Another great Food Allergy Link!

Prior to learning of Alexis' food allergies, I considered myself to be a rather good cook and I loved it. Baking, ironically, not so much. After she was diagnosed, I lost all desire to cook and create recipes. It was as if I was fearful and the fun of creating recipes was taken away from me. I just couldn't imagine that I could create delicious meals without dairy, eggs and nuts.
When Alexis turned three and Ryan was just a year, my mother came across a book that changed our lives...What's To Eat? by Linda Coss. This was the first cookbook that I had ever seen that taught me how to cook without using dairy, eggs, tree nuts or peanuts - and the recipes were delicious! Not only that, included are menus and suggestions to help you in the kitchen when dealing with food allergies. This book literally changed my life and I am so grateful as this book gave me the desire to create again (and look where we are now)!
Linda Coss also has a great website that not only has here amazing cookbooks, general tips and information regarding food allergies, but also a comprehensive list of food allergy sites. For more information go to http://www.foodallergybooks.com/. Thanks Linda, your amazing!!!

New Favorite Added to our Links...

ActiveAide is a manufacturer of Auto Injector Pouches & Epipen Holders and other aides for anaphylaxis sufferers Worldwide and new to our list. There are two things that we particularly like are the pouches that have a hook to attach to the outside of the backpack and the photo ID card.

Alexis is now in 3rd grade and has two medical bags; one large for the classroom that the teacher and other educational staff can access, and one small medical holder that she carries in her lunch bag that contains one Epipen and two individual liquid Benedryl pouches (they are tough to get out of the packaging so I open them ahead of time). The holder she carries now is meant to be placed on her waist but we have found that this gets in they way of her physical activities. The waist carrier would move around and annoy her not to mention look awkward with her clothing.
We plan to order the holder that clips to the backpack and will let you know how we like it.

You can review their site at www.activeaide.com.

Helping Grandparents Understand Food Allergies

It is almost impossible to convey, unless you or an immediate family member has food allergies, how dangerous the disability can be. Teaching the severity of the situation to relatives including grandparents, some experts say, can be extremely difficult. This is especially true between in-laws if there is already tension as the strain of food allergies can only make things worse.

Unfortunately, this is a common situation in the allergen community. I have spoken with many families across the nation whom has shared similar experiences. All too often grandparents discount the seriousness of the situation, think the parent is being over protective and get offended by our countless attempts to inform them on the subject. This, of course, will cause stress and anxiety in the relationship. I have heard numerous tales of relatives (including mine) brining unsafe food into the home, such as cheese balls covered in nuts, or giving the children candy without considering if the are made in an allergen free facility.

Part of the reason for the difficulty could be the notion that “just a little” won’t hurt the child when in fact it could kill them. Possibly this misunderstanding comes from grandparents equating food allergies to diabetes where (in some cases) a little sugar won’t hurt the diabetic so therefore a little peanut butter should be fine. Another possibility is the simple fact that when our parents and grandparents were young, food allergies were almost unheard of and they just don’t understand how or why this is all happening. Unfortunately, know one does but nonetheless food allergies are rising, especially in children, at an alarming rate.

So, how do we get our point across regarding the severity of the situation without offending anyone? Start with the basics; give the grandparents a list of all the allergies your child has, including alternate names, such as whey. Explain to them about cross contamination and the need to be extremely cautious when cooking and cleaning. Provide them with a video of a person going into anaphylactic shock (as they may not read the material you give to them) and watch it together so you can answer any questions. Tell them that re-reading labels is not a trust issue, but standard practice (my husband and I do this daily). Buy “safe” food for them to keep in their fridge or freezer when the child comes to visit.

In addition, provide grandparents with a list of common allergic reactions and an emergency action plan should any of the following occur:
Coughing – like there is a tickle in your throat
Hives
Trouble breathing/Wheezing
Swelling in the face and lips
Stomach cramps
Vomiting
Ears and throat itching

Although it can be challenging, try to keep the dialog open. Grandparents are a treasured part of the family and have much to offer. For more information on food allergies, guide grandparents to www.AARP.org and search “food allergies” or go to The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network at www.foodallergy.org.

New Food Allergy site AllerRama.com rated the Sweet Alexis Chocolate Chip Cookie!

The new food allergy site http://www.allerrama.com/ rates the Sweet Alexis Chocolate Chip cookies. Log on to see what the panel thought about our dairy free, egg free, peanut free and tree nut free cookie. For more information regarding our cookies, log onto http://www.sweetalexis.com/!

Traveling...Translation cards by Selectwisely.com

For all of us with family members suffering from food allergies, traveling can be a major challenge even in our own towns let alone a different county. Thanks to a new website featured in the Los Angeles Times on July 9th, Selectwisely.com offers food allergy cards in more than 25 languages. There are also emergency cards for those who can not eat gluten, have diabetes, asthma, are lactose intolerant or are vegetarian. Prices of the cards vary from $6.50 to $9.50 plus shipping. According to the article, the site also has a "Travelers Tip" page that cautions folks about potentially hidden ingredients in preparations of foods.

PeaButter and Jelly Sandwiches at Last!

While shopping at www.peanutfreeplanet.com, I discovered our new favorite spread...Golden Pea Butter! For the first time, my children had an allergen free version of a PB&J (minus the B, of course - as well as sunflowers due to allergies). Alexis loved it and was elated to have something similar to the very popular sandwich she has seen for years. Ryan, although it was very cute to watch him try and eat this new treat, did not like the stickiness on the roof of his mouth. Give him a few more tries.

Give Golden Peabutter a try! It's delicious and the kids will love it.

OC Family Magazine Article

Many thanks to OC Family Magazine for the following article! To see the OC Family website please follow the following link:

http://www.ocfamily.com/t-KidHealth_food_allergies_sensitivities0709.aspx

Food allergies: What can your child eat?
By Emily Watson Published: July, 2009
When passing out candy to each child during a preschool party, 4-year-old Alexis Fellows’ teacher instead hands her, for whatever reason, a pencil. Why can’t Alexis enjoy a snack? Alexis, along with an estimated 12 million Americans, suffers from food allergies. It’s easy for children with allergies and food sensitivities – which currently don’t have a definitive cause or cure – to feel singled out and deprived of a normal childhood. Each meal can be filled with danger for children with food allergies; severity levels range from mildly vexing to life threatening. The eight most common food allergens are milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, soy and wheat.

Does your child suffer from a food allergy or a food sensitivity/intolerance? And what is the difference between the two? Dr. Gin Lee-Hong, a pediatrician at Columbia Pediatrics in Long Beach, makes the distinction between them. Food allergies elicit an immune system response, while a food intolerance – the more common of the two – disrupts the digestive system. Research shows that 8 percent of children under age 10 have a food sensitivity/intolerance, while 2 to 4 percent have a true allergy. “There are patients who may have a positive blood test to a certain food item, but clinically they don’t show any symptoms,” says Lee-Hong. “In that case, I don’t say they have allergies to that food item.”

The symptoms of a food allergy may be as subtle as nasal congestion or as severe as anaphylaxis, a reaction characterized by fainting, hives, and facial and throat swelling. While doctors are recognizing more allergy cases, many children experience the subtle symptoms of colic behavior, acid reflux and hives without being diagnosed.

“Almost every story I’ve heard of a parent learning about food allergies is when their child is receiving treatment for a severe allergic reaction in the emergency room,” says Michele Fellows, mother of Alexis – now a second-grader – and founder of Sweet Alexis, an allergy-conscious bakery.

Food allergies have been linked to “genetic components, environmental factors and infections that comprise the immune system, triggering reactions,” says Robin De-Ivy Allen, nutritional wellness and life-design expert.

According to Lee-Hong, many medical and nutritional specialists believe that our culture is too clean; in fact, food allergies are less prevalent in Third World countries. While the safest treatment for a food allergy or sensitivity is avoidance of the offending foods, De-Ivy Allen encourages nutritional remedies to help build the body’s defenses. She recommends that children take supplements and consume flavonoid-rich foods, a compound with a high antioxidant capacity commonly found in plants.

Flavonoids, known for their anti-allergic effects, inhibit the development of histamines (compounds released during allergic reactions that cause the dilation of capillaries and contraction of smooth muscle) and prevent anaphylaxis. Good flavonoid sources include citrus fruits, berries, yellow fruits and vegetables, parsley, tea (especially white and green tea), red beans and dark chocolate. De-Ivy Allen also suggests taking probiotics, glutamine and vitamin C to build up the body. When introducing new foods to children, Lee-Hong encourages parents to introduce them one at a time, particularly if food allergies run in the family.

“For infants, we go very slowly,” she says. “I would say wait 10 days between foods. If you see a reaction, you know.” Parents can find hope in the fact that in 80 to 90 percent of cases, the child outgrows the food allergy by age 5, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. For children with persistent allergies, finding alternative food choices may be challenging, but it is getting easier.

Allergy-conscious Sweet Alexis, Fellows’ enterprise, makes homemade cookies, muffins and cakes without eggs, dairy products, tree nuts or peanuts. “The kids in Alexis’ school class literally beg her for her special cookies,” she says. “So instead of being singled out, it’s actually made Alexis well-known in a very positive way. It’s increased her confidence and boosted her self-esteem.” For more information about Sweet Alexis products, go to sweetalexis.com.

Emily Watson is an intern for OC Family magazine.KEEP 'EM SAFE!Millions of kids have food allergies.

Here are tips for avoiding reactions:> Keep food simple. Whole foods, without lots of additional ingredients, make it easier to identify trouble. Allergens can hide in dips and homemade goodies.> Check food labels. It’s important to check food labels every time, because manufacturers occasionally change ingredients. > Remind kids to think. Let them know that they have to ask themselves, “Is this food safe for me to eat?” > Know the symptoms. Kids should ask for help at the first sign of allergic symptoms. Make sure they know what they are. Source: Iowa State University Extension