Questions from an allergy child

I was so pleased the other day when an overseas friend visited our house. We were all seated around the dining table with a large platter of cheese, crackers and fruit in the centre. Our son had a serve of fruit for himself, as he often does. I told him not to touch the plate since it had cow's milk cheese as well as nuts on it. He proceeded to tell our guest that he was allergic to cow's milk, and nuts, and also eggs. He explained that he can't touch those things because it will make him sick. He also told her not to touch him if her hands are dirty because that will make him sick too.

I am so proud of our little guy and the way he understands and communicates to others about his allergies. I believe informing him about his allergies in an age-appropriate way has meant that he can understand the effects, and also why he isn't allowed to have many things. Thankfully this has meant we hardly have any tantrums when it comes to food restrictions. Of course, I always have a stash of alternative treats so that he's not totally left out, especially at parties. Tantrums when it comes to TV or tidying up, well that's another story altogether!

Here is a list so far of the questions our amazing 3 year old son has asked us about his allergies... along with some answers, just in case you encounter the same questions along the way. Some of these questions seem very basic, but I think it is important to address each one truthfully and frame it in a way small children will understand so that they can learn how to manage their food allergies.


Q: "Why do you and me have allergies?"
A: "I don't know. Everyone is a little bit different - it's called being UNIQUE"

Q: "Who else has allergies?"
A: "Mum is allergic to wine and beer. Grandma is allergic to flowers (hayfever). Grandpa is allergic to the sun (some lack of melatonin pigmentation). Did you know Vampires are allergic to the sun too?"

Q: "When I grow big, as big as the sky, I'll be able to eat cow's milk and eggs."
A: "When you were just a baby, you couldn't even drink Soy milk, but now you drink heaps... so maybe! We just have to wait to ask the doctor first, to make sure you don't get sick."

Q: "Is my baby brother allergic to cow's milk?"
A: "Your baby brother is too small to drink cow's milk, he can only have mummy's special milk, otherwise he will get sick." Our son's reply, "That means he is allergic, because he will get sick!" Since then, our son has gone on to tell his baby brother (2 months old), that he can't eat a whole range of things because he's allergic.


Q: "I can't eat Yoghurt can I?"
A: "If it's cow's milk yoghurt you can't, since it will make you sick. But if it's Soy yoghurt you can!"

If you've been tossed a curve ball question, please let me know and even better, let me know your answer so I can have it on hand when it's our turn!

Annoying products 2

We've been dealing with life-threatening food allergies for nearly 3 years now and every now and then I am tempted to relax a little bit. Afterall, all the other kids around us and all the other parents around us seem to be able to relax more... or so it seems right?!

Well, whenever I am struck with these thoughts, something comes along to jolt me back into vigilance... I was going to type vigilante mode since that's what it FEELS like at times! But no, vigilance is what is needed, not some battle-seeking vigilante mode.

We were at a medical facility - the one place where you would think should be reasonably safe for a child... but then I noticed a bottle of bacteria killing lotion on the bench for everyone to use. These days all the hospitals seem to have them, and actively encourage you to use it to prevent the spreading of bacteria. We had just been in one of the offices where I had used some to clean my hands after an urgent nappy change of our new little bub. That office was dark and I was in a rush so I hadn't read any labels. But in the reception area, I realised with horror that this container had MACADAMIA OIL added! How absolutely ridiculous! Can nothing be made without the presence of nuts?!?! Can you imagine if this was used in hospitals?? Every nurse and doctor would be putting it on their hands, then touching every handrail, every door handle, every piece of equipement... Aaargh!

 

The other source of food contaminant was in a loaf of bread... I know - so simple. Our son does eat white bread since he's outgrown his wheat allergy. We tend to buy just one brand of bread, made in a large facility, to minimise contamination. Afterall, we're still not sure about his sensitivity to sesame, we know linseed gives diarreah, and all other nuts are on the anaphylactic list. I've stayed away from wholegrain breads since the possibility of an allergic reaction increases with the number of ingredients. Seems neurotic, I know, but then I get given a loaf of bread... looks white... looks fine, until you read the fine print: oat fibre. Yup, in an attempt to increase the fibre content I guess, the producer has added finely ground oats - so the kids can't see it I suppose. Our son is still allergic to oats! So stay strong I tell myself... stay neurotic! I need to!

So that's our latest list of annoying products - the lesson for us? Stay on alert at all times, never stop reading product labels each and every time you buy something, and never let your guard down. Sound tiring? Yes, a little but it's worth it.

Thanks Tiffany for the cartoon, and bringing a lighter side to living with food anaphylaxis.

Welcome Baby Cameron!

Welcome to our family little baby Cameron!

Our not so little cherub is 6 weeks old now and very much a part of our family! We waited and waited for him to come by himself, but after 39 weeks, it was time to come out. I'd been experiencing so many Braxton Hicks leading up to his birth, I was convinced he would come early. But as it turned out, once I adhered to doctor's orders of strict bed rest after my pre-eclampsia diagnosis, those contractions decreased a lot. He was born by cesarean section, and weighed in at a hefty 3.8kg! That was more than 0.5kg heavier than our first born.

And so it begins, the endless comparisons between first and second child... get used to it buddy!

Actually, even at the age of 3, our first born hardly has hints of chinese heritage, but this little guy could maybe be chinese! How surprising, that the same parents produce such different little kiddies.

Then of course there is the question of allergies - well we just don't know do we??!?

As a precaution this time around, we were adamant that Cameron would not be given any dairy formula as a top up in hospital. We tried to convince the attending Paediatrician to write us a script for Elecare, a hydrolysed formula for babies with severe allergies to dairy and soy, but were unsuccessful. In Australia, it appears that a formal diagnosis is needed before we can get government subsidies for this type of formula. Unfortunately the Elecare we had for our first son had all expired and had to be thrown in the bin... what a waste :-( Wow, my sympathy goes out to parents in the US where I believe you have to pay privately for this formula. When we bought a tin of it privately, it cost us 6 times the price it would have been under the government subsidy... Believe me my North American readers, our Australian Medicare system where everybody pays a little bit extra in tax to pay for our health system is well worth the money!

My main focus while at hospital was to get that milk in! Never before has breastfeeding been more important to us - There was a lot of bed rest, a lot of eating, and a little bit of expressing when I could be bothered. Fortunately, everything worked out well, and my milk came in a day earlier than before and there was no need to specially treat our son's jaundice. It was interesting to see the nurse's reactions whenever they read our details with strict instructions of "NO FORMULA" written across all the paperwork.

Now that we're home, baby Cameron is growing well - we're always on the look out for tell tale signs of an allergy and have been extra vigilant with washing hands etc. I really don't know what lies ahead for him in the years to come, but there is a rather long list of doctor's appointments to be made. I am certain though that there will be a lot of love, laughter and excitement in the years to come.

Welcome home...

(Ps. please forgive my rather disjointed thought sequences for the next few months... sleep deprivation is taking its toll!)