Managing allergies with holidays
Here's something I posted elsewhere explaining how we are handling food allergy issues for the holidays.
I have an extremely food-allergic child who is still of an age to put everything in her mouth.
We have decided that, even for holidays, we will not allow people to bring food containing her allergens into our home. I check ingredients at the door, and if it's something that will give her a reaction if she gets a crumb, the offending food immediately goes back out to the person's car or into our refrigerator without being opened.
At other locations, I pretty much just bring our own food and warn everyone not to feed my child ANYTHING without checking with me first. Yes, I have had announcements made to this effect at large gatherings.
I will even ask people not to kiss Baby E, since food on their mouths could cause a reaction for her, and to wash their hands before touching her.
##########
We also recruit people to help keep an eye on her to make sure she's not picking up crumbs off the floor or food from people's plates. If we are not keeping a VERY close eye on her, we have to hold her if there is food around. Sometimes I feel that might stunt her development, but it's better than an allergic reaction.
I have allergy alert bracelets for her and I designed a tee-shirt that says "Caution: Severe food allergies. Please do not feed the baby."
I do also use the epi-pen as an educational tool. I don't necessarily teach people how to use it unless they're going to be caring for Baby E, but I definitely make a general announcement along the lines of, "The epi-pen is in this pocket of this bag." My thought is that if Baby E is in respiratory distress and needs the epi fast, the more people who know where it is the better.
I also made up a three-ring binder with allergy information in it for Baby E. It has her picture on the front with large red letters saying "Important: Emergency allergy information for [her full name]."
On the first page inside I have her photo again, her name and birthdate, a list of her allergens, and the names and contact information for us and her doctor. Since she is highly allergic to soy and corn I also have in large print circled in red, "No dextrose IV injection" and "no propofol sedative" since those are things commonly given by emergency personnel.
On the second page I have a printout of symptoms of an anaphylactic reaction with the symtpoms highlighted that mean immediate use of the epi/benadryl and a trip to the ER.
I also keep in that notebook copies of the package inserts for dextrose IV and propofol with the parts circled saying that they can be contraindicated for corn-allergic and soy-allergic patients. I've already been in several arguments with medical personnel about this, and it really helps to have the actual package insert to pull out and show them.
Other items in the notebook include lists of ingredients that can be hidden corn and soy ingredients, copies of test results and records, etc. I take this notebook everywhere she goes, and it's invaluable at doctor's appointments, for babysitters, etc.
It has the added benefit that, since I leave it in plain sight, the visual of her photo next to the words "emergency allergy information" helps to drive home the seriousness of her allergies to anyone in the room.
We really need to get her a permanent medicalert type bracelet. For now we're using a colorful bracelet from food-allergy-gear--a seller on eBay who is a part of one of the allergy support groups I take part in online.
If you have any other ideas, please feel free to share them in the comments.
I have an extremely food-allergic child who is still of an age to put everything in her mouth.
We have decided that, even for holidays, we will not allow people to bring food containing her allergens into our home. I check ingredients at the door, and if it's something that will give her a reaction if she gets a crumb, the offending food immediately goes back out to the person's car or into our refrigerator without being opened.
At other locations, I pretty much just bring our own food and warn everyone not to feed my child ANYTHING without checking with me first. Yes, I have had announcements made to this effect at large gatherings.
I will even ask people not to kiss Baby E, since food on their mouths could cause a reaction for her, and to wash their hands before touching her.
##########
We also recruit people to help keep an eye on her to make sure she's not picking up crumbs off the floor or food from people's plates. If we are not keeping a VERY close eye on her, we have to hold her if there is food around. Sometimes I feel that might stunt her development, but it's better than an allergic reaction.
I have allergy alert bracelets for her and I designed a tee-shirt that says "Caution: Severe food allergies. Please do not feed the baby."
I do also use the epi-pen as an educational tool. I don't necessarily teach people how to use it unless they're going to be caring for Baby E, but I definitely make a general announcement along the lines of, "The epi-pen is in this pocket of this bag." My thought is that if Baby E is in respiratory distress and needs the epi fast, the more people who know where it is the better.
I also made up a three-ring binder with allergy information in it for Baby E. It has her picture on the front with large red letters saying "Important: Emergency allergy information for [her full name]."
On the first page inside I have her photo again, her name and birthdate, a list of her allergens, and the names and contact information for us and her doctor. Since she is highly allergic to soy and corn I also have in large print circled in red, "No dextrose IV injection" and "no propofol sedative" since those are things commonly given by emergency personnel.
On the second page I have a printout of symptoms of an anaphylactic reaction with the symtpoms highlighted that mean immediate use of the epi/benadryl and a trip to the ER.
I also keep in that notebook copies of the package inserts for dextrose IV and propofol with the parts circled saying that they can be contraindicated for corn-allergic and soy-allergic patients. I've already been in several arguments with medical personnel about this, and it really helps to have the actual package insert to pull out and show them.
Other items in the notebook include lists of ingredients that can be hidden corn and soy ingredients, copies of test results and records, etc. I take this notebook everywhere she goes, and it's invaluable at doctor's appointments, for babysitters, etc.
It has the added benefit that, since I leave it in plain sight, the visual of her photo next to the words "emergency allergy information" helps to drive home the seriousness of her allergies to anyone in the room.
We really need to get her a permanent medicalert type bracelet. For now we're using a colorful bracelet from food-allergy-gear--a seller on eBay who is a part of one of the allergy support groups I take part in online.
If you have any other ideas, please feel free to share them in the comments.
Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Posted by purple_kangaroo at 11:39 AM[Permanent link]
4 Comments:
I know one mother of a child with a severe egg allergy carried around anti-bacterial wipes, which allowed her to quickly wipe off her child's hand (and anyone else' hands) if the need ever arose - at the park, etc. Seemed very useful, and the kid quickly learnt to not put anything in his mouth without having cleaned his hands with wipes first - it was an ingrained routine.
I think that the notebook idea is a great one, as is the allergy bracelet.
I'm so, so sorry that any of this is necessary.
Many, many hugs.
Parodie, thanks. I wonder how wipes would work for that, though . . . I mean, they kill bacteria but you can't exactly kill a food protein. I suppose it might wipe some of them off, but it doesn't seem to me that it would be nearly as effective as actual running water hand-washing. Still, it would be better than nothing.
Liz, thanks.
I am so with you! I am gluten intolerant and my daughter is ana to peanuts. It's bad enough that we have to worry about food every minute we are out in public, I certainly do not want to worry inside my own home. When people bring gluten or peanut containing things to our home saying "for other people to eat," I smile, put their thing aside and then send it home with them when they leave.
Post a Comment
<< Purple Puzzle Place Home