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Written by Lissa
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Friday, 13 February 2009 13:12 |
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Our family loves Disney World. I'm talking, we go a minimum of once a year, we can navigate every park without a map and my personal expertise is sought out by numerous people making the trip with their families. I grew up not far from Orlando so I've been to Disney World more times than I can count. All this to say that I thought I knew it all when it came to planning and executing a flawless and fabulous trip the Happiest Place on Earth. In fact, I had even managed to brave the new frontier and take a baby to Disney World without a hitch - we took Caroline for her first trip when she was 7 months old. This first trip was before we knew about food allergies, when she was still mostly on the bottle and throwing baby food and Cheerio's on the floor. The second trip a year later was a bigger concern. As always, I did exhaustive research and preparation to make sure that everything would go smoothly and safely. I'm going to outline the basics here for you so that you can skip the hard work. We have taken her twice more after that first scary trip and each time has been a dream!
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Written by Lissa
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Thursday, 12 February 2009 22:21 |
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One out of every 25 kids has a food allergy nowadays. For us, that's good news and bad news. The bad news is that with the sharply increasing number of kids with food allergies you've been swept up in the tide - you have a food allergic kid. The good news, however, is that along with this increase in the number of affected kids comes an increase in understanding of the seriousness of the issue by schools and childcare facilities. Chances are, your child's daycare or school already has a set policy in place to protect food allergic kids. When your pediatrician first makes your diagnosis, request a letter or form that you can bring with you to school that outlines specifically what allergens need to be avoided as well as specific and detailed instructions for administering medication. Make a quick call to the school and ask to speak with the director or principal and ask what specific requirements they have to create an Allergy Alert for your child and request a face to face meeting as soon as possible.
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Written by Lissa
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Wednesday, 04 February 2009 15:54 |
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The tenet that we live by in our house is that you must Read Every and All Labels (REAL). Allergens can and do hide in bizarre places so you should never assume that a food or product is safe because you can't conceive of someone using the allergen in that particular food.
For example:
• Did you know that peanut butter is a relatively common ingredient in chili?
• Many marshmallows contain egg
• Many packaged bread crumbs contain egg
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Written by Caroline
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Monday, 02 February 2009 16:13 |
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Cooking and Dining Dos and Don'ts
- Don't eat "high risk" foods, including desserts, sauces, pastry-covered dishes, and fried foods, when eating away from home.
- Do prepare allergen-free dishes before preparing foods containing allergens. Cover them, and keep them separate from the cooking area.
- Do bring a "safe" dish with you when visiting a friend or a relative; he or she will appreciate it, and you'll rest easier, too.
- Do ask about ingredients and cooking methods used whether you are in a restaurant, at a friend's home, or about to serve a dish someone brought to your home.
- Don't forget that egg substitutes may contain egg whites; egg replacers do not.
- Do stock up on key ingredients.
- Do use parchment paper as a liner for your countertops when mixing or blending foods that may cause a reaction. Throw the paper away when you are finished.
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Written by Caroline
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Monday, 02 February 2009 16:10 |
* The shot does not replace the need to be seen by a doctor. After giving your child the shot, seek emergency medical care. Symptoms of a severe allergic reaction can return or get worse after an epinephrine shot. The effects of the shot only last 15 to 20 minutes.
* The shot should only be injected into the side of the thigh. Do not give the shot into a buttock or a vein.
* Be familiar with the symptoms of a severe allergic reaction. It's important to know the difference between an allergic reaction and anaphylaxis. Talk to your child's doctor about specific symptoms and indicators to look for that indicates a reaction severe enough to warrant using your Epinephrine. If your child feels or you observe the symptoms coming on, act quickly. The sooner the shot is given, the better the chances of a good outcome.
* If your child is not able to be still, get someone to hold the child while you give the shot. If you are alone, put the child down on his or her back and lay your upper body across the child's body. Use one hand to hold the child's leg while you give the shot with the other hand.
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