Safer Child Products

Our 3 y/o Niece has severe food allergies.  One minute she is playing like any other little girl, then the next thing you know, she breaks out in hives from head to toe and gets very swollen.  Yes, sometimes it is that fast and with unknown trigger. Her allergic reaction even includes diarrhea and can lead to difficulty breathing.  It is so scary to see her like that.  Last week she started preschool and I worry about her being around food from other students.   A letter was sent home asking families not to send in Peanut Butter or certain other types of food.  Sure enough, the next day, someone brought in an Almond Butter Sandwich and my niece had a reaction.

She is not alone.  According to the Food Allergy and Anaphalaxis Network (FAAN) about 6 million children have food allergies, boys typically more often than girls.

For more statistics on food allergy sufferers, visit http://www.foodallergy.org/page/facts-and-stats, and please heed the requests sent home from school.  A child’s life could be at stake.

Safer Child Products

Do you know the difference between Sherbert and Sorbet?  I never did.  Does it matter you may ask?  If your child, or someone you know has a dairy allergy, it matters a lot! 

Last night we went out for dinner with visiting family.  We all know that our niece has a dairy allergy, and when everyone else ordered ice cream, she got cookies.  What 2 y/o do you know that would accept something different than what everyone else has?  Well, in trying to keep the peace, her parents ordered her sherbert, figuring that was something she could eat. 

A few minutes later, our niece started breaking out in hives, and getting very blotchy, red cheeks.  Fortunately, her parents gave her Benadryl and she seemed to improve.  It was very scary, because she has had worse reactions and ended up in the hospital before. 

Apparently, Sherbert has milk in it whereas Sorbet does not.  http://recipes.howstuffworks.com/food-facts/sherbet-vs-sorbet.htm

Now we all know and her parents will be more cautious in the future.  A temper tantrum is better than a trip to the hospital. 

Our niece is also allergic to egg , soy, and nuts.  I can’t believe how common this has become.  I was wondering if any of this is something she is likely to outgrow, but  “According to research from Johns Hopkins Children’s Center published in Science Daily in December 2007, milk and egg allergies now appear to be more persistent and harder to outgrow.”  http://www.allergicchild.com/suboutgrowingallergies.htm Looks like she is going to have a long road ahead of her as she learns what she can eat and what she can’t, and her parents figure out how supportive their school system will be.