Multiple Food Allergies in Children
January 26, 2009 by Angela
Filed under Family Life, Featured, Lifestyle
Multiple food allergies in children pose a unique challenge to parents, caregivers, daycare centers and schools. Parents of children with life-threatening food allergies are often looked at as neurotic or some how unglued, and may view such a parent as being too “over protective.” I fall into that category with my grand baby Simone (Simmi). Simmi is highly allergic to peanuts, milk, soy, wheat and eggs. We need to get her tested for other foods as well. My hope is that she will outgrow these allergies, but if she doesn’t where does that leave her in her young life? She is at the point where she is curious about other children and she has actually made progress in approaching little ones while we were shopping last week. Simmi is starting to seek other children out and is now making eye contact and smiling at them if we see them while we are out and about. My heart breaks just a little right now because she needs to have that social interaction with other children her age and yet I can’t bring myself to set up a play date for her. Why? Well, I would turn into some sort of neurotic freak and that isn’t the way to build good relationships with other mothers. No matter where we go, we are always bombarded with food. I couldn’t take her to Chucky Cheese or Peter Piper Pizza because she can’t eat a single thing there, and god forbid I did take her there just to play and she picked up a piece of bread or pizza and decided to eat it…disastrous! Then there are those fun play groups where moms get together and have their kids play. They bring all their children’s nutritious snacks of Cheerios, Kix, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, tuna sandwiches, nutter butters, cookies, Gold Fish, crackers, cheese bites, nuts and fruit, yogurt, macaroni and cheese…Simmi can’t eat any of these things. You would think that wouldn’t be a problem, but what if I turn around and some cute little kid decides to offer such things to Simmi and she gladly accepts it and eats it? And we know that little ones aren’t the most careful when it comes to eating, meaning that a lot of food ends up on the ground. Can you see me walking around like some sort of food police and janitor making sure that the perimeter is safe for my little girl? It isn’t other peoples responsibility to keep my girl safe and to put such unrealistic expectations on them would be wrong.
Simmi has never tasted a cookie, pasta, regular bread (she has tried rice bread), cake, candy, kids cereals other than Rice Chex, milk or cheese. There are lots of books on gluten free cooking but they end up containing eggs or milk in the ingredients. It is a daunting task at best.
So what should I do about this road block in our lives? We don’t ever bring peanuts or eggs into the house, and if we do eat something that she is allergic to, we do so when she is napping or in another room, making sure that afterwards we clean up our area well so that not even a crumb can be found that could cause a reaction in her. Is that too extreme of us? Not if you consider that if we are not careful we could cause her extreme pain or even death. So I ask the question again…is that too extreme? For the first time in Simmi’s young life she has been eczema free for two weeks. Ripping out the carpets to cut down on her allergy to dust mites has helped her to be more comfortable. Over the last three or four days she has also started to eat regularly for the first time in her life. To see her sitting at the table in her little booster chair eating blueberries, pears and Rice Chex in the morning brings tears to my eyes. Watching her eat carrots and asparagus and potatoes in the afternoon is a major accomplishment and witnessing her eat broccoli, cauliflower and sweet potatoes at dinner fills my heart with pride. Every few days we are adding new foods to her diet and she is finally interested in eating again. For the first time on Saturday she drank grape juice from a sippy cup. After 13 months of struggling to get her to eat anything at all, and with the trouble she had swallowing and even forgetting how to chew, it is a celebration every time she takes a bite to eat.
Where do I go from here? I have been considering taking on the task of being a specialized child care provider. I know there are other parents out there that need to work and have similar problems with their little ones. I want Simmi to have some playmates and build good social interaction skills and I think this could be the solution to our dilemma. I know that she would enjoy having children in our home everyday to play with and it would make me feel good knowing that I am providing an environment that is safe for other children like her to grow and flourish.
My husband and I are seriously considering this option and as we look at how to structure our home to make it suitable for more little children to be here during the day, we are finding ourselves getting more and more excited about all the possibilities.
John J Savo, the Authoring Auctioneer on Tue, 27th Jan 2009 10:45 pm
Don’t feel bad. There are alot of weird allergies out there. Believe it or not, my mother and my brother are allergic to beef. Beef! My mother is so sensitive to it that she has to make sure that serving utensils don’t get mixed up, or when we BBQ, we have to cook her chicken or pork first, then the steaks or hamburgers, and the clean the grill spotless before it’s used for her again…
Angela on Tue, 27th Jan 2009 10:48 pm
We haven’t even attempted to give Simmi any kind of meat for exactly that reason. We want to have her tested for beef and chicken because of her extremely high allergy to milk and eggs.
Charlie on Thu, 29th Jan 2009 12:26 am
Hey Girl,
Just read your article above. Made me think about the school that I teach at. We have a young girl who is deathly allergic to an array of things. Starting out at school was a really scary experience for the mother. She was so scared to leave her child. Recess, lunch time, parties around all the other kids with thier food was such a life or death situation.
What has really made the entire school staff aware of the severity of the situation, was that the mother came in with an all staff meeting. She talked about her child’s situation, and how we could keep her safe. By her personally coming to talk with us she really gave us the knowledge and power to protect the child.
As for the child she as accommodated to her situation. She is old enough to take responsibility. She is very happy and is not singled out from her friends. They even remind her when she has forgotten her emergency bag which she must carry around with her.
I guess what Im saying, and trying to do is to make sure you know that as Simi gets older- there are tons of people who will look out for her and take care of her. She will be a beautiful happy child with lots of friends.
Anyways, I hear a lot about Simi- how are you doing?
Angela on Thu, 29th Jan 2009 12:59 am
Hi Charlie,
As time goes by, hopefully she will catch up developmentally (due to other neurological problems) and be able to express herself or understand the difference between right and wrong. I know that as she gets older it will be easier, but with her medical conditions beyond just food allergies, it’s hard to know what will happen by the time she is 5 or 6 and ready for school. She already has a speech disorder/disability and I was so hopeful that the few words that she was able to start saying a month ago would stay, but she has reverted back to non-speech and only partial communication. My other hope is that she continues to socialize and make eye contact and that she doesn’t also revert back to the way she was before we moved to NM. Lets just say I am cautiously optimistic.
I have missed you Charlie girl, and I hope you can take that road trip this summer to come and visit! And don’t forget to bring that big barrel of wine and that gorgeous man of yours! Dom and him will get along famously and we will get drunk and silly! Maybe we can recreate that night when you saw the naked man in just a coat running past your window with the helicopters flying over-head trying to catch him…ya think one of our men might reenact that glorious night? heehee!!!!!
Tara S. Dickherber, M.Ed, CPC on Mon, 2nd Feb 2009 11:51 am
Have you seen a nautropathic (SP?) doctor? My daughter and I both go to one. She’s made a HUGE difference in my medical life. I didn’t know all the stuff I’m allergic to, dairy, yeast…
Also please visit my 1/23/09 blog post. I gave you an award!
And I think you may be on to something about the specialized daycare type thing. Never heard of that before, I know there’s a need though!
Cait Geiger on Mon, 9th Feb 2009 2:57 pm
Hi Angela: My boyfriend recently got reunited with your husband (we all went to high school together), and we heard all about your wonderful family last weekend when Dom was back on Long Island to visit.
Actually reading your website and blog posts gives a little look into how important family and communication are to all of you. I read in this post about how you and Dom were interested in becoming specialized care providers to ensure that Simmi gets the interaction she deserves as a child.
A good friend of my family had the same calling years ago. She followed her wish and helped to found The Michael Carter Lisnow Respite Center. I thought you might be interested in seeing their website and how someone with a similar dream moved forward to make it happen… (Check out the website at: http://www.hopkintonrespite.com/html/contact.htm) The community that they were able to form is loving and non-judgmental, embracing every child for who they are.
Good luck with Simmi. From what Dom says, she sounds absolutely delightful.
Angela on Mon, 9th Feb 2009 3:12 pm
Hi Cait,
Dom told me how much fun he had catching up with you guys. I’m so glad he got to see all of you…he said he drank way too much wine that night! LOL
Thank you for the link. I checked it out and my God! what an inspiring story. I am always amazed at how parents of disabled children make such a big difference not only in the lives of their child, but also in the lives of those in their communities. It was almost overwhelming to see what they have accomplished.
Thank you for inspiring me today and I hope someday we will be able to meet as well!
Cait Geiger on Mon, 9th Feb 2009 3:49 pm
I’m thrilled to hear your story. Dom is a true inspiration, which you easily see in his big eyes filled with dreams of peace, health and sustainability.
From your writing, you seem to be in that same boat, rowing in sync with him. Which makes the love between you all the more beautiful.
I offer you my thoughts first and foremost, for better health now that you and Simmi are in a stable environment; as well as a source if and when you all decide to take steps towards creating such a facility within your own home. i know that Mary, the founder of the Michael Lisnow Center, upon contact, would be more than happy to offer her advice and experience. She is a wonderful soul and a great resource.
Good luck in building a life in your new home.
I’m sure I will keep up on what is going on in your lives, as I’m already addicted to your blog.