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                        specializing in the management of celiac disease and food allergies

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Parenting Solutions: frank discussion about real parenting challenges

Food Allergies, by Loretta Jay

I’m often asked if the number of children with food allergies is increasing. In fact, it is. Speculation abounds about the reason, and everyone seems to have a theory. Whatever the cause, whether our child’s classmate or playmate has food allergies, or it is our own child, figuring out how to safely manage them is something we all struggle with.

What do other parents do?

Allergies can be frightening – especially anaphylactic allergies. (A person with anaphylactic allergies may stop breathing if emergency intervention is not promptly given when a reaction is occurring.) As a result, parents of children with food allergies are often hyper-vigilant about what their child encounters during their day. And caretakers, be they relatives, teachers or friends’ parents, don’t always understand, nor know how they can help keep the allergic child safe.

Some people avoid being in a responsible role for the child, in order to prevent an accidental exposure. A few don’t quite believe that the individual is really so sensitive to the offending food. Many others want to help, but aren’t sure what to do.

What do the pros say?

Dr. Hugh Sampson, M.D., professor of pediatric allergy/immunology at the Mount Sinai Medical Center, reports that allergic reactions to peanuts (for example) among children under the age of five, has more than doubled in the past five years. He says that the only defense against food allergies is strict avoidance of the identified food.

For parents of the allergic child, empowering the child with information gives the child a sense of control, and also helps keep them safe as they become partners in their own care. By creating substitutions one can create an environment so the child has an alternative to the food that is being served. When the child is old enough he or she can help choose, and even make, the alternative food.

It is difficult for someone not accustomed to food sensitivities to get into the mindset of safe food-handling practices. Reading food labels carefully to insure the forbidden food is not listed is of course necessary. But other practices that are less obvious are also needed. When a person handles a cookie that contains egg for one child, and then uses the same (un-washed) hand for an egg-free cracker, there runs a risk that the crumbs from the egg-containing cookie gets onto the egg-free cracker. This minute amount of an allergen can affect a child and make him ill. Using anti-bacterial hand sanitizers do not eliminate the allergen as they only push the egg-containing cookie crumb around the hands. With allergies, germs are not the problem; edible, otherwise clean food is. Using soap and water is the best way to clean one’s hands from an allergen.

The best way that one can be supportive of a child with food allergies is to have open communication with the child’s parent. Never offer a food to an allergic child without the parent’s okay, and be attentive of extraneous food crumbs or product in the environment. Be aware of how food is involved in daily activities. For instance, if there will be food served for a birthday celebration, a simple phone call to the child’s parent goes a long way so the parent can supply a substitute and the allergic child won’t miss out.  

The most common eight foods that account for 90% of food allergies are milk, soy, egg, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, fish and shellfish.

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