Allergy Article Feb. '09

Starting in February '09, I 've been asked to be a contributing writer for both the Central Coast Family Newspaper (http://www.centralcoastfamily.com/) here in California and the LV Kids Magazine (http://www.lvkids.net/) in Las Vegas. Both publications respect and support the allergy community and understand the need to create awareness. Below is my inaugural piece and I will continue to post my monthly contributions. Thanks for reading.



Allergies 101:

As parents know, raising children with manners, respect for others, tolerance for differences and acceptance of one another is a challenging yet necessary job. For children with social differences or disabilities the job of that parent is magnified by the fact that other’s who may not understand the given situation fully, must be taught this as well.

As the mother of two children (Alexis 7 and Ryan 5) who have not only environmental allergies, asthma and most serious for us, multiple food allergies, it is my constant job to educate and create awareness within our social circle, schools and community. Although Ryan’s food allergies are not as severe, Alexis’ are life threatening. If one of her allergens (all dairy, eggs, tree nuts, peanuts, shellfish, cherries and mustard) is ingested she will go into anaphylactic shock. Anaphylaxis is a severe form of allergic reaction that can involve many body organs and may develop rapidly with little warning. Anaphylaxis must be treated as a medical emergency as it could lead to unconsciousness or even death.

Parents dealing with a dangerous situation become hyper vigilant to safeguard your child from potential hazardous or threats. Educating those around you about the severity of the situation and how to handle it becomes almost a full time job. Teaching friends, neighbors and relatives what is safe to eat and what to do in an emergency without creating hysteria can be a challenge.

Allergies, both food and environmental, even asthma are extremely prevalent today. So much so, it seems everyone is affected whether you have allergies in your family or not. Children are taught in school about safe zones and parents are asked to read ingredients. Airplanes and ballparks are asked to have peanut free areas or not have nuts at all. This may seem extreme, but to a parent of a child that could potentially die from this allergen, it is not much to ask. It is about tolerance.

As with any parent, we want our children to experience life with as much normalcy as any other child. After all, we are teaching them to respect and accept differences in others. They are not so different. Parents want to teach our children to protect themselves and grow to be productive citizens. To live well adjusted, healthy lives and enjoy all that life has to offer.

I often tell my children - everyone has something, you just may not be able to see it on the outside. Therefore respect and accept because you would not want someone teasing you or treating you badly because you can’t eat pizza or ice cream. Focus on what you can eat and what you can do because there is so much to be grateful for.

In upcoming articles we will explore the world of allergies and asthma. The ins and outs of what it is to live with them without going crazy. What are allergies and why are they so prevalent. We will discuss laws, schools, medical updates and product research. In addition, I will include various recipes, travel tips, thoughts and suggestions. Hopefully, this will encourage, educate or inspire someone you know dealing with this situation. If not maybe it will help teach tolerance and respect for what others must deal with on a daily basis.

Thank you for this opportunity, if you have any comments or suggestions please do not hesitate to contact me via email at www.sweetalexis.com.