Being a parent is a hectic, crazy, busy job without this new thing. But being a parent is also the most rewarding experience that words can't describe. We care so much about our little ones, we are willing to do anything to keep them safe. We're delighted you found us, because only parents that have gone through this and are going through this can understand what you're going through.
Facts
First, some facts to put your mind at ease. One in thirteen children have food allergies, so you're not alone. Almost a quarter of epinephrine administration was because nobody knew there was food allergies present. Most fatal food allergy reactions are triggered by food consumed outside, not inside, the home.
But you also need to hear the scary stuff, because it's the scary stuff that helps us learn, improve and prevent serious reactions. Someone is hospitalized every three seconds because of food allergies. Food allergies in children have increased over fifty percent in the last two decades.
The first question we asked, was why us, why our sons? The short answer we learned was that nobody really knows how or why food allergies develop for some children. The important thing to know is that you didn't do anything wrong, and it's not your fault.
So where do we go from here?
Learning
There's a lot of organizations supporting food allergy research, prevention and treatments. I recommend starting with F.A.R.E. and clicking, reading and watching to get a good understanding of the landscape.
We have used their Emergency Care Plan several times now, and it's been fundamental in how we communicate our children's food allergies and action plans with educators, day cares, babysitters, and in-laws.
YouTube is another great resource. A search for "food allergies" can reveal thousands of great videos. You can also subscribe to the Living Teal channel, a channel created by the folks at F.A.R.E.
You'll want to learn how to read food labels, and some of the pitfalls that we've experienced. If you're not 100% sure about something, ask the manufacturer, vendor or business to tell you.
Over the past few years, we've written about some important topics that used to be hard to find or were too watered down for our liking. If there's other topics you want us to write about, please drop a line.
Join online groups. There are great ones on Facebook where moms and dads share tips, challenges and solutions. We like Food Allergy Treatment Talk, OIT 101 and Parents of Children with Multiple Food Allergies.
Finally, share knowledge with in-laws, friends and anyone else in your circle. The more they know, the less likely mistakes will happen.
Preparing
Once you have an understanding of food allergies and how it fits into your specific situation, you'll want to adopt a mindset of hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. I can't tell you how many times we, or someone we know, has gotten a little too comfortable and it led to a trip to the hospital. I remember a farmer's market trip turning bad, when the small business vendor mislabeled her baked goods. Needless to say, we learned our lesson, and we hope you never have to learn lessons like that by preparing.
We aren't doctors, and the information we provide is based on parenting experience, so the first step we recommend is finding an allergist in your area that focuses on children's food allergies. Once you've researched and interviewed a few, you'll find "the one" and start taking directions and guidance from an expert. They will likely recommend a combination skin test and blood test. It's the combination of both of these that outputs a sort of Venn diagram of what you're really dealing with.
Next, you'll want to stock up on life-saving medicine: EpiPen®, Auvi-Q®, Benadryl®, a nebulizer and/or inhaler (if your little one has been diagnosed with asthma). It might seem scary, and we hope you'll never need to use it, but learn how to use an EpiPen. Keep track of expiration dates!
Here's a more complete list of what you should have in your kit. Remember, you'll need one kit for home, one for school, one that's ready to grab for traveling to a store, road trip, birthday party, airplane ride, your in-laws or even just the park.
No Fear, No Exclusion
Birthday parties, restaurants, events and life in general will be different for you and your family. That doesn't mean you should let fear win. We made a mistake the first year when our first son was diagnosed, by using food allergies as the reason we couldn't make it to events and parties. We've learned, we've adjusted, and there's a better way to do all those things in a safe way so your child doesn't get excluded. Learning and preparing will bring you this confidence.
Going to a pizza party with a dairy allergy? Bring a dairy-free pizza, and ask the parents if you can heat it up when they are ready to serve. Worried about cross-contamination? Bring a sheet of foil, put it under your pizza in the pizza box so you can heat it up without touching hands or surfaces.
Worried about the cake, cookies or treats? Bring a safe treat, made at home or purchased from all the great companies that are making this easier for us. We really like Better Bites.
Create a 504 plan at school, and ask them to put up a sign in the classroom and notify parents that your son or daughter has severe food allergies. Check out our free tools to download a free classroom sign.
Remember, we and many other parents are walking in your shoes. You're not alone, we will make the world safer for our food allergy babies and children, one step (box) at a time.
Sincerely,
the allerbox team