A Guide for Living with Food Allergies - Beginner Version
This guide was originally written with a dairy, tree nut & peanut allergy in mind. Feel free to substitute your allergen in all general advice. It certainly would be great if you did not have to experience food allergies. However, below you will find a beginning guide or a first start into this world. There will be way too much to process all at once, so come back often. Now...where to begin...
Here are 2 of the largest and most respected advocacy, education and research organizations around. First, FAAN (Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network) which you can access at www.foodallergy.org. FAAN actually does a walk to raise funds and awareness. It is a good place to meet others in the same
boat. You can access their information at www.foodallergywalk.org. Then there is Kids with Food Allergies, which is also a good resource for reliable information, www.kidswithfoodallergies.org.
It makes good sense to become involved in your local food allergy group. Just do a quick search and find one. Click on the calendar to see all of the meetings coming up! In addition, consider subscribing to several support group newsletters in other places; therefore, increasing the information you receive. Here is a link to the local group in Arizona. http://www.arizonafoodallergy.org/ Finally, look for blogs like this one
http://www.nut-freemom.blogspot.com or others that match your allergens. Also, you can often “like” these bloggers on Facebook, another quick way to get information. If you live near a HUGE city, you will find many wonderful places that will cater to your new needs! If not, you will need to be a bit more creative and possibly ship things a little more.
Practically speaking AVOIDANCE is the best way to protect a food allergic child. There needs to be an action plan in place whenever he/she is left (daycare, babysitter, school) without you. Here is a sample of one. Your allergist can help you complete it.http://www.foodallergy.org/files/FAAP.pdf Your child will also always need to have both Benedryl and an Epi-pen wherever they go. Epi’s serve no purpose when they are left at home when the allergic child is out.There are nice cases you can get which allow you to go everywhere with it. Epis need to be at a constant temperature so never leave it in the car or on ice. All caregiver’s must be trained in how to recognize an allergic reaction and in how to use the Epi pen. It is also sensible for the allergic person to wear a Medic-Alert bracelet. EMT’s and emergency room workers are trained to look for these (they can be worn on ankle, too) and allow you to store electronically all of your child’s pertinent medical information accessible even when you are not and when the patient cannot speak (such as when having anaphylaxis.) http://www.medicalert.org/
Food Preparation is very important and steering clear of cross-contamination is essential to reducing exposure to allergens. Now, you may all decide to eliminate peanuts and tree nuts in the house which, overtime, will seem easy. However, you all may wish to continue eating dairy. It will be important to have some cooking tools that are only used for dairy (think Jewish kosher eating). This will allow you to eat what you would like without cross-contamination. Be careful to wipe surfaces and watch what falls onto the floor while the child is still little. Speaking of wiping, the only hand wipes which will actually remove peanut residue from the skin are Wet Ones.
Now, the reality is that there are TONS and I mean TONS of foods the allergic child and all of you can still eat with joy!
Below are some “new to you” brands because their customers usually have allergies and some other more “recognizable” brands that have a good safety record. You will become very good at label reading. Note: Labels may list in bold the top 8 allergens, but will not always list cross-contamination risks. *Just call the company.* Many even have this information on the FAQ’s section of their websites. Also, use sites like: http://foodallergysupport.olicentral.comand http://www.avoidingmilkprotein.com for extra information.
Sunbutter http://www.sunbutter.com/ peanut butter replacement (YUM)
Enjoy Life http://www.enjoylifefoods.com (free of top 8 - YUM)
Surf Sweets http://www.surfsweets.com (gummy candies - YUMMO)
Ians http://www.iansnaturalfoods.com/ (Owen safe NO Cheese Mac & Cheese)
So Delicious http://www.turtlemountain.com/ (Coconut Milk & Soy treats with good allergen policy)
Yummy Earth http://yummyearth.com/ (Fab lollipops & hard candies)
NoNuttin’ http://www.nonuttin.com/ (Granola and granola bars)
Shed the Bread http://shedthebread.com/ (Chicken Nuggets)
Kim & Scott’s http://www.kimandscotts.com/products/dietary-allergy-awareness/ (some products are safe)
Divvies http://www.divvies.com/ (Can you say - Cupcakes & Caramel Corn?? - order online)
Philly Swirls http://www.phillyswirl.com/ (frozen, yummy ice bars - good labels - @ our grocery)
Lucy’s http://www.drlucys.com/ (wonderful cookies - sold in Starbucks sometimes & other regular stores)
Gimbal’s http://shop.gimbalscandy.com (jelly beans, licorice - so good - @ our CVS)
Amanda’s http://www.amandasown.com/ (nut free/dairy free chocolate - order online)
Oh, and often times, you will find labeling is VERY good on products from Canada. Check here for ideas: http://www.peanutfreeplanet.com/ where you can find products listed by allergen.
Some “regular” brands who have labeling you can trust would be:
Spangler Candies (free of dairy & nuts this company makes Smarties, DumDums & ironically Circus Peanuts)
General Mills (watch out for the Peanut Butter Cheerios - damn them!)
Quaker (new Whole Hearts cereal would be a good Cheerios replacement and the child would learn to eat the hearts not the circles)
Keebler
Tootsie (all nut free, check labels for dairy)
Rold Gold (nut free, good labels for dairy) - no Snyder’s
Another hint, when shopping for products, is to look for the “P” for Pareve near the kosher symbols. You should still read the ingredient list, but this means the product should not have dairy. For instance, we use the margarine NUCOA which, I’ve checked, would be safe for folks with dairy allergies and works really well in baked goods.
Now, when going out to eat, this will be much more simple in the early years as you can bring your child’s food with you everywhere and they won’t mind. Eventually, they will want to order. You will then develop a list of restaurants that are food allergy aware. There are even websites devoted to this now.
Going around town - Again, this is much easier at an early age than when they are a little older. You can go everywhere. You need to be prepared. Keep a patterned sheet in the car. Then, always put the patterned side down and you will know which side is clean. Use it on the street for a parade or on a picnic bench.
Cover surfaces when you can ie: movie theaters are dirty (think darkness, food dripping, yuck - why would anyone go once you have had this thought BUT you will go), so bring the sheet to place over the seat.
Cover the grocery cart seat - okay, see, nothing new there. You know you already hate dirt!
Wipe down tables and/or use those sticky placemats. This is easy!
Wipe down everyone’s hands before eating. Ask kissy relatives not to eat allergens before visits or to wash.
Parks are fine especially in the East as the rains clean the slides. So go play!
Kids gyms are fine, too, as long as you frequent those that have people use hand sanitizer. The earlier in the day, the better, as places are often cleaner.
You can travel. You can go on the road for the day. You can pack a cooler with supplies and live la vida loca! You can fly, ride on the train, take elevators, taxis, escalators, buses, trams, amusement park rides, boats, cruise ships and drive. It all just takes some preparation.
Whew! That is a bunch to take it all at once. Hopefully, it helps you get started on the journey. It really is a journey and a gift. A food allergy will force you all to do things you may not have done otherwise such as bake more, read labels, attend parties with your child as they get older, talk with teachers more and it will also teach you and your other children more empathy for others. Finally, it will make you appreciate your children even more than you did before, which is hard to imagine. You now have seen how quickly reactions can happen and how innocently. While every parent would trade away allergies, we’re fortunate the world is changing and becoming more inclusive to our children.
-Raquel Scharf-Anderson, 2012
This is a guide not medical advice. Please see your physician to make decisions for your health.
Here are 2 of the largest and most respected advocacy, education and research organizations around. First, FAAN (Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network) which you can access at www.foodallergy.org. FAAN actually does a walk to raise funds and awareness. It is a good place to meet others in the same
boat. You can access their information at www.foodallergywalk.org. Then there is Kids with Food Allergies, which is also a good resource for reliable information, www.kidswithfoodallergies.org.
It makes good sense to become involved in your local food allergy group. Just do a quick search and find one. Click on the calendar to see all of the meetings coming up! In addition, consider subscribing to several support group newsletters in other places; therefore, increasing the information you receive. Here is a link to the local group in Arizona. http://www.arizonafoodallergy.org/ Finally, look for blogs like this one
http://www.nut-freemom.blogspot.com or others that match your allergens. Also, you can often “like” these bloggers on Facebook, another quick way to get information. If you live near a HUGE city, you will find many wonderful places that will cater to your new needs! If not, you will need to be a bit more creative and possibly ship things a little more.
Practically speaking AVOIDANCE is the best way to protect a food allergic child. There needs to be an action plan in place whenever he/she is left (daycare, babysitter, school) without you. Here is a sample of one. Your allergist can help you complete it.http://www.foodallergy.org/files/FAAP.pdf Your child will also always need to have both Benedryl and an Epi-pen wherever they go. Epi’s serve no purpose when they are left at home when the allergic child is out.There are nice cases you can get which allow you to go everywhere with it. Epis need to be at a constant temperature so never leave it in the car or on ice. All caregiver’s must be trained in how to recognize an allergic reaction and in how to use the Epi pen. It is also sensible for the allergic person to wear a Medic-Alert bracelet. EMT’s and emergency room workers are trained to look for these (they can be worn on ankle, too) and allow you to store electronically all of your child’s pertinent medical information accessible even when you are not and when the patient cannot speak (such as when having anaphylaxis.) http://www.medicalert.org/
Food Preparation is very important and steering clear of cross-contamination is essential to reducing exposure to allergens. Now, you may all decide to eliminate peanuts and tree nuts in the house which, overtime, will seem easy. However, you all may wish to continue eating dairy. It will be important to have some cooking tools that are only used for dairy (think Jewish kosher eating). This will allow you to eat what you would like without cross-contamination. Be careful to wipe surfaces and watch what falls onto the floor while the child is still little. Speaking of wiping, the only hand wipes which will actually remove peanut residue from the skin are Wet Ones.
Now, the reality is that there are TONS and I mean TONS of foods the allergic child and all of you can still eat with joy!
Below are some “new to you” brands because their customers usually have allergies and some other more “recognizable” brands that have a good safety record. You will become very good at label reading. Note: Labels may list in bold the top 8 allergens, but will not always list cross-contamination risks. *Just call the company.* Many even have this information on the FAQ’s section of their websites. Also, use sites like: http://foodallergysupport.olicentral.comand http://www.avoidingmilkprotein.com for extra information.
Sunbutter http://www.sunbutter.com/ peanut butter replacement (YUM)
Enjoy Life http://www.enjoylifefoods.com (free of top 8 - YUM)
Surf Sweets http://www.surfsweets.com (gummy candies - YUMMO)
Ians http://www.iansnaturalfoods.com/ (Owen safe NO Cheese Mac & Cheese)
So Delicious http://www.turtlemountain.com/ (Coconut Milk & Soy treats with good allergen policy)
Yummy Earth http://yummyearth.com/ (Fab lollipops & hard candies)
NoNuttin’ http://www.nonuttin.com/ (Granola and granola bars)
Shed the Bread http://shedthebread.com/ (Chicken Nuggets)
Kim & Scott’s http://www.kimandscotts.com/products/dietary-allergy-awareness/ (some products are safe)
Divvies http://www.divvies.com/ (Can you say - Cupcakes & Caramel Corn?? - order online)
Philly Swirls http://www.phillyswirl.com/ (frozen, yummy ice bars - good labels - @ our grocery)
Lucy’s http://www.drlucys.com/ (wonderful cookies - sold in Starbucks sometimes & other regular stores)
Gimbal’s http://shop.gimbalscandy.com (jelly beans, licorice - so good - @ our CVS)
Amanda’s http://www.amandasown.com/ (nut free/dairy free chocolate - order online)
Oh, and often times, you will find labeling is VERY good on products from Canada. Check here for ideas: http://www.peanutfreeplanet.com/ where you can find products listed by allergen.
Some “regular” brands who have labeling you can trust would be:
Spangler Candies (free of dairy & nuts this company makes Smarties, DumDums & ironically Circus Peanuts)
General Mills (watch out for the Peanut Butter Cheerios - damn them!)
Quaker (new Whole Hearts cereal would be a good Cheerios replacement and the child would learn to eat the hearts not the circles)
Keebler
Tootsie (all nut free, check labels for dairy)
Rold Gold (nut free, good labels for dairy) - no Snyder’s
Another hint, when shopping for products, is to look for the “P” for Pareve near the kosher symbols. You should still read the ingredient list, but this means the product should not have dairy. For instance, we use the margarine NUCOA which, I’ve checked, would be safe for folks with dairy allergies and works really well in baked goods.
Now, when going out to eat, this will be much more simple in the early years as you can bring your child’s food with you everywhere and they won’t mind. Eventually, they will want to order. You will then develop a list of restaurants that are food allergy aware. There are even websites devoted to this now.
Going around town - Again, this is much easier at an early age than when they are a little older. You can go everywhere. You need to be prepared. Keep a patterned sheet in the car. Then, always put the patterned side down and you will know which side is clean. Use it on the street for a parade or on a picnic bench.
Cover surfaces when you can ie: movie theaters are dirty (think darkness, food dripping, yuck - why would anyone go once you have had this thought BUT you will go), so bring the sheet to place over the seat.
Cover the grocery cart seat - okay, see, nothing new there. You know you already hate dirt!
Wipe down tables and/or use those sticky placemats. This is easy!
Wipe down everyone’s hands before eating. Ask kissy relatives not to eat allergens before visits or to wash.
Parks are fine especially in the East as the rains clean the slides. So go play!
Kids gyms are fine, too, as long as you frequent those that have people use hand sanitizer. The earlier in the day, the better, as places are often cleaner.
You can travel. You can go on the road for the day. You can pack a cooler with supplies and live la vida loca! You can fly, ride on the train, take elevators, taxis, escalators, buses, trams, amusement park rides, boats, cruise ships and drive. It all just takes some preparation.
Whew! That is a bunch to take it all at once. Hopefully, it helps you get started on the journey. It really is a journey and a gift. A food allergy will force you all to do things you may not have done otherwise such as bake more, read labels, attend parties with your child as they get older, talk with teachers more and it will also teach you and your other children more empathy for others. Finally, it will make you appreciate your children even more than you did before, which is hard to imagine. You now have seen how quickly reactions can happen and how innocently. While every parent would trade away allergies, we’re fortunate the world is changing and becoming more inclusive to our children.
-Raquel Scharf-Anderson, 2012
This is a guide not medical advice. Please see your physician to make decisions for your health.
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