It is hard enough dropping a child off for school, especially during the first few days in August/September... but add in a life-threatening food allergy and it becomes frightening. Leaving my middle kiddo is something I will never be 100% comfortable with - his peanut allergy is so severe that accidentally ingesting even 1/100th of a single peanut will send his body into anaphylactic shock and land him in the hospital, or possibly worse.
Food allergies DO NOT run in our family, but it is now second nature for us. We have been dealing with his allergy for over 9 years and since his reaction, he has never eaten anything without the label being triple checked first. I do my best to help everyone around him understand how to keep him safe; preparing caregivers, teachers, friends and other family members is key.
I am writing this for all of the parents who are not familiar with the severity of food allergies. I was one of them not so long ago. After talking with many people about my son's allergy, most just assume if it doesn't directly contain peanuts (or whichever allergen the child is allergic to) then it is a safe food for them to have...boy I wish it was that easy!
Most children who are allergic to a certain food can not consume ANYTHING that says: "processed in a plant with (insert allergen)" or "may contain (insert allergen)". They can not eat at just any restaurant, consume a baked good from a bakery, coffee shop or even have the free cookie offered in the local supermarket...most of these items probably do not contain peanuts, but the risk of cross-contamination is very high.
Some common UNSAFE foods for a peanut allergy are: most pretzels, chocolate, M&M's, sprinkles/jimmies, cereal bars, animal crackers, cookies, gummy bears/worms, donuts, gourmet or "kettle" fried potato chips, most generic/store brands and ANYTHING without a label.
When sending baked goods/food into school this year, please think of these children. If you have a minute, check with your child's teacher and ask if there are any children in class with food allergies. The teacher might be able to recommend some items that are safe for the entire class. I personally try to keep a "safe item" in my son's class at all times, but it is so hard to explain to a young child why they can't have what their classmates are eating.
We are lucky to have a few allergy friendly bakeries in the area, but they can get pricey. You can find some baked goods (specifically cupcakes and cookies) at BJs Wholesale, Shaw's, Stop & Shop and Walmart that are labeled "nut free", those two words make me a VERY happy mommy!
One last note: I NEVER ask people to make exceptions for my son. It is my responsibility to make sure he is in a safe environment, but there is nothing more heartwarming than someone going out of their way to include him and make sure he doesn't feel left out... whether it be at a birthday party, a friend's house or at school, that kindness will not go unnoticed. We are lucky to have so many people around us who do just that and more!
Even though peanuts and tree nuts are what I am most familiar with, this information can be used for any allergen. If you would like to add any information, a personal story or advice please comment below or contact me (heatherw@macaronikid.com). It would be greatly appreciated if you could share this article with family, friends and teachers on behalf of all children with allergies.
For more information about food allergies, visit FARE’s website at www.foodallergy.org.
FARE is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that was formed in 2012 as the result of a merger between the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network and the Food Allergy Initiative.
FARE’s mission is to improve the quality of life and the health of individuals with food allergies, and to provide them hope through the promise of new treatments.
