter eggs and Easter baskets don’t have to be filled with candy. Oriental Trading Company offers a bazillion (I counted them) little novelty toys that fit inside Easter eggs or into Easter baskets, and you can buy them by the dozen or more. And for the ultimate in time-saving, you can even buy plastic eggs pre-filled with little toys. Now THAT’s a helpful Easter Bunny.

Hope this helps. Next week, I’ll offer some ideas for non-food Easter Egg hunts. Hoppy shopping!

Friends In Need, Friends Indeed

2011-03-07T12:22:00.000-07:00

About a week ago, my friend Kim and I chaperoned our sons’ sixth grade field trip. Her son is my son’s best friend (those of you who read this blog regularly know all about this dynamic duo of food-allergic buddies). My son is allergic to nuts and peanuts, while her son is allergic to tree nuts, peanuts, milk, eggs, seafood, and a few other things.

Now, the great thing about having 12-year-old kids is that they’re getting old enough to self-manage a lot of the food allergy issues that scare us mothers. They can read labels, they can tell their friends about their allergies, they can skip the cupcakes at birthday parties without a second thought, and they can notice things like Reese’s wrappers on the seat of the school bus and avoid them. Sure, they’re still boys, and that implies a lot of … well, you know, those “what were you thinking” moments (and we know those will get a lot more common as they become full-fledged teenagers). But for the most part, we’ve been happy with how they’re slowly learning to be responsible for their own health.

But Kim and I still volunteer to chaperone field trips, just so we can be close if something happens. (Once a paranoid mom, always a paranoid mom.)

Anyway, at the end of this particular field trip, the facility we were visiting surprised us all with full-sized candy bars for all 100 kids. Exciting for the kids, momentary panic for me and Kim.

So here’s what happened. From the candy bars offered, my son selected the one that he knew was nut-free (the plain Hershey’s bar), and so did his best friend. The best friend can’t eat the Hershey’s bar, but he grabbed one anyway so he could give it to my son. My son then promptly handed him the Twizzler that he received earlier for answering a question correctly. Happy trade.

But that’s not the end of the story. 100 kids piled onto two school buses, armed with Reese’s, Almond Hershey’s, Babe Ruths, and all sorts of other nut-loaded candy. One of the teachers came up to me, apologizing for the candy, but it was too late – the kids were already ripping into them. I knew that my son would be sitting with his buddy, and that Kim was with them, so I squashed my worries and trusted her to keep them safe. (I was in charge of a different group of kids, so I wasn’t sitting with my own son. Go figure.)

When we got back to the school, Kim came off the bus with a huge grin on her face. I asked her if the boys were okay, and she said they were better than okay. When they got on the bus, my son, Kim’s son, and another of their good friends who is aware of the 2 boys’ allergies all shared a single seat, and they put Kim’s son (who has the most allergies) in the middle, so that he was shielded from everyone else. Then my son and the third friend just tucked their candy bars in their pockets, refusing to eat them until they got home.

And all of this happened without Kim saying a word. All three boys just matter-of-factly leaped into action to keep the two allergic ones safe. No questions, no discussion, no help from the worried moms. They simply handled it.

Moral of the story? I see two:

1. Managing food allergies really does get easier for parents as our children get older.

2. Nothing beats good friends.

I’ve often written about my son’s circle of friends and how easily they accept his allergies and how hard they work to protect him. I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of writing about how grateful I am for these kinds of friends.

My hope is that every food-allergic kid (and adult) out there finds friends like these. They certainly make the world a better, safer, and “friendlier” place for all of us. And if you are one of those friends, thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

Fighting for Coverage of Elemental Formula for EGID Patients

2011-02-28T10:18:00.000-07:00

This morning, the Utah Legislature is voting on Utah House Bill 233 – “Insurance Coverage for Amino Acid-based Formula.”

While we’re not sure if this bill will pass or not, we’re encouraged by the response our pleas have received – it looks like, through the tireless efforts of Tammy Zundel, President and Founder of the Utah Eosinophilic Disorders Support Group, and Michelle Fogg, president and founder of the Utah Food Allergy Network, insurance companies may be willing to sit down and discuss the possibility of covering the amino acid-based formulas for EGID patients.

Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Disorders (EGID) are a group of diseases that are characterized by having a large amount of a particular type of white blood cell, called eosinophils, in various places in the digestive system. These blood cells basically make it impossible to digest the proteins in food.

Food proteins aren’t just in meat. Some type of food proteins exists in all natural foods, from milk to vegetables to fruits to, yes, meats. Symptoms vary widely, and include just about every gastrointestinal agony you can think of, including nausea, diarrhea, severe pain, malnutrition, and reflux that doesn’t respond to any therapy. Because sufferers can’t eat many – or in some case, any – foods, symptoms can lead to severe malnutrition, failure to thrive, and starvation. The only way to confirm a diagnosis is with an endoscopy and biopsies.

While there are some medications that can relieve some of the symptoms, the only treatment is an elimination diet. It’s not uncommon for EGID patients to be forced to eliminate so many foods that they can literally count their “safe” foods on only one or two hands. In many cases, these patients must resort to what’s called an elemental diet – that means, literally, no food. The only form of nutrition these patients can tolerate is a special “elemental formula” that contains amino acids, fats, sugars, vitamins, and minerals. Sometimes it can be drunk. Other times it must be administered through a feeding tube.

Can you imagine being a child or an adult, and being hooked up to a feeding tube and its machine every day for your only source of nutrition? And yet, you still have to go about all the same daily routines as everyone else – going to school or work, getting together with friends, raising your children, or doing the grocery shopping for the rest of the family who CAN eat?

As if eliminating all food weren’t difficult enough for these people (which include both children and adults), this elemental formula can cost as much or more than a mortgage payment EVERY MONTH.

Adding insult to injury, insurance companies don’t cover elemental formulas, even with they are prescribed by a doctor and are the only defense standing between the EGID-affected patient and starvation.

That’s why this legislation is so important. If it doesn’t pass this year, several representatives have already agreed to help us try again next year (Rep. Menlove would be the sponsor and Rep. Moss and Rep. King would be co-sponsors). In the meantime, however, Tammy and Michelle report that because so many Utahns affected by EGID have written letters to their representatives this year, the insurance lobby has agreed to set up one-on-one meetings with insurance companies here in Utah to seek coverage for amino-acid based elemental formulas without a legislative mandate. And that’s a great thing. Everyone involved just wants to see this formula covered so that the people affected by this devastating disease can receive the help they desperately need, whether it’s accomplished via legislation or through negotiations directly with the insurance companies.

Thanks to people like Tammy and Michelle, EGID sufferers have a little more hope this morning.

For more information about EGID, visit the website for the American Partnership for Eosinophilic Disordres (APFED) at http://www.apfed.org/.

Science Fair Today, Medical Cures Tomorrow?

2011-02-21T08:00:00.001-07:00

I spent yesterday helping my son the human whirlwind create his science fair report for school. He still has to glue everything onto his display board tonight, but he made good progress.

The hardest part of the whole thing wasn’t the experiments, or the monitoring, or even writing the report. It was convincing him that it was important in the report to be exact, with numbers, careful observations, and other data. He wanted to just say “It was gross” or “It was good.” He’s a kid. It’s easy for kids to evaluate the world in simple terms.

So I patiently (okay, maybe not so patiently) explained to him again and again that scientists need to be specific in their reporting, so that other scientists can see his work and understand it, build on it, and learn new things.

Eventually, he got it, and his report looks pretty good now.

Somewhere out there are a bunch of moms and dads who I suddenly identify with and realize I owe a huge amount of thanks. They, too, worked with their kids on countless science fair projects in the last several decades, convincing their kids to be more careful with their observations, to think outside the box, to find creative problems and even more creative solutions.

Because those parents encouraged their kids through their endless parade of science projects, some of those kids grew up with a love of science. Some of them even grew up to be scientific researchers.

And now, all these years later, those researchers are on the verge of delivering to us new treatments, and perhaps even cures, for a vast array of medical problems, including food allergies.

So as I stood there slapping my forehead, trying to get my son to use a word other than “disgusting” to describe the bacteria colonies growing in his petri dish, I suddenly felt like a tiny link in a long chain of unsung heroes – those parents who suffered through all those thousands of earlier science fairs. If they could do it, so can I.

You never know what these seeds are growing. (I mean, besides the disgusting stuff in the petri dish.)

Happy Valentine’s Day!

2011-02-14T10:25:00.000-07:00

Love is in the air. And, of course, so is the smell of chocolate.

But if chocolate is off your menu because of food allergies, don’t despair. There are plenty of yummy ways to celebrate Valentine’s today, whether you’re spending it with your one true love, your children, or the whole family. Here are some ideas:

Flowers… oh, yeah. We always love ‘em. (Kid version: Even kids like to get flowers!)
A romantic movie from the nearest Redbox. (Kid version: a family-friendly movie to enjoy together)
A bowl of strawberries dusted with sugar. (Kid version: use safe white frosting to paint faces or hearts on the strawberries)
A romantic novel. (Kid version: whatever book, graphic novel, or magazine they’re into)
A bottle of bubbly or sparkling apple cider (Kid version: a beverage they seldom get, like an unusual flavor of soda, such as pineapple, strawberry, or mango)
A drive up into the mountains to watch the sun set or the stars sparkle. (Kid version: this works for them, too)
A new pair of earrings or a bracelet for her, a pair of driving gloves for him – doesn’t have to be expensive, just fun. (Kid version: for girls, a fun piece of jewelry. For boys, a pack of Pokemon cards, HotWheels car, or action figure)
Rice Krispie Treats in the shape of a heart. (Kid version: replace half of the Rice Krispies with a safe flavored cereal, like Cocoa Puffs or Fruity Pebbles) (Tip: I double the amount of safe margarine called for in the "official" recipe)
Safe cupcakes with pink sprinkles (try Duncan Hines or Cherrybrook Kitchen cake mixes) (Kid version: Look for safe sprinkles in heart shapes)
Tropical fruit kabobs (chunks of fresh pineapple, mango, papaya, kiwi, banana, and strawberries threaded on a skewer). (Kid version: if they don’t like fruit, try safe popsicles)
Quiet time with your sweetie (with the door locked, perhaps?). (Kid version: Board games all night!)

Valentine's Day is all about the caring, not about the calories. And it doesn't have to be expensive or elaborate, either. Plan a regular meal or evening with one fun thing thrown in, and everyone will love it! I hope you have a wonderfully loving and safe time with your loved ones.

Your Family Doctor vs. an Allergist

2011-02-07T14:01:00.000-07:00

One of the first questions I ask someone who has been newly diagnosed with a food allergy (or who suspects they may have a food allergy) is “Have you seen a board-certified allergist?” There’s a good reason for this question.

A January 2010 article published in Pediatrics magazine, the official journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics, included an article called “Food Allergy Knowledge, Attitudes, and Beliefs of Primary Care Physicians,” by Ruchi S. Gupta, MD, MPH; Elizabeth E. Springston, BA; Jennifer S. Kim, MD; Bridget Smith, PhD; Jacqueline A. Pongracic, MD; Xiaobin Wang, MD, MPH, ScD; and Jane Holl, MD, MPH.

In this article, the authors describe their research into food allergy knowledge and perceptions among pediatricians and family physicians in the United States. They surveyed 407 primary care physicians around the U.S., 99% of which reported that they provide care for food-allergic patients.

The results of the study show that while general-practice physicians and pediatricians are of course invaluable in many ways for many common illnesses or preventative care, their knowledge of a complex, specialized, and rapidly changing field like food allergies is not necessarily what most patients or parents of food-allergic might expect.

According to the article, participants in the study answered only 61% of knowledge-based items correctly. Only 80% of the physicians knew that the flu vaccine is unsafe for egg-allergic patients. While 90% knew the number of food-allergic children is increasing in the United States, only 23% knew that milk-based yogurt and cheese are unsafe for children with IgE-mediated milk allergies.

Even more concerning: “Fewer than 30% of the participants felt comfortable interpreting laboratory tests to diagnose food allergy or felt adequately prepared by the medical training to care for food-allergic children.”

Some other particularly concerning statements from the article:

“There was some confusion among participants regarding signs and symptoms suggestive of an underlying food allergy.”
“The majority of participants believed that anaphylaxis posed the greatest threat to young children rather than teenagers.”
“…only half chose the correct concentration and route of administration for epinephrine in the event of food-induced anaphylaxis.”

The article’s authors suggested that part of the problem may be that “Most pediatric and family medicine training programs do not offer formal training in food allergy, although experience likely varies by program.” As broad and far-ranging as the entire field of medicine is today, that’s not surprising. A general-practice physician tries to be a generalist to do the most good for the most patients – they usually strive to be well-grounded in the basics of healthcare, with a more surface-level knowledge of various specialties. But there are simply not enough hours in the day for anyone to be a specialist in everything.

From this study, it’s important to realize two things:

Patients with food allergy probably should not rely on their family doctor or pediatrician for expert diagnosis, treatment, and ongoing care of their food allergies. Instead, they should seek out the knowledge and experience of an AAAAI board-certified food allergist. (To find one in your area, click here for the American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology Physician Referral Directory.)
Physicians are often aware of their limitations, but even so, they may not be willing to refer their patients to allergy specialists. In some cases, because of their limited knowledge or experience, they may even downplay the seriousness of food allergy symptoms, such as treating severe eczema with creams instead of identifying a possible root cause of food allergy.

The authors conclude by rating the overall knowledge of their sampled physicians as “fair.” The authors go on to recommend: “With the recent increase in childhood food allergy and the threat posed by food-induced anaphylaxis, it is important for generalists to be educated about the diagnosis and treatment of this condition.” They also suggest that general physicians can take advantage of the many resources already available to increase their knowledge, such as “a food allergy practice parameter, outlining risk factors, diagnostic techniques, and treatment plans,” which was developed and published in 2006 by the American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology and the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.

Please understand – pediatricians and family doctors are essential and invaluable, and I am NOT trying to undermine them. Instead, I am just pointing out that once they identify a possible food allergy, you will probably be better served by a dedicated allergist, in the same way that if your family doctor suspects (or confirms) cancer, you would probably then go see a cancer specialist.

I absolutely love and depend upon my son’s pediatrician for most of his ailments and normal childhood problems. But I also love and depend upon my son’s allergist for all of his food-allergy issues. We can’t live without either of them.

Why Are Voluntary Guidelines Useful?

2011-01-31T11:24:00.000-07:00

On January 4, 2011, President Obama signed into law the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Act (FAAMA), which directs the federal government to create national, voluntary food allergy management guidelines for schools. It also provides for school-based food allergy management incentive grants to help public schools implement those management guideliens.

This is great news. Right now, every school, every school district, and every state is on their own when it comes to forging food allergy guidelines for teachers and administrators to use in those schools. That means a whole lot of wheels being reinvented from scratch every year – and, more likely, a whole lot of wheels that will never even get built because schools are just too busy and financially strapped to take the time to start something that sounds that complicated.

By tapping a coalition of groups including the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN), the National Association of School Nurses (NASN), and the National School Boards Association (NSBA) to create these national guidelines, this new law will make it so much easier for all of those thousands of different school districts to use or adapt the guidelines, instead of starting from scratch. The easier something is to create, the more likely it will be to 1) be created, and 2) be supported and followed.

But many people in the food allergy community are upset to hear that the guidelines will be voluntary instead of mandatory.

For now, voluntary is a huge step forward, and will likely garner much more support than mandatory would have.

Chris Weiss addressed this issue in his FAAN blog. Read his take on the situation in his posting, “Reflecting on FAAMA.”

In addition, Michelle Fogg, the president and founder of the Utah Food Allergy Network (UFAN), wrote a response to a concerned parent, explaining why voluntary guidelines are a vital, useful, and necessary step, even though they aren’t mandatory. Here is what Michelle says:

Mandates are nearly impossible to pass in government and receive huge opposition no matter what the subject is. I can't speak directly for FAAN as to their motives for 'voluntary' BUT I do know that no 'one size fits all' approach would be applicable for every state and every school. The States don't want big government coming in and telling them what and how to do things. In my opinion, having a national set of guidelines for states to use when creating their own would give more uniformity generally and would save many states from having to create guidelines out of thin air. At least now there will be credible uniform information available to any state or school district wanting better management of food allergic children. It is up to us as citizens to make sure the powers that be know we want statewide guidelines in place...again these will be voluntary as no one approach is innately best for all. I have already spoken with the UT State School Board and Office of Education and the moment I said "voluntary guidelines" NOT a mandate, they began to listen and show interest. I understand your frustration because as a mother we think this should be a no brainer - a must have!! I think it will be standard in the future but unfortunately there is political red tape and it is going to take us as parents and a community speaking up and demanding it from our individual schools, districts, and representatives. Watch for info to come soon on how you can help support UFANs efforts to get statewide guidelines created and the information disseminated.

...I am currently engaged in the battle to get the State to mandate insurance coverage for medical formulas for EGIDs and it is crazy trying to get a mandate to go through (this is our second attempt)! The FAAMA took almost eight years to pass and had to be rolled into the larger Food and Safety Bill to even make it through. I'm happy because I think it's a victory to have any guidance out there and hopefully many will take advantage of it. If they don't then we'll have to demand it, right?!

Thanks for sharing your feelings with me,

Michelle Fogg
President & Founder
Utah Food Allergy Network
http://www.utahfoodallergy.org/

Ten Things My Son Would Rather Be Allergic To…

2011-01-24T15:53:00.000-07:00

Being allergic to foods isn’t fun. But it’s something my son has lived with all his life, so he’s had to learn to cope with it. But today, just for fun, I asked him if he could be allergic to something he could choose, what would it be? Here’s his top ten list. What would be on your top ten list?

School.
Homework.
Politicians who make bad decisions.
Horrible comic strip writers.
Insanely boring books that don’t have much adventure in them.
Peas.
Justin Bieber.
Really dumb TV shows.
Scrubbing toilets.
Nagging mothers.

Recalls – How to Get Them

2011-01-17T12:53:00.000-07:00

This week, I have received a couple of automated phone calls letting me know that Kroger’s Value Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips have been recalled due to undeclared milk. These are the chocolate chips I buy at Smith’s grocery stores here in Utah, but the recall is nationwide at all Kroger grocery stores. (If you have any of these chocolate chips with “Best By” dates in 2012, take them back to your grocery store for a refund.)

I got this recall phone call because I use Smith’s Fresh Values loyalty card when I shop, so I guess their database showed I’d purchased this product, and they added me to their auto-call list. I appreciate being notified this way.

This got me thinking about recall notices. It’s not always easy to find out about recalled food products, and for people with food allergies, it is critical to know about mislabeled products, contaminated manufacturing runs, and the like.

So how can you make sure you’re getting the news you need about recalls? I know of three ways that can help:

1. Use your grocery store’s loyalty card when you shop. Not only do you get discounts, you might get notified when something you bought is recalled.

2. Sign up for FAAN’s alerts. FAAN (Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network) is a leading organization for food allergy awareness, education, and advocacy, and many food manufacturers will let FAAN know when they’re recalling a food product. FAAN then sends alerts out to anyone who’s signed up for those alerts. You don’t have to be a member to get the free alerts. Go to FAAN’s main web page at http://www.foodallergy.org/, and under the red section called “Alerts & News,” click on either “Subscribe to Alerts Feed” or “Receive Alerts by e-mail” depending on whether you want to get the notices via RSS feed or by email. It’s quick and easy, and you’ll get notices promptly. Many of the notices might not affect you, but the ones that do are worth the occasional extra email.

3. Finally, join an email listserv like UFAN (Utah Food Allergy Network), where members keep each other up-to-date on any news they’ve heard. To join UFAN’s email forum, go to their main website (http://www.utahfoodallergy.org/) and go to the section called “Join the Utah Food Allergy Network Forum,” click the link, and follow the instructions.

If anyone knows of any additional ways to keep up-to-date with food recalls, I’d love for you to share your suggestions in the Comments.

Let’s make sure 2011 is a safe and healthy year!

Can Allergy-Friendly Restaurants Increase Profits?

2011-01-10T14:59:00.000-07:00

Paul Antico, a former stock fund manager and father of a food-allergic child, has written an article called “How Much Are Food-Allergic Diners Worth?” In this article, Antico uses his background in finances to estimate how much a restaurant can lose or gain, depending on whether that restaurant is willing to accommodate food allergies.

His results are eye-opening for anyone who’s never really thought about the issue, and happily confirming for those of us whose “gut feelings” have been telling us that restaurants that aren’t willing to accommodate food allergies are losing a significant number of potential customers. And those willing to accommodate food allergies not only retain those customers, but they gain new ones who get turned off by the not-so-friendly ones. In fact, his estimates show a “9% or greater potential increase in business for an allergy-friendly restaurant.”

Antico founded the restaurant rating website http://www.allergyeats.com/, where customers can rate restaurants based on their food allergy experience there. The site lists over 600,000 restaurants, including many in Utah, although many of them have not been rated yet. In cities where a significant number of people have rated their local restaurants, it’s a great resource for finding places to take your family. In places like Utah, it can become a great resource – it just needs people like us to take a couple of minutes to rate the restaurants we’re familiar with, so that we can spread the word about those places that have gone out of their way to make our families feel safe.

Hopefully Antico’s article will get picked up and published by newspapers around the country. It clearly lays out the issue in terms most business owners understand – profit numbers. As more business owners comprehend numbers like this, more restaurants will begin to open their doors to families like ours. In the meantime, we can use http://www.allergyeats.com/ to start sharing which restaurants welcome our business.

New Year, Same Goals

2011-01-03T10:48:00.000-07:00

See all those clean, white, blank squares on that shiny new calendar? Such a feeling of possibility, of promise, of optimism!

Half of mine are already scribbled in.

I spent the first day of the New Year filling in all the things I know will happen this year – birthdays, regular meetings, doctor and dentist appointments, sports practices, music lessons, and so on. It didn’t take long for 2011 to look exactly like 2010.

Then I sat down to think about some New Year’s goals. Funny, they look an awful lot like last year’s, too.

For a few minutes, I was kind of depressed. Gee, I thought. Didn’t I make any progress at all? But then I remembered… it’s not the destination, but the journey that’s important.

So what if my New Year’s resolutions look the same from year to year? I think that just means I’m consistent. My priorities haven’t changed. The things I enjoy doing haven’t changed. The people I love haven’t changed. Their needs haven’t changed.

So why should my goals?

And thinking about my year in GREAT BIG IMPORTANT HEADLINES can be misleading. We all know that sometimes it’s the little things that matter most. The new allergy-friendly recipes I found that make life a little tastier. The time I’ve spent with family and friends. The things I’ve watched my son learn and the new ideas I’ve watched him consider. The people I’ve connected with. The beautiful aspects of life on this earth that I’ve tried to appreciate.

So I’m embracing my goals from last year once again. (I like to call it “recycling.”) I’ll continue to find ways to simplify, spend less, and share more. I’ll keep writing because that’s what I love, and cleaning house because it’s a necessary evil. I’ll let the set-backs roll off my shoulders, and the successes buoy me up. I’ll notice the beautiful things around me, and I’ll try to make the world cleaner, safer, and more positive as I move through it. I’ll exercise because my body needs it, and I’ll keep writing and talking about food allergies because it might help someone out there whom I haven’t even met yet.

So here’s to a New Year filled with all the promise, optimism, and possibility that those scribbled-in squares represent. Let’s just think of each of those little squares as another postcard to ourselves from along the journey.

Happy New Year!

Food Safety Bill Passes Congress!

2010-12-28T04:40:00.000-07:00

Great news! On Dec. 21, the food safety bill called the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Management Act (FAAMA) was passed by Congress. This act will create voluntary but badly needed national guidelines for managing food allergies in schools.

Timed to coincide with FAAMA’s passage, USA Today printed a special supplement last week devoted entirely to food allergy. The USA Today Food Allergy supplement includes short, concise, and informative articles on the difference between intolerance and allergy, the latest treatment studies, how to recognize a reaction, tips for celebrating the New Year safely, a personal experience from chef and FAAN spokesperson Ming Tsai. It also includes ads and coupons for food-allergy-friendly manufacturers.

Chris Weiss, VP of Advocacy and Government Relations at the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN), sent out a letter to FAAN members explaining why FAAMA is so important, and why this is such good news for us. Here is what Chris says:

Members of the food allergy community:

This is Chris Weiss, FAAN's VP of Advocacy and Government Relations, and I'd like to share some GREAT NEWS!

Five years after the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Management Act (FAAMA) was introduced in the U.S. Congress, FAAMA has finally passed as part of the food safety bill and is expected to be signed into law by President Obama.

FAAMA was originally introduced into Congress back in 2005 as part of FAAN's inaugural Kids' Congress on Capitol Hill.

Five years later, and after overcoming some last-minute procedural hurdles during the lame duck session, the food safety bill was approved by the Senate on Dec. 19, and then by the House on Dec. 21.

FAAMA will lead to the much-needed creation of national food allergy management guidelines for schools. While these guidelines are voluntary, they will provide schools without existing food allergy management policies with a valuable resource.

These policies are critical to help educate school officials about food allergy, a potentially life-threatening medical condition, and help them implement emergency plans in case a severe reaction occurs on school grounds. Studies have shown that up to 25% percent of reactions in school occur in children with previously undiagnosed food allergy.

Earlier this month, a fatal reaction occurred at a school in Chicago, allegedly due to food that was consumed at school.

The guidelines will also benefit parents of children with food allergies, who are looking for a vetted resource to help them safely manage their child’s food allergies in the school setting.

Written in collaboration with FAAN, the national guidelines will not supersede existing or pending state laws or guidelines concerning schools and food allergies. The FAAMA guidelines should be seen as a complement to existing guidelines created as a result of other legislation.

This tremendous accomplishment was made possible by the thousands of individuals who advocated for this legislation and many elected representatives who co-sponsored FAAMA over the years, most notably Sen. Christopher Dodd (D-Conn.), whose daughter has a food allergy, and Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), who has a grandchild with a food allergy.

We celebrate the passage of FAAMA today, but our work is not done. FAAN will continue to work diligently to raise awareness, educate others, and advocate on behalf of the millions of Americans with food allergy and anaphylaxis.

I'd personally like to thank all of you who took the time to contact your Senator(s) and Representative in support of FAAMA, along with the hundreds of families who attended the FAAN Kids' Congress on Capitol Hill in 2005, 2007, and 2009. We couldn't have done it without you.

Thank you!

And many thanks to the folks at FAAN who pushed for 5 years to make this happen. What a great way to ring in a new year…

Survive Those Holiday Gatherings!

2010-12-20T12:36:00.000-07:00

The winner of my Allergy-Friendly Soup Recipe Contest is… drum roll, please… “K” and her recipe for “Tortilla and Lime Soup” on Epicurean.com. So K, please contact me at kjplindberg@earthlink.net and we’ll work out the details of getting your prize to you.

(The winner was chosen in a random drawing from everyone who posted a soup recipe on my blog. If you haven’t already, be sure to check out the recipes in the comments for the last 2 weeks. They all look super-delicious!)

Christmas is less than a week away now. If your holiday celebrations include visits with family and friends, you may be worried about the kind of food you’ll be surrounded by, and whether those celebrations will be safe for the food-allergic members of your family. Here are some tips I’ve found that might help.

1. If you’re going to a pot-luck, volunteer to bring a dessert. Those are usually the most likely to contain all the things you’re allergic to (nuts, dairy, etc.), so if you bring the dessert, you can control it.

2. Call the hostess and mention your food allergy. It’s not rude – trust me, most hostesses would rather serve something everyone can eat than spend a lot of time making something and THEN discovering that you can’t eat it. That’s more rude, if you think about it.

3. If it’s your child that’s allergic, take a lunch sack of safe food for him or her. No one wants to have a child suddenly get sick at a family event – or worse, have to be rushed to the ER. So don’t be embarrassed. Pack and take a simple meal for your child to eat, so you and your hostess don’t have to worry. I used to make up a package of sliced turkey, safe crackers, grapes, and other cold finger foods for my son, and I called them “Mom’s Lunchables,” like those prepackaged things at the store (but safer!). My son liked it just fine, and hostesses completely understood.

4. Of course, keep your EpiPens and Benadryl or Claratin handy, just in case.

5. Remind other parents to make sure their kids wash their hands after eating unsafe foods “to keep Johnny safe.” Most kids are much better than adults at understanding and wanting to keep a food-allergic buddy safe, so if you remind them to wash their hands, they usually will willingly. Don’t be shy. Shy never helped anyone.

6. Make a deal with your kid. Before going to a party, I would promise my son that if he couldn’t eat some of the treats there, that we’d have a special treat when we got home instead. He’s not big on delayed gratification, but he was still able to process in his mind that Mommy would make up for it later, and he has always been okay with skipping foods at a party.

7. Make a big show of thanking people who bring safe food to the party. It will make them happy and more determined to bring safe things again to the next party, and it might make those who didn’t bring safe foods think twice the next time. You never want to shame anyone, but positive reinforcement really does work!

8. Understand that people forget, they get spacey, they make mistakes. They don't usually do things to be mean on purpose. So don't be nasty if someone brings something unsafe. But you don't have to stay in an unsafe environment, either. You can always say, "We didn't want to miss the opportunity to stop in and say hi, but we can't stay." Then leave. It's okay. You've made an appearance, you've fulfilled your obligation. It's your holiday. You have the right to spend it in ways that make you happy, not in ways that make you nervous or upset. Then go drive around and look at Christmas lights. Spend time with your children. Watch a movie together. Remember what Christmas is all about. Relax.

Got any other tips for surviving holiday gatherings? Be sure you share them with us!

Merry Christmas, Happy Solstice, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy Boxing Day, and a Wonderful Everything! (Hanukkah is already over, but I hope you had a great one of those, too!)

Kelley

Soup Recipe Contest Continuing

2010-12-15T07:53:00.000-07:00

There’s about an inch of snow outside this morning, which is making my son really happy. Just yesterday he was asking if I thought we’d have a white Christmas this year. Today’s snow may not last until Christmas, but it does make the world lovely, soft, and more beautiful – at least for a while.

So, while I’m looking at the frosty world outside, I’m still hankering for some new soup recipes. Many thanks to Julie for posting her delicious-looking recipe for White Chili – if you haven’t seen it yet, go to the Comments from last week’s post.

Now, for the rest of you… come on! Let’s see those yummy soup recipes that are free from peanuts, tree nuts, milk, egg, soy, wheat, seafood, and shellfish. There are plenty out there – and if you post a recipe, you’ll be entered in my random drawing for a free food-allergy cookbook!

Let’s get soupy!

Soup Recipe Contest!

2010-12-06T08:00:00.010-07:00

Brrr. January has come early this year. Most of November was unusually cold, with temps in the single digits and piles of snow in the parking lots. December hasn’t warmed up much. It looks a lot more like Minnesota than Utah, if you ask me.

All this cold weather has put me in the mood for a nice, hot bowl of soup. Doesn’t that sound yummy… a pot gently simmering on the stove, filling the house with delicious smells…

The only problem is, I’m tired of most of my soup recipes. So let’s share some soup recipes! Pull out your favorite soup recipe that doesn’t have any of the Big 8 allergens (or which can use easy substitutions, like gluten-free noodles instead of egg noodles). Just post your recipe in the comments section, and remember to say where you found the recipe (or if you made it up!).

And here’s the best part. After a week or two, I’ll have a random drawing from everyone who posted a recipe, and the winner will win a food allergy cookbook. (I haven’t decided which one yet, but I’ll pick a good one, I promise!)

To get us started, here is a recipe I really like.

Rustic White Bean Soup
from Mr. Food Diabetic Dinners in a Dash, printed in an American Diabetes Association’s publication

1/2 lb. hot Italian-style turkey sausage, casing removed (or any safe sausage)
2 medium onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cans (15.5 oz. each) white navy beans, undrained, divided
2 cans (14 oz. each) reduced-sodium chicken broth (or home-made safe broth)
1 package (10 oz.) fresh spinach
1/4 tsp. black pepper

1. Coat a soup pot with nonstick cooking spray; heat over medium heat.

2. Add the sausage, onions, and garlic, and sauté for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the onions are tender and the sausage is no longer pink, stirring to break up the sausage.

3. Mash 1 can of navy beans until smooth. Add to the soup pot along with the chicken broth and the remaining can of whole beans; bring to a boil.

4. Add the spinach and pepper, cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 5 minutes, or until the spinach is wilted.

5. Ladle soup into bowls and serve.

Holiday Treats Online

2010-11-29T10:54:00.000-07:00

Chanukah starts this week (wow, how did that creep up on me so fast?), and Christmas is less than four weeks away, so it’s a good time to think about finding safe holiday treats for bright-eyed little tykes (and neighbors, and teachers, and co-workers, and…).

Because holidays and treats go hand-in-hand whether we want them to or not, I like to hunt through online sources to find the latest in allergy-friendly treats that can help make your food-allergic family members or friends feel a little more special and a little less excluded at this time of year.

So here is a list of ideas for this holiday season. It may be too late to order for Chanukah unless you’re willing to pay for express shipping, but there’s still time for Christmas. So check out these online grocers and manufacturers who are dedicated to making our lives a little… um… sweeter, and help them have a happier holiday, too.

Yummy Earth. Yummy Earth candies (lollipops, drops and gummy bears) are corn-free, as well as being free from the big 8, and they use natural colorings and flavorings. They’re sometimes available in health food stores, Toys R Us and Babies R Us, but I don’t know if they’re here in Utah. However, you can buy them online at http://www.yummyearth.com/ and on Amazon.
Allergies and Me: This is a great online grocer who sells gluten-free and allergy-friendly products, including candy. My latest find there: ice cream cones that are free from the Big 8! This is also the place for gluten-free licorice twists in several flavors, lollipops, gum, etc.
Amanda’s Own Confections: Looking for safe Chanukah gelt bags? Amanda’s own offers gelt bags with 10 gold and sliver foil-wrapped chocolate gelt, and they’re free from dairy, tree nuts, peanuts, eggs, and gluten, plus they’re Kosher certified! For Christmas, they have chocolate Santas, snowmen, snowflakes, and other fun shapes. Order by Dec. 16 for Christmas. (Chocolate contains soy lecithin, but they say “the soy protein has been removed.”)
Divvies: Nut-free, dairy-free, and egg-free chocolate bars and jelly beans for both Christmas and Chanukah (contain soy).
AllerNeeds: This online grocer sells allergy-friendly foods from several vendors, including Enjoy Life! Foods’ Boom Choco Boom chocolate bars. They also sell some familiar candy manufactured in Canada’s nut-free and peanut-free factories, so it’s worth checking out.
Vermont Nut Free: Their chocolates are peanut-free and nut-free, but they do have milk and egg warnings on them. Their huge selection of nut-free chocolates for both Christmas and Chanukah (non-Kosher) includes lots of fun shapes and a nice selection of gift baskets. You’ll also find treats like chocolate-covered pretzels, peppermint crunch bark, and ornaments filled with candy-coated Skippers chocolates.
Chocolate Emporium: Read the ingredients carefully on this website, but they do offer a lot of allergen-friendly goodies. Call before you order to ensure you get what you need.
Peanut Free Planet: This site sells candy from lots of different manufacturers. They have an Iced Gingerbread Cookie that’s free from peanuts, tree nuts, diary, egg, and gluten! The also have Kosher, nut-free, and dairy-free chocolate gelt, and Sun Cups (like Reese’s) that are peanut-free, tree nut-free, gluten-free, and Kosher Dairy. You’ll find chocolate, jelly beans, and all sorts of allergen-friendly groceries. I found some nut-free Kit-Kats there (from Canada), so I bought some for my son’s stocking!
Indie Candy: One of my blog readers introduced me to this site – and it looks like a real find, although I haven’t ordered from them yet. They have a large selection of confections and let you search by your specific allergy needs. The Gummi Christmas Trees look wonderful (and you can order them corn-free), as do the Big-8-free Christmas Lights Lollipops and the gorgeous Giant Snowflake Lollipops.

Got another source you love for holiday candy or treats? Share it with us!

Top Ten Things I’m Thankful For

2010-11-22T11:17:00.000-07:00

As Thanksgiving approaches, it seemed like a good time to recall all the things I’m especially grateful for. And while having food allergies may make a traditional Thanksgiving feast a little problematic, it shouldn’t keep us from remembering that in many ways, we still have so much to be thankful for. Here’s my Top Ten List for this year.

Rice milk and egg replacers.
The Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA), which became effective January 1, 2006, and required manufacturers in the United States to label all foods containing the top 8 food allergens, and to declare the allergen in plain language. This single act has made living with food allergies so much easier.
The Utah Food Allergy Network (UFAN), the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN), Kids with Food Allergies, the Food Allergy Initiative, and other organizations that provide the information, resources, recipes, and support that make our lives a little bit easier.
Manufacturers who are beginning to recognize that food-allergic customers are a sizeable force and are making an effort to produce allergy-friendly products.
My son’s best friends, who have stuck by him all these years and make sure he always has someone safe to sit by at lunch.
Restaurants and wait staff who actually care and make an effort to keep unsafe allergens out of our food.
Teachers who are willing to modify their curricula to eliminate food projects or replace them with safe substitutions, who call me when they need food items for classroom projects, and who welcome me on field trips and at parties to “keep an eye on things.”
SelectWisely.com, who makes those great translation cards for food allergens, which make it possible for me to travel with my son more confidently.
That we live now, when awareness is blossoming and making it more manageable to live with food allergies than it was even a decade ago.
Good friends who go out of their way to make their homes and parties safe, who have helped me develop recipes over the years, who keep their eyes open for new allergy-friendly products, and who offer a shoulder to lean on whenever I need it.

And a bonus thank you to all of you who read my blog each week, share your experiences, and reach out to make this a better world for people with food allergies everywhere. Happy Thanksgiving!

Cupcakes, Cupcakes, Cupcakes!

2010-11-15T08:00:00.002-07:00

My son, the human whirlwind, just celebrated his birthday again. How he keeps getting so big while I stay so young is beyond me (although watching 17 kids race around Classic Fun Center skating, going wild on the bouncies, and shooting each other with laser tag aged me a few decades, I think). Anyway, he had a blast with all his best buddies.

Because my son and his best friend have food allergies, we’ve always had to make their birthday cakes and cupcakes. No adorable store-bought cakes for us, unfortunately. So over the years, some other moms and I have found some safe cake recipes, and I’ve often used Cherrybrook Kitchen’s yummy safe cake mixes. So out of necessity, I’ve learned how to make birthday cakes shaped like a skateboard, a jet plane, a space shuttle, a swimming pool, Pikachu, a Power Ranger, and Lego bricks. (Thank goodness for the internet and creative people – I can usually find simple instructions for making fun cakes online!) This year, he wanted cupcakes decorated to look like Pokéballs. (For those of you without pre-teen boys, those are balls that contain Pokémon critters when they aren’t battling each other or having adventures.)

A couple of months ago, a friend discovered that Duncan Hines now makes a few cake mixes without milk or eggs in them – just wheat. So I decided to give them a try. My son wanted the lemon cake and the red velvet cake flavors, so that’s what we bought.

Each mix calls for 3 eggs, so instead of the eggs, I substituted Ener-G egg replacer, and I had to add 1/4 cup flour to each because of the high altitude here, but they turned out great! The red velvet cake was a bit crumbly, but both cakes mixes turned out well, and I was able to frost them with Pillsbury Creamy Supreme frosting (contains soy) without any trouble. I used colored sprinkles for the colored half of the Pokéballs, Wilton’s Black Decorator Icing for the black lines (contains soy and wheat), and Smarties for the buttons. Voila! Mucho “cool mom” points.

So if you’re looking for an easy way to make your next birthday cake or cupcake, you might give those Duncan Hines cake mixes a try. These are the Duncan Hines cake flavors {http://www.duncanhines.com/products/cakes} that their web site says contain only wheat (but check labels carefully – ingredients can change at any time):

Butter Recipe Golden Cake Mix
Classic Yellow Cake Mix
Spice Premium Cake Mix
Butter Recipe Fudge Cake Mix
Dark Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix
Devil’s Food Cake Mix
German Chocolate Cake Mix
Red Velvet Cake Mix
Swiss Chocolate Cake Mix
Lemon Supreme Cake Mix
Pineapple Supreme Cake Mix (contains soy and wheat)

Happy baking!

Time to Change Your Dishwasher Soap?

2010-11-08T08:32:00.000-07:00

Today’s blog column isn’t just for food allergy folks – it’s for anyone who uses a dishwasher!

For several weeks, my husband had been tearing our dishwasher apart numerous times because suddenly our dishes (especially plastics) were coming out covered in a white, filmy, chalky sort of residue. Naturally, we assumed our dishwasher was to blame.

But after replacing a few parts (he found a broken impeller) and thoroughly cleaning out the nasty stuff blocking its filters and that sort of thing, we stumbled upon the real culprit. It turns out that the dishwasher soap we’ve been using (Cascade) is probably causing the white chalky residue we’ve been fighting.

As of July 1 of this year, dishwashing soap can no longer contain phosphates, which are responsible for significant damage to sealife – phosphates in water set up a vicious cycle that makes huge algae blooms that eventually deplete the water of oxygen, killing off the fish we need for the survival of the ecosystem.

So eliminating phosphates is a good thing. But it turns out that some detergent manufacturers made better choices than others when it came to reformulating their dishwasher soaps. And because there wasn’t a lot of public hoopla about the change, thousands of people have been calling repairmen or replacing their dishwashers, thinking (like I did) that there was something wrong with their machine. It never occurred to me that the soap I’d been using for years would suddenly change with no notice on the packaging.

So, if you’re struggling with your dishes coming out of your dishwasher with a white chalky residue on them, try changing your soap before you spring for a new machine.

First, you can go to Utah TV station KSL’s website to read about the change in soaps in their article “Dishes Not Getting Clean?”

Consumer Reports magazine’s website has an article, “Low-Phosphate Dishwasher Detergents That Work,” about the new soaps and which ones they recommend. I’ve switched to Finish Powerball Tabs, and my dishes have been coming out much cleaner for the last month or so. It’s made a huge difference.

One more tip: if your dishes are covered in the chalky white substance right now, try soaking them in white vinegar for a while before you wash them. The vinegar takes the substance off nicely.

It’s in What?

2010-11-01T10:28:00.000-06:00

Just when I think I’ve got a handle on things… life pops up a little “gotcha” sign, just to remind me not to get complacent.

I’ve been allergic to aluminum and possibly a few other metals for about eight years now. I can’t wear antiperspirant because the element that makes antiperspirants work is an aluminum salt, and it started making me break out in an uncomfortable, itchy rash. I can’t wear a watch that has metal buckles or straps – same itchy rash. I also have to be really careful about the makeup I wear (mascara, eye shadow, eye liner, nail polish, etc.), since most brands use aluminum to add color, shine, and sparkle. In my case, aluminum-laden nail polish eats away my nails, and aluminum-tainted mascara makes my eyes burn and turn red. Not usually the look I’m going for.

I’ve eliminated aluminum in my food preparation, too. I avoid aluminum foil, I threw out all my aluminum pans years ago, and I read medicines to make sure they don’t contain aluminum.

So when my friend brought over some flour tortillas this week, she stumped me by saying, “I got this brand for you because it contains aluminum-free baking powder.”

“Aluminum-free what?” I asked. The look on my face must have been interesting. “There’s aluminum in baking powder? Why on earth would they put aluminum in baking powder?”

So I opened up my cabinet, took out my can of Clabber Girl Baking Powder, and sure enough, there it was: sodium aluminum sulfate.

It just goes to show… Sometimes you’re in such a habit of buying a particular brand, you never think to check the label. And here I thought I was on top of the whole label-reading thing. Humbling, isn’t it?

I probably bake something using baking powder about once a month – more so around the holidays. I don’t know if it’s been affecting me, but I do have my share of health issues, so it’s possible. But between my allergy and the studies that show a link between Alzheimer’s patients and increased levels of aluminum in their brains, I don’t want to ingest any more of that metal than absolutely necessary.

So I went to the grocery store yesterday and found Rumford brand aluminum-free baking powder – interestingly, it’s also made by Clabber Girl. And as a bonus, Clabber Girl uses a peanut-free facility to manufacture all of their baking powders, and they’re all kosher, too. You can read Clabber Girl’s peanut-free policy on their website (http://www.clabbergirl.com/).

My old can of baking powder is in the trash now, and my new can of Rumford aluminum-free baking powder is sitting on my shelf.

Whew. Just in time for those Thanksgiving pies…

Trick-or-Treating Safely

2010-10-25T10:59:00.000-06:00

That ghouly, ghostly holiday every kid loves is just around the corner. So it's time for my annual posting of Halloween tips...

For us parents of food allergic kids, Halloween can be stressful. Should we let them go trick-or-treating? Should we have a party instead? Should we stay home, lock the doors, and turn out the lights? What about that giant bag of unsafe candy?!!

In our family, we’ve discovered that the candy is really the least important part of the holiday. The adventure is the best part. Candy seems like the goal (“I’m going to fill this WHOLE bucket!”), but it’s really just the excuse for dressing up, running around the neighborhood in the dark squealing with flashlights, and getting together with friends.

Focus on the adventure, and create your Halloween traditions around the parts of the holiday your kids love best. If they like to trick-or-treat, don’t be afraid of that. There are plenty of things you can do with unsafe candy afterwards, and if the kids know about the rules ahead of time, it will be surprisingly easy to keep them safe while doing it.

Here are some tips for safe trick-or-treating:

Tip #1: No one eats anything until everyone gets home and the parent reads the label on every piece of candy. That way, no one is eating unidentified foods and having a reaction while you’re out in the dark a block away from home. Make sure the kids agree, understand, and agree again. No one sneaks anything (not even Dad).

Tip #2: If you child is super-sensitive to an ingredient, you might have them wear gloves with their costume, so that any allergenic candy that touches their hand on the way into the bag doesn’t cause a skin reaction. Toss the glove in the wash or in the trash when you get home.

Tip #3: Unlabeled candy is assumed to be unsafe. Period. The only exceptions are brand-name candies that you are already familiar with and know are safe. (For example, I know Starbursts and Skittles are okay for my son, so I’ll let him keep those.) If there is a type of candy that he’s particularly interested in, I might promise to look for it at the store the next day, and read the ingredients there. But it goes into a separate container until we’ve seen it at the store and verified its safety.

Tip #4: Before you head out on your adventure, talk about what you’re going to do with any candy when the night is over. Here are some ideas:

1) Go trick-or-treating with a friend, and at the end of the night, dump both kids’ candy together, then make two piles – a “safe” pile for the allergic kid, and the other pile for the non-allergic kid. If they both know about this plan beforehand, they are usually more than willing to do this.

2) Buy a bag of safe candy ahead of time, and at the end of the night, let your child “trade” you for all the unsafe candy he brought home.

3) “Buy” the unsafe candy from your child – but establish a price ahead of time, such as a nickel a piece, a dollar a pound, or the whole kit and caboodle for a new DVD, a small toy, a trip to the movies, a night out with Dad, a visit to the dollar store, or other such treat.

4) Look for a dentist or other business in your area that buys candy from kids on the day after Halloween. There’s at least one dentist in Layton that does. The kids get money, and the dentist donates the candy to a children’s hospital, I think.

5) Let the child “donate” the unsafe candy to Mom or Dad, so they can take it to work and share it with their coworkers.

6) Let the child donate the unsafe candy to a local women’s shelter, food bank, homeless shelter, or family of a soldier – the soldiers always seem to appreciate candy that they can share with friends or give to children in Iraq or Afghanistan.

Don’t let Halloween spook you. There are plenty of ways to celebrate safely – have a party at your house, go trick-or-treating with a plan for replacing the unsafe candy, visit a haunted house or Lagoon’s Frightmares, plan some “safe” houses ahead of time for your little ones to visit where you’ve prearranged for safe candy to be available for them, or rent The Nightmare Before Christmas and snuggle up together in the dark.

And don’t forget UFAN’s annual FOOD-FREE Halloween party this Friday, Oct. 29, 2010, 6:00 – 8:00 pm, Carmen B. Pingree School (780 S. Guardsman Way, SLC). See the Utah Food Allergy Network’s website, http://www.foodallergy.org/, for directions.

Whatever your family Halloween tradition becomes, I hope it’s spooktacular!

Halloween Candy Round-Up

2010-10-18T11:31:00.002-06:00

Last week I talked about some online resources for buying allergy-friendly candy or non-candy novelties for handing out to all those cute little Halloween trick-or-treaters. This week, I’ll list some of the candy I found here in local Utah stores (most of which are national brands, so they’ll probably be found just about anywhere).

The first thing I want to remind you of is this: READ EVERY LABEL, EVERY TIME. Many manufacturers use multiple factories, and the processes and foods they use in each factory can be different, so the same candy made in two different factories might have different allergen warnings. And manufacturers can change their recipes from year to year, too. So the candy you bought last year might be unsafe this year. Double-check everything.

For example, last year I was able to find some Wonka candy mixes that were milk- and egg-free. This year, the “mix” bags all contained an egg and soy warning. (Some of the single-variety Wonka candy was safe, however, such as the Pixie Stix or Fun Dip.) Last year, a Wonka representative told me they perform thorough cleaning and use strict preparation guidelines when they’re using an allergen. But they still put the warning label on the candy that is made in factories where allergens are present. Wonka is good about labeling their individual candies, so you can look at each piece in your little goblin’s bag and know whether you’re getting a contaminated piece or not. I’m disappointed that there are more contamination warnings on Wonka candy this year than last, however.

Now the good news: I found lots of candy that’s free from the Top 8 Allergens (soy, peanut, tree nut, wheat, egg, milk, seafood, shellfish), and several that are free from at least 6. I shopped at Walmart, Sam’s Club, Smith’s, and Shopko. Most stores will carry pretty much the same assortments as those stores, so you should be able to find them somewhere near you. Sam’s Club had the biggest selection and greatest variety. All of the candy I saw contains artificial food colorings, and almost all contains corn syrup, however, so if those are your issues, I recommend lollipops and gummy bears from YummyEarth. They’re free from the big 8, and use natural colorings and flavorings. Or buy non-food novelties from someplace like Oriental Trading Company.

So here is what I found. Remember, don’t take my word for it – check the labels yourself before you buy (I may have missed something while I was standing in the aisle scribbling notes), or you may pick up a bag made in a different factory than the one I looked at. But hopefully this list will help point you in the right direction and keep you from getting discouraged when you look at those giant aisles of unsafe candy. And it might help you when you go through your kid’s trick-or-treat bag, too. Happy treating!

Non-food:

Play-Doh mini cups, package of 66, $9.98 at Sam’s Club (contains wheat)

Corn-free as well as free from Top 8 (These candies don’t list corn syrup in their ingredients, so they may be safe for corn-allergic kids):

Smarties (Walmart, 60 per bag, 2 bags for $4)
Wonka Pixie Stix (Walmart, 120 per bag, 2 bags for $4)
Wonka Fun Dip (Walmart, 40 per bag, $4.75)
Bob’s Sweet Stripes Soft Mint Candies (red & white peppermints) (Sam’s Club (290 per bag, $5.98)

Free from Top 8:

Dum-Dums (Sam’s Club, 360 per bag, $6.98)
Dum-Dum Chewy Pops (Walmart, 180 per bag, $4.75)
Member’s Mark Zoo Animal Fruit Snacks (contains coconut oil) (Sam’s Club, 72 per bag, $8.98)
Betty Crocker Fruit Roll-Ups (Sam’s Club, 48 per box, $7.48)
Betty Crocker Halloween Fruit Snacks (Sam’s Club, 46 per box, $6.98
Otter Pops (Sam’s Club, 200 for $7.80)
Kellogg’s Fruity Snacks (contains coconut oil) (Sam’s Club, 50 per box, $6.98)
Skittles and Starbursts Assortment (Sam’s Club, 172 per bag, $9.88, or Shopko has a bag of 90 for $9.99
Life Savers Gummies (Smiths, 30 per bag, $2.49)
Dots (Smiths, 17 mini-boxes per bag, $2.49)
Hot Tamales & Mike & Ike assortment (Smiths, 63 per bag, $6.99, or Shopko has a bag of 35 for $4.89
Swedish Fish & Sour Patch Kids assortment (Smiths, 115 per bag, $9.99)
Smiths also had bags of Skittles and bags of Starbursts, but I forgot to write down the price
Jet-Puff Boo Mallows (bags of Halloween-shaped marshmallows) (Walmart, 14 bags for $2.00)
Ring Pops (Walmart, 22 for $4.75)
Marvel Candy Sticks (Walmart, 2 bags of 60 for $4)

Contains Soy Lecithin or Soy warning (but free from other 7 top allergens):

Wrigley’s Gum (Sam’s Club, 40 packs for $7.14)
Jolly Rancher Lollipops (Sam’s Club, 100 per bag, $9.22)
Laffy Taffy (Sam’s Club: 165 per container, $5.72; Smiths: 2 bags of 40 for $4; Walmart: 80 for $4.75)
Laffy Taffy Ropes (Sam’s Club, 48 ropes, $8.78)
Double Bubble bubble gum (Walmart, 160 for $4.75)
Act II Popcorn Balls (Walmart, 20 for $5)

Contains Soy and Wheat (but free from other 6 top allergens):

Twizzlers (Sam’s Club, 180 for $6.98)
Airheads (Sam’s Club: 90 for $8.34, Walmart: 2 bags of 30 for $4)
Utz Pretzel Treats (Sam’s Club, 70 bags of Halloween-shaped pretzels, contains wheat and barley, made on equipment that processes soy and sesame seeds, $6.98)
Twizzler & Jolly Rancher Assortment (Sam’s Club, 225 for $9.98)

Contains Wheat and Egg (but free from other 6 top allergens):

Wonka Mixups (Sam’s Club, 300 for $9.88)
Wonka Sweetarts Variety Mix (Walmart, I forgot to write down price)
Wonka Monster Treat Mix (Walmart, I forgot to write down price)

Candy Corn Hunt 2010

2010-10-11T13:04:00.001-06:00

It’s time again for the annual candy corn hunt. But first…

Sometimes the best ideas come from kids. I have a dear friend who lives in the Washington D.C. area. Her family keeps Kosher (which brings its own set of food issues to the table each day), and during the Jewish holiday Sukkot (which just finished), her community holds an annual “sukkah hop” where the kids visit a set of predetermined families. At each house, they sit down in a “sukkah” (a structure covered in branches) to have a snack, hear a story or learn about the holiday, then move on to the next one.

This wonderful tradition prompted my friend’s youngest daughter to think of kids with food allergies and trick-or-treating at Halloween. She asked her mom to ask me if I’d write about her suggestion – telling food-allergic families that they could pre-arrange “safe houses” where allergic kids could go trick-or-treating and be certain to get “safe” candy or treats. I think it’s a great idea, and easily accomplished. Thank you, Miriam! It’s people like you that help kids with food allergies feel “normal” and welcomed in this world. We really appreciate you!

Now, for the candy corn news…

Every year, one of the most common questions I hear is: “Where can I find nut-free candy corn?” I have found two sources for nut-free candy corn this year, but they both contain egg, soy, and corn syrup.

Kroger brand – sold in Smith’s here in Utah, and possibly in other Kroger stores elsewhere. They sell nut-free candy corn, mellowcreme pumpkins, and Autumn Mix. Yummy!
Sunrise Confections, labeled with either the Blueberry Hill or Sunrise brand. You can order the Sunrise candy corn from Peanut Free Planet.
Dots candy -- Okay, they're not really candy corn, but they're colored like candy corn, and they're milk-free, egg-free, and nut-free, soy-free, and I think gluten-free, so hey, they're worth a shot! I found them at Shopko yesterday!

I’ve been shopping locally for candy to see what types of allergen-free candy we can find in stores. Next week, I’ll post a list of what I found and where I found it. Most of it contains corn syrup and food colorings, of course. So if those are your issues, you’ll probably want to order candy online, and you’ll want to do it this week so it arrives in time for Halloween. There are also some good online resources for Halloween chocolates and gluten-free candy, so this week I’ll focus on online candy sources.

Yummy Earth. Yummy Earth candies (lollipops, drops and gummy bears) are corn-free, as well as being free from the big 8, and they use natural colorings and flavorings. They’re sometimes available in health food stores, Toys R Us and Babies R Us, but I don’t know if they’re here in Utah. However, you can buy them online at YummyEarth.com and on Amazon.
Allergies and Me: This is a great online grocer who sells gluten-free and allergy-friendly products, including candy, including gluten-free licorice twists in several flavors (for those of you who miss Twizzlers!).
Amanda’s Own Confections: They offer chocolate in some fun Halloween shapes, as well as jelly beans and other candies, all dairy-free, nut-free, egg-free, and gluten-free!
Divvies: Nut-free, dairy-free, and egg-free chocolate ghosts, jelly beans, gummy stars, and chocolate chips! Oh my!
AllerNeeds.com: This online grocer sells allergy-friendly foods from several vendors, including Enjoy Life! Foods’ Boom Choco Boom chocolate bars in a variety pack of six bars. (Enjoy Life! Foods are free from the top 8 allergens.) They also sell some candy manufactured in Canada’s nut-free and peanut-free factories, so it’s worth checking out.
Vermont Nut Free: Their chocolates are peanut-free and nut-free, but they do have milk and egg warnings on them. Their huge selection of nut-free chocolates includes caramel and chocolate pumpkins, chocolate-covered marshmallows on a stick, and foil-wrapped chocolate shapes (like bats, witches, and ghosts).
Chocolate Emporium: Read the ingredients carefully on this website, but they do offer a lot of allergen-friendly goodies. Call before you order to ensure you get what you need.
Peanut Free Planet: This site sells candy from lots of different manufacturers, including Vermont Nut Free and Amanda’s Own. You’ll find chocolate, jelly beans, and all sorts of allergen-friendly groceries. And most importantly, THEY HAVE NUT-FREE CANDY CORN!
Oriental Trading Co.: Remember, trick-or-treats bags don’t have to be filled with candy. Oriental Trading Company offers a bazillion (I counted them) novelty toys, many that you can buy in quantities of 50, 144, or more.

Happy shopping!

FAAN Walk for Food Allergy - Guest Blogger!

2010-10-04T08:00:00.002-06:00

Hi! This week, I asked Lynn, a member of the Utah Food Allergy Network (UFAN), to write about her family's experience at the second annual FAAN Walk for Food Allergy. Thank you, Lynn, for sharing your day with us!

On Saturday, we attended the 2010 FAAN Walk for Food Allergy at Wheeler Farm.

The weather was lovely, and the crowd seemed strong and spirited. We were walking in support of our son, who is allergic to wheat, milk, tree nuts, egg, oat, and sesame. At nearly 3 years old, he may not have understood the full significance of the walk:

Why We Walk
We walk to find a cure for food allergies.
We walk to increase awareness of food allergy and the effect it has on a community.
We walk to provide understanding, hope, and an opportunity for a child with food allergy to simply be a child.
We walk to save a life!
- www.foodallergywalk.org

Nonetheless, he had a blast (and was delighted to delay naptime for such a special occasion). Before the race, kids were kept entertained by fun activities like a bouncy house, face painting, and race cars to climb in and out of. Representatives of organizations and companies such as UFAN, Enjoy Life, and EpiPen were on hand to answer questions and hand out goodies. All walkers had the opportunity to enter their tickets into a number of raffle drawings.

The walk itself was an easy stroll (gentle enough for this pregnant mama) around Wheeler Farm's dirt paths. I would like to have had chatted with more families of kids with food allergies -- we really just stuck with our own family, as it seemed others may have done as well -- but overall, we had a fun day in support of a great cause. Our little guy seemed to understand that he was surrounded by others who also could not eat certain foods, like wheat or egg ("...or cow's milk," he added in his adorable toddler voice, when we explained it to him). This was our first FAAN walk, but something tells me that it won't be our last.

Lynn normally blogs at Chronicle of an Infant Bibliophile, where she writes about her son's love of books and their recent entry into the world of pre-K homeschooling.

Relearning to Cook

2010-09-27T11:39:00.000-06:00

One of the first questions everyone asks when first told they or their children have food allergies is:

“What on earth are we going to eat now?”

We look in our pantries and our fridges and we panic. Half the stuff we bought on our last grocery trip turns out to contain the ingredients that have been making us or our kids sick. We toss out boxes of crackers and cookies, seasoned rice and pasta pouches, pre-cooked skillet meals, frozen Italian and Chinese meals, and cake mixes. We stand there in our now nearly empty kitchen and try to think what to make for dinner. We’re thinking raw carrots and a jar of applesauce.

Our next trip to the grocery store is agonizing. It takes 4 hours. We read every label on every package, and we despair. There it is – that warning label we’ve just been taught to look for, and it’s on everything: “Contains milk (or soy, or nuts, or wheat, or egg, or…)” We fight back tears in the grocery aisle because our routine is suddenly all shot to ragged bits, lying on the floor at our feet. Everything we relied on is now considered “dangerous.” Everything we used to throw on the stove at the last minute when the kids are fighting, we’re exhausted, and everyone is hungry is now off-limits.

It’s scary. It’s frustrating. It’s maddening. It’s overwhelming.

“What on earth are we going to eat now?”

Over the next week or two, we try to pull ourselves together. We search the internet. We ask friends. We go back to the store and try again. And finally, we begin to piece together new routines. New recipes. New foods to prepare.

And we relearn how to cook.

That’s the tricky part. Let’s be honest. We live in a society where cooking has become optional. Before you found out about your family’s food allergies, when was the last time you made a cake from scratch? The last time you made stir-fry that didn’t pour out of a frozen bag? The last time you cracked open that great cookbook you were so excited to get that one birthday? The last time you made a sack lunch for your kids?

The thing is, prepackaged food has gotten surprisingly good over the last decade or so. The frozen lasagna ain’t bad. The frozen Chicken Cordon Blue is downright tasty. Meats come pre-marinaded and ready for the grill. Frozen veggies come with their own cream sauce. Those frozen lunches are fast and easy.

And we love to eat out. Depending on the poll you read, Americans eat out an average of 2 to 5 times a week. And according to the USDA’s Economic Research Service, about half of Americans’ food budget every month is spent on food away from home (up from a third in the 1970s).

So it’s not surprising that most of us have sort of forgotten how to cook. I mean sure, we can throw hamburger meat in a pan and toss in some taco seasoning – I call that cooking, don’t you? But you can only make tacos so many times a week before someone starts to whine.

What we discover when we develop food allergies is that we can, indeed, cook again. We relearn how to grill, roast, and stir-fry meat with seasonings out of our spice cabinet instead of out of an envelope. We steam veggies and discover that a little balsamic vinegar is just as tasty as all those cream sauces. We drag our crock-pot out of the cabinet and it becomes our new best friend when we toss in some meat, some veggies, and some apple juice or water or safe chicken broth.

And eventually, we have new routines. We can go to the grocery store without melting down. We hang out in the fresh produce aisle and at the meat counter instead of in the frozen food section. We crush potato chips or safe crackers to coat our chicken breasts instead of buying chicken nuggets. And we realize that cooking isn’t as hard as we remembered it, in most cases. And, as a bonus, it’s often healthier, tastier, and cheaper. It’s a pain to relearn at first, sometimes, and it often takes a little longer, but after a while, it finally becomes second nature to us. Even the pies I made last week that took so long tasted better than the frozen ones, and it’s not like I make them all the time, so an occasional big-effort cooking day isn’t so bad. Most dinners I make are fast and easy, in comparison.

So when we’re looking for silver linings to the black clouds that life scoots across our skies, maybe this is ours. In a world of fast-food, super-sized, mega-calorie excess, those of us with food allergies in our families have an edge.

We’ve relearned how to cook.

Easy as Pie

2010-09-20T12:50:00.000-06:00

I spent all day yesterday in the kitchen. It’s harvest time, so that means my counters are overflowing with tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, and raspberries from my own garden, and peaches from a neighbor’s. So I spent the day making salsa, making spaghetti sauce to freeze for low-effort dinners this winter, and grating zucchini to freeze for making zucchini bread and throwing into soups and casseroles.

Then I tackled a couple of Peach Melba pies. I made my pie crust from scratch, and once again puzzled over the expression “easy as pie.”

Who made that up? A sadistic cook wishing to lure people into expensive cooking classes?

Okay, so I admit that there are only 4 ingredients in a pie crust, and one of them is water. It doesn’t look that hard on paper. (Much of life can be summed up that way, can’t it?) But since I only make pies from scratch about once a year, I always manage to forget that the execution takes a lot more effort and finesse than you’d think.

It’s not complicated – cut 3/4 cup of shortening into 2 cups of flour and 1 tsp of salt, make a well in the center of the crumbly mixture, add 4 T of ice water, and mix.

See? Deceptively easy. But this is my grandmother’s recipe, and there’s always a catch. “Don’t over-handle it” she says. I know that if you handle the crust too much, it will stop being flaky and start being chewy. So I try to minimize my handling, whatever that means. Then I roll it out on a floured piece of wax paper. Again, not so easy. The dough has an annoying tendency to stick to my non-stick rolling pin. Then it wants to either stick to the wax paper or not stick to the wax paper, depending on what I want it to do at that particular moment. And it’s just the right texture to tear instead of stretch as I lay it into the pan.

Sigh.

Oh well. Eventually I got it into the pan and trimmed the edges. Then came the peaches. I peeled and cut up about 3 cups of peaches for each pie, which seemed to take forever, then added a cup of raspberries to each batch. Added in some sugar, a touch of salt, and a touch of flour to thicken it. Then I made more pie crust for the top layers – it didn’t get easier with practice, but finally I had the two pies intact and in the oven.

I used a cookbook to tell me how long to cook the pies. But since we’re at high altitude, it always takes longer to bake things, so it becomes a guessing game, rather than a science. I guessed wrong. Not bad, but enough so that the bottom crust wasn’t quite done when I cut into it after dinner.

Oh well. The good news is that it actually tasted pretty good. And spending the day in the kitchen gives me a kind of strange, domestic sense of accomplishment, putting me in tune with generations of female ancestors who spent every day there, instead of just a few days in the fall.

I spend most of my time making baked goods from scratch these days because it’s the easiest way to avoid food allergens. But I do appreciate when I can use commercial short-cuts, like Pillsbury’s pie crusts. But I have to admit, it just doesn’t taste quite as good as Grandmother’s pie crust. Even if it was more work.

My grandmother knew what she was doing.

Is Your Cookware Safe?

2010-09-13T08:00:00.001-06:00

Okay, so you’ve cleared your pantry of the foods your newly diagnosed family member is allergic to. You’ve found some new recipes and discovered your new favorite brands of safe cookies.

Now it’s time to look in your pots and pans cabinet.

Hunh?

Yep, it’s true. Some of your cookware may not be safe to use for your food-allergic loved one.

For the most part, your regular pots and pans and baking dishes – the stainless steel or non-stick ones and the glass dishes – are probably safe. As long as the surface is non-porous and can be thoroughly cleaned, it should be okay.

Stoneware, however, needs a closer look. If your stoneware is fully glazed (and the glaze isn’t cracked), then the food probably washes off just fine and it’s probably okay to use. But if your stoneware’s cooking surface is rough and unpainted (that pizza stone or that Pampered Chef casserole dish), then that rough surface absorbs the oils from any food cooked in it. That’s what gives the stoneware that nice non-stick finish the more you use it, but it also means the stoneware has probably absorbed unsafe food allergen proteins. So you shouldn’t use it for preparing food that will be eaten by a food-allergic person.

The same goes for that Dutch oven you take camping. If you’ve made Aunt Rita’s cheesy biscuits in it in the past, don’t make dinner in it this weekend for your milk-allergic son.

A cast iron skillet is in the same boat. If it’s a true cast iron skillet with that beautifully seasoned surface that you’ve spent years building up (the kind where you just wipe it clean or maybe use a quick rinse, but you’d divorce your hubby if he scrubbed it with a Brillo pad), then that great black surface is made of hardened food oils, some of which may still contain allergens.

Be aware of cookware when you go to parties, too. Check with the cook to see if they used a stoneware pan for those yummy-looking pumpkin bars before you indulge in them.

If you do find unsafe cookware in your cupboards, and you’ve wondered why your child keeps getting sick even though you’ve eliminated the allergens from his or her diet, you may have just discovered the culprit.

While you’re at it, check your non-stick pans and skillets. If the non-stick surface is peeling off and you can see the metal beneath it, toss it out. That has nothing to do with allergies, and everything to do with toxic materials leaching into your food. Ick. And think twice about any aluminum pans, too. Aluminum is allegedly being tentatively linked to Alzheimer’s and other illnesses, so you might want to consider avoiding aluminum cooking surfaces and go with stainless steel instead. Just something to think about.

So… sad but true, it’s time to ditch the old stoneware. The good news is: the holidays are coming up! Maybe it’s a good time to ask Santa for some new stoneware or a new Dutch oven – and this time, you can be sure it’s only used to prepare safe foods, and you’ll embark on a long, new, safer life together!

Signs of a Food Allergy Reaction

2010-09-06T08:00:00.002-06:00

How do you know if someone is having an allergic reaction to a food?

Knowing the most common signs of a reaction can help you identify it correctly. Here are the most common symptoms to look for in a food allergy reaction, according to the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN):

A tingling sensation in the mouth
Swelling of the tongue and the throat
Difficulty breathing
Hives
Vomiting
Abdominal cramps
Diarrhea
Drop in blood pressure
Loss of consciousness

Typically, symptoms appear within minutes of eating the food, but sometimes it can take up to two hours for symptoms to appear.

Don’t expect to see all of those reactions at the same time. Many reactions may only display one or two of those symptoms. If you spend a lot of time with someone who has food allergies (such as a student in your class, a co-worker, or a scout in your troop), ask what their most common symptoms are and watch for those. But beware – allergic symptoms can vary from episode to episode, so try to be familiar with all the symptoms and watch for them.

Parents are usually the best at reading the early signs of a reaction, of course. For example, my son’s friend often gets itchy spots on the back of his neck as the first sign of an allergic reaction. That’s the kind of thing a stranger probably wouldn’t notice, but his mother can see that little tell-tale before anyone else can. But her son’s reaction can rapidly progress to include cramping, a rash near his mouth, welts if there was skin contact, or vomiting. All of these are signs I know to watch for if he’s staying at our house. They’re also signs I watch for in any child, now that I know they are common food allergy symptoms. Even if you don’t know someone well, being familiar with all the signs of an allergic reaction can help you identify what might be happening.

Now that you know what to look for, what do you do if you suspect someone is having a reaction? It’s pretty simple:

Administer the person’s medication immediately. Usually you give them an antihistamine first (Benadryl, Allegra, Zyrtec, Claratin, etc.). If the symptoms get worse, administer the person’s epinephrine injection (EpiPen, Twinject, or Adrenaclick). Don’t worry, The instructions are usually printed right on the injector.
Call 911 or a doctor and tell them you believe the victim is having an allergic reaction to food. Tell them what medicine you gave them.
Get the person to medical help, and stay with them and watch them for 24 hours (even if they’re sent home). As the medication wears off, the reaction can come back, so it’s important to watch them for recurrences.

With some extremely sensitive people, it’s critical to immediately administer epinephrine without waiting to see if an antihistamine works. If the victim tells you to use the epinephrine right away, don’t hesitate.

Remember, I’m not a medical professional, so don’t take this information as medical advice – I’m just giving you some tips. Talk to your own allergist or medical provider for information specific to your own condition. And for more information about food allergies, their symptoms, their treatment, and other aspects, see FAAN’s website, http://www.foodallergy.org/. For information on epinephrine injectors, see http://www.epipen.com/, http://www.twinject.com/, or http://www.adrenaclick.com/.

Smooth Sailing with Food Allergies

2010-08-30T22:32:00.001-06:00

August was a good month for me, as far as spreading the word about food allergies. First, I wrote an article for this month’s issue of Cruising World magazine about how we provisioned our sailboat charter the last time we went sailing – in the lovely waters of St. Lucia, St. Vincent, and the Grenadines. My article gives tips on how to get your charter company to provision your boat (stock it with food) that accommodates your food allergies. (And it includes my recipe for Easy Salsa-Baked Chicken.) (“Allergy-Free in Paradise,” Cruising World, August 2010 )

I was pleased to see that another article in the issue also dealt with provisioning with food allergies – that one talked a little about the captain’s gluten allergy, and a sidebar discussed charter companies’ suggestions for provisioning. (“Provisioning for Gourmands and Glutenphobes,” Cruising World, Aug. 2010). Knowing that the subject of food allergies has become important enough to merit a prominent theme in a respected sailing magazine says a lot.

The last article I’m linking to today is one I didn’t write. Instead, my son and I were interviewed for an article about food allergies in the Ogden, Utah, newspaper. (“‘I’m Allergic’ The Battle Cry Becoming More Common Among Adults and Children,” Ogden Standard-Examiner, Aug 30, 2010.)

Enjoy!

I Wouldn’t Wish Allergies on Anyone

2010-08-23T12:59:00.001-06:00

Back in January of 2009, Joel Stein wrote an essay for the LA Times proclaiming that food allergies are made up by hysterical parents who crave attention. It caused a lot of controversy, obviously. (“Nut Allergies – A Yuppie Invention,” LA Times, Jan. 9, 2009. )

Understandably bothered by his misinformation, I responded by writing my own article on my blog. My article began with “Dear Joel, I’m glad no one you love has a severe food allergy. I wouldn’t wish that on anyone.” ("Countering Hysteria," Food Allergy Feast blog, Jan. 19, 2009)

You’ll never guess what happened. A couple of weeks ago, Mr. Stein wrote an essay for Time magazine. Turns out, his one-year-old son has developed nut allergies. Read his new essay here: “A Nut Allergy Skeptic Learns the Hard Way,” Time, Aug. 14, 2010.

In this latest essay, he describes how many people wrote to him after his earlier column, saying they wished he would have a child with food allergies someday. What a hateful thing to wish. Why is it human nature to lash out violently, rather than try to educate and reach a mutual understanding? After all these thousands of years, we’ve got a pretty impressive track record showing that throwing bigger and bigger rocks doesn’t really have the effect we were looking for.

So Joel was throwing rocks, parents of allergic kids were throwing rocks right back at him, and no one made any progress, unless you count progress towards more reactionary and poisonous backlashes on both sides. Gee, I’m underwhelmed with surprise.

I didn’t wish for Mr. Stein to become intimately familiar with a parent’s fear. I DID wish for him to become more informed, more aware, and less inclined to propagate dangerous misinformation. Of course, his career is based on writing amusing, barbed commentary skewering anything he feels like. Being a big fan of the First Amendment, I don’t have a problem with that. My only problem is when writing those opinions might cause a child to be put in a life-threatening situation. We writers sometimes walk a blurry line between informing and harming, and it's important to approach that blurry line with a deep sense of responsibility.

Now, Mr. Stein has written this new essay admitting that his son has developed nut allergies, and that he’s having to eat some crow. That takes a big man to do that. It takes an even bigger man to do that in a national spotlight, like in Time magazine, for example. I’m sure there are plenty of small-minded people out there who are taking some sort of sick satisfaction out of this unfortunate turn of events in the Stein family’s lives. But the fact remains there’s a small child who’s affected here, and that child’s safety – like all of our food-allergic children’s safety – is all that truly matters.

So here’s my response to Mr. Stein’s latest essay:

Dear Joel,

I’m so sorry to hear that your son has developed food allergies. This will add a layer of worry to the already worry-filled job that we call parenting. But fortunately, there are many resources, both online and in your own community, that offer education, nut-free products, school action plans, recipes, and tips for making your child’s experiences with everything from playdates to school to birthday parties to dating (yes, that will be here before you know it!) safe and “normal.”

I’m sorry you’ve had to join the ranks of parents of allergic kids, Joel. But we welcome you to our ranks, too, because here is where you’ll find the information and strength to absorb this new aspect of life into your routines of daily living. We’re all in this together, and we are happy to help.

Sincerely,
Kelley Lindberg
Mom of a peanut-allergic kid

Teachers Who Care

2010-08-16T14:07:00.000-06:00

Did you hear it? The ominous music building up? You know the kind – the discordant, scary instrumental music when the movie hero finds himself thrust into peril?

Sixth grade started today for my son. He’s pretty sure that doomsday music was playing for him.

A lot of kids like school, I tell him. Some even look forward to going back at the end of summer. He shakes his head in dismay. He can’t comprehend anything of the sort. School represents everything he hates – routine, confinement, quiet, uniforms, reasonable bedtimes… What’s to like? He’s a summer boy through and through. Give him lazy days, swimming pools, buddies to hang with, popsicles to indulge in, and a seemingly endless rotation of skateboard t-shirts, and he’s a happy kid. Take them all away and… well, you get the picture.

We met his new teachers last week – he has two, each for a half-day. They had asked to meet with us before school started so that we could talk to them about his (and his friend’s) food allergies, and how to keep the two boys safe in class. The teachers were wonderful. They were very supportive, concerned, and interested, and asked a lot of questions. They seem ready to make any sort of adjustments to their curriculum necessary to prevent the boys from feeling excluded or unsafe this year.

Let me tell you, nothing is more reassuring to a parent than knowing your child’s teachers really and truly care about your kid. The other boy’s mom and I both breathed huge sighs of relief when we walked out of that meeting last week, feeling confident that we could work with these teachers this year and make it a great year.

The week before, I had gone to a different elementary school to help another friend of mine talk to her child’s teachers. That meeting went really well, too. Again, the teachers seemed so willing to learn and accommodate that child’s needs.

From time to time, I hear other parents talk about teachers and principals who are resistant, unpleasant, or even downright hostile when it comes to accommodating a student’s food allergies. That simply astounds me. Often, it doesn’t take much to make an allergic child safe – a table set aside in the lunchroom, a “Peanut-Free Classroom” sign on the door, or some easy substitutions in a class food project. How can an adult whose entire career is based on nurturing and educating children take such a negative stand on protecting a child from a life-threatening food allergy reaction? How can an experienced educator think Tootsie Rolls are more important than a child’s life? I just don’t get it.

Every year, I thank my lucky stars that my son goes to a school where food allergy awareness starts with the principal and permeates the entire school culture. They’ve been so willing to work with us, learn from us, and make adjustments when necessary, and they’re even more than willing to learn from the occasional mistake or oversight.

So while my son may feel like he’s been sent to prison for the crime of enjoying summer too much, I’m happy to know that his “wardens” are keeping his health and safety high on their priority list, and that they’re looking out for him during those hours of the day when I can’t.

Blogging Troubles

2010-08-09T12:12:00.000-06:00

Hi everyone,

As you may have been able to tell, my blog has been having strange things happen to it over the last week. While I'm chasing those gremlins down, I am going to skip posting this week. But I promise I'll be back next week! (Hopefully I'll have a link to an article I have published in this month's Cruising World magazine by then, too.) See you next Monday!

More Back to School Tips

2010-08-02T09:20:00.000-06:00

Now that school is only 2 or 3 weeks away (at least here in Utah), many parents are getting ready to send their little ones off to a scary place – not that school itself is scary, but the food in the classroom and cafeteria can make it seem that way.

About this time every year I post my back-to-school tips. So I’ll repeat them here, in the hopes that they help smooth the way for other parents over the next few weeks. Good luck, and enjoy these remaining few days of summer!

(Remember, there are links to several school-related resources on the Utah Food Allergy Network's website, so be sure to check those out. And two weeks ago I posted my Back-To-School Shopping List, so you might want to look at that, as well.)

1. Volunteer a lot, so the staff knows you and counts on you (not just for allergy issues). If the only time they see you is when there's a food allergy, then you may start feeling like they're whispering "Oh no, here she comes again." But if they see you as a "Gosh, what would we do without her" kind of volunteer, then the occasional food issue will be coming from a great mom who's making a reasonable request.

2. If someone else is already the class mom, or you can't volunteer for that position, tell the teacher you really need to attend all parties and field trips because of the food allergy. The teacher may want to let the other parents know that you'll be selected for all the special events because of the food allergy, so that they don't think the teacher is playing favorites or something.

3. Ask the principal if there are other food allergic kids in the same grade, and if they can be assigned to the same teacher. That makes it easier for the allergic parents to trade off field-trip and party chaperone duties, it puts all the kids in the same class so that the classroom can be more allergen-free, and gives you some backup in food issues. (It's nice to NOT be the only one.) Statistically, about one in twenty kids has a food allergy, so chances are good there will be more kids than just your child.

4. Volunteer to shop for all the snacks or food materials for classroom parties or food educational units (like making noodle necklaces or gingerbread houses, etc.). Tell the teacher if she'll collect money donations, you'll go buy all the ingredients. They're usually delighted to get out of having to shop.

5. Make several copies of your Food Allergy Action Plan (available on FAAN’s website) and ask to hang one in the office, the cafeteria kitchen, and the classroom, so that your child's photo and "What to do in case of a reaction" instructions are handy no matter where he is.

6. Practice with your child what he should do if he "feels funny." Role-play and pretend you're the teacher, and have him come up and tell you what's wrong. Often our kids are too shy about asking for help, so have him practice with you, and with the teacher if possible. Not only does that give your child words to use if something happens, but it helps impress upon the teacher how important it is.

7. I get on my principal's staff meeting agenda at the first of the year and give a 5-minute talk about allergies and demonstrate the EpiPen. I also give a presentation to my son's class, and all the teachers and aides he comes into contact with. If you're not comfortable doing this, ask if there are other allergic parents that you can contact. Talk to them about ways to teach the teachers -- maybe another mom would be willing to give the presentation if you make the photocopies. It's easier when there are two of you involved!

8. Remember, In Utah, your child can legally carry his EpiPen. But he probably can't administer it to himself in an emergency, so make sure the teachers and everyone else know where it is and how to use it. My son carries his in his backpack so that it's always in the classroom, and I also fill a second prescription and they keep it in the office. So he has two sets at school. (I also attach a luggage tag with his photo on it to his backpack, so the teacher can find his backpack in a hurry.)

9. If he's going to be having lunch at school, talk to the Lunch Lady and cafeteria monitor. Introduce your child, tell her what your child is allergic to, and let your child know that the Lunch Lady is a friend that will help keep him safe. Then remember the Lunch Lady and the cafeteria monitor on holidays with little thank you cards or gifts to show you appreciate them. Few people do that. But it will help keep your child's food issues fresh in their mind, and they'll get to know him well.

10. Ask about setting up a food table just for allergic kids. All that’s required is a table with a sign that says "Food Allergies Only," and the cafeteria monitors clean it with a separate marked bucket and cloth. Don’t let them make your child eat in a separate room or the principal’s office. He shouldn’t be punished just because he’s allergic to some foods! Ask the principal to mention the allergy table in a newsletter or other information that goes home with kids at the beginning of the year. You may find other kids with allergies expressing an interest in sitting at the table if they know it’s available.

11. Ask the parents of your child’s friends to send safe lunches with them every once in a while, so they can eat with your child. Make it a fun place to be!

12. Most peanut-allergic kids don’t react to the smell of peanut butter in the air, but a few do. If you are worried if your child will react to the air in the cafeteria, ask to take him in for a “practice run.” Sit in the cafeteria for half an hour and see if he reacts. If he doesn’t, cross that worry off your list.

13. Eat lunch with him for the first few days. That will reassure both of you that you can both handle this!

14. Talk to the teacher about which cafeteria door your child should use to avoid peanut butter contact (usually the one furthest from the playground), where to put his lunch bag after lunch, and where his EpiPens will be.

15. Remind your child NOT to throw away his lunch trash. Tell him to bring it home in his lunch bag, so that he can avoid using the trash can. If another kid slam-dunks a half-full milk carton in the trash can, you don’t want your milk-allergic child to get splashed.

16. As I mentioned in the Back-to-School Shopping List post, consider ordering medical alert jewelry to alert teachers and other staff about your child’s allergy. Sometimes, it’s a good visual reminder to the teacher to stop and think about food. (But not always – sometimes you see something so often you stop seeing it, you know what I mean?) Try American Medical ID or Sticky J for some great kids' bracelets, necklaces, and charms.

17. Take some safe treats to school to leave in the teacher's classroom, in case there's a birthday celebration and your child can't eat the cupcakes.

18. Be aware and be prepared, but don't panic! School is going to be a lot of fun, and your child will do just fine. And believe it or not, so will you!

Happy Pioneer Day

2010-07-26T14:59:00.000-06:00

This past Saturday, July 24, we celebrated Pioneer Day here in Utah. In the rest of the country, Pioneer Day doesn’t exist. Here, however, it is a huge holiday, on a par with the 4th of July. We celebrate with parades, rodeos, fireworks, barbeques, and picnics – and anyone who doesn’t get the day off from work feels really put-upon. We Utahns are really fortunate to get not one, but two spectacular holidays every July!

Pioneer Day officially commemorates the arrival of the Mormon Pioneers in the Great Salt Lake Valley back in 1847. But the Mormon pioneers aren’t the only pioneers who we remember on Pioneer Day.

Five native tribes of American Indians made Utah home before the first European explorers ever came here – the Goshutes, Utes, Navajo, Shoshone, and Paiutes pioneered life in this arid region (and before them, the Fremonts and Anasazi were carving civilization from our cliffs and mesas). And those first European-descent explorers weren’t Mormon, but they were Catholic priests, French explorers, Spanish trailblazers, and early American naturalists. Later, after the Mormons began to settle here, there were Chinese railroad builders, Greek miners, and Army soldiers from all over the Union. Over the last 163 years, Utah’s pioneers have included freed slaves, Japanese internees, Pacific Islanders, Scandinavian farmers, and Eastern European laborers. We’ve taken in Mormons, Jews, Catholics, Protestants, Muslims, and Buddhists. We’ve welcomed refugees from probably every modern war and conflict, including Vietnam, the former Soviet countries, Bosnia and Serbia, the Sudan, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Pioneers, all of them.

And our pioneers haven’t just represented different nationalities, religions, or races. Utah boasts pioneers of science, of art, of culture, of sport, and of technology. Our Utah residents had a hand in inventing television, the internet, the computer graphics industry, the artificial heart, and a million other innovations that make life more entertaining, interesting, safe, and healthy.

Today, there are pioneers all around us. Whether it is doctors studying the effectiveness of desensitization therapies on food allergies, or engineers studying various windmill structures to find a more efficient way to harness energy from the wind that spills through our canyons and across our valleys, Utah pioneers are changing our lives right this very minute.

So happy Pioneer Day, everyone. Support those among us who are continuing to find new ways to improve our lives, our health, our planet, and our relationships with others throughout the world. And keep nurturing that pioneering spirit in our kids. Who knows what innovations they’ll discover tomorrow?