K-man was officially diagnosed with a dairy allergy, and we're in the process of transitioning him to a full soy routine. It's been interesting learning how to prepare meals without eggs or milk. I can now make some pretty darn good egg-free, milk-free pancakes and have to play referee on who gets what share of pancake between baby and daddy. However, with this new found knowledge of just how allergic our child can be to dairy products comes the fear of wondering what his reaction will be to every new food introduced.
In the infant room at daycare, I had pretty good control over what went in to his mouth. However, now that he's moved to the young toddler room, he's on a different menu plan and they're watching what they feed him. It's hard for me to let go and trust that they'll be as diligent in their label reading as I am. Especially hard when we've brought him home the past two evenings and it's evident by his eczema that he's getting ahold of something that he's allergic to. Is it the apple juice? The ham? The mustard? I don't know. I do know that we suspicioned he may have had a sore throat Tuesday night because of the way he was swallowing his dinner here at home. After thinking over it a day, I now suspect that it wasn't a sort throat but a swollen one. So, I've spent the past hour digging around on food allergy websites and found that hot dogs, cold cuts, and "non-dairy" desserts often have an ingredient called sodium caseinate. Caseins and caseinates are derived from milk and are indeed dairy ingredients. We'll be asking the daycare to restrict ham from his diet. I'm suspicious of the mustard, but I've only got my mom's instinct guiding that. It's hard to tell someone that they can't feed your child something because you "think" they're allergic to it. No matter how nice they are, you know they're thinking that you're an overprotective parent nut. However, I don't care. This is our child and we're going to take care of him how we see fit. Perhaps someone else doesn't mind taking a chance with our child, but we sure as hell do. There's now a bottle of benadryl and an epi-pen at daycare and in his daypack.
I'm still not sure if we'll ever really need the epi-pen, but I feel much better having it. After seeing his lip swell up and his chin bust out in hives about 4 months ago from a touch of milk to his lip and now wondering if his throat was a little swollen the other night, I truly wonder just what our child may experience over the next year in terms of allergic reactions. We pray every night that he be blessed with health and wisdom and I wish my worry-wort self would relax a little about things. I don't see that happening anytime soon. I'm his mommy...I have the right to worry.
7 comments:
Food allergies are the ultimate double wammy for any parent. The first part is that they are so scary, and so mysterious. Will he grow out of them? Will they get worse? What else will happen? Then, there is the hassle of it all. You do it because you love your child, but all the label reading, recipe adapting, extra monitoring, but that doesn't mean it's not difficult and exhausting.
I hope that you guys can get things under control and that K-man can get some relief.
I got really sick a few years ago and we think that had something to do with my inability to digest milk stuff. I've found it's much easier to buy the little pills and take them than to try and buy special stuff that tastes horrible. Lots of stores sell lactose free milk now.
I feel for the person that's lactose and gluten intolerant. That means they eat celery.
Pick up a book called "Eat right for your blood type." It has some amazing information on blood types and foods.
Knot
Try not to worry so much??? That will never happen as a mom! So sorry to hear about his allergies, I bet once you get it figured out, it will be second nature for you to check labels and what not. Hang in there!
Man...I can't imagine having to watch what my kids eat so carefully. I have never thought of food allergies as being so serious until I read your post! Good luck as you figure this all out. I bet it gets much easier as you go...it will be your new normal. And hopefully he will grow out of it soon!
Oh, wow. I can sure feel your pain. I am lucky in that my little guy doesn't have food allergies, since I do, but he does have a vicious allergy to insect bites, and while we always have the epi-pen handy, I also hope we never have to use it. my Most Excellent Friend Sylvia http://sylviasramblings.blogspot.com/2008_08_01_archive.html
can really relate. Her boy is allergic to just about everything under the sun. Check out her blog, she's got a lot of experience, and good information!
I know how you feel. You have to drive home the point over and over again with care givers. My son has nut allergies (and some unknown food allergies that we're trying to figure out before it kills him) and was actually given peanut butter crackers at a day care facility. This is the last thing you're going to want to hear, but it gets HARDER as they grow older. You send your child to school and pray that someone doesn't eat something your child is allergic to and then touches your child. You have to have very open lines of communication with every single person that comes in contact with your child. I write a letter to the school, have meetings with teachers, nurses, principals, bus drivers...it's never ending. We have 4 epi pens...nurse's office, bus, my purse and Bear's "medicine" bag. As my son's doctor would say...don't be afraid to use that epi pen...
I forgot to mention, I'm not sure if you've been told...but the effects of the epi-pen only last 30 minutes. At that point, your child could have a biphasic reaction which often times is worse than the initial reaction . So, if you have to use the epi-pen, be sure to go to the emergency room as well. This page has some good info on anaphylaxis: http://tinyurl.com/92kavx
Feel free to email me at sylouette98@yahoo.com (I'll be happy to email you the letter that I send to the school concerning my son and his allergies...)
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