Peanut Free Baseball

Nothing goes together like baseball and peanuts. Unless, of course, your child has a peanut allergy. Peanuts and peanut dust seem to be everywhere at baseball games!

Fellow food allergy blogger Jennifer B. has made it her personal mission to help those of us with PA kids like ours to know when and where our child can have a safe, peanut free baseball experience. In fact, she started a website dedicated to that very fact!!

Please help me welcome Jennifer from Free to Enjoy Baseball. (She also authors Food Allergy Buzz, a great food allergy blog). She agreed to answer a few of my questions about keeping our children safe at a baseball game.


*Thank for joining us Jennifer! Why did you start www.peanutfreebaseball.com?

I started www.peanutfreebaseball.com to consolidate all of the peanut-free and food-free seating information I collect on baseball. The information seems to come in dribs and drabs so this is my attempt to have a centralized location where we can put all of it.

*Do you find that most teams want to make accommodations for peanut allergic children?

Most, if not all, teams would love to accommodate fans with disabilities. Many ballclubs, however, are very concerned about the possibility of peanut dust flying in the air, possibly causing an allergic reaction. Many express concern about not being able to provide a safe enough environment for those with peanut allergies.

*Do you find minor league ballparks are more or less accommodating than MLB parks?

It seems that the minor league ballparks are more accommodating than major league parks. I think that is primarily due to the fact that the major league teams have an easier time bringing in the paying fans. A lot of the guys in the minors will move up in a year or two though, and it is a great way to enjoy a baseball game in a more allergy friendly environment and save a little money on the tickets too!

*What are some common things ballparks do to make baseball games safer for someone with PA?

The majority of the ballparks I have spoken with will power wash the seating area once or twice. They often schedule the peanut-free or food-free games to take place immediately after the team has played a number of games away, so hopefully most of the loose peanut dust will have blown or washed away. Then they sweep thoroughly and power wash. Often times, volunteers from the local food allergy support group will assist in preparing the seating area or do an "inspection".

In addition, some teams have discovered that it is important to get the mascot's costume cleaned immediately before the peanut-free or food-free game, because young children typically will take photos with the mascot and touch the costume. Some allergic individuals have experienced skin reactions from touching the mascot's costume, likely due to peanut residue on the costume. It's not something you would necessarily think of in preparing for a peanut-free game, but it is an extra step which may prevent an allergic reaction.


*What could they do better?

I actually haven't heard any complaints. I think that the ball clubs try their best to make as safe an environment as possible. They really want to reach out to all of their fans, especially children. Most allergic fans I speak with come away from peanut-free games and food-free games very positive and enthusiastic.


*What advice would you offer to a parent that wants to take their PA child to a baseball game?

I would say allergic fans and families need to keep in mind that it is a ballpark and people do eat peanuts there almost constantly. We cannot expect the baseball club to create an environment that is 100% allergy safe. They will do their absolute best to create as safe an environment as possible, but they cannot guarantee it. Watch your child, take all the necessary precautions as you do normally. Make sure they don't touch things they should not touch, pick things up...Most important, be sure to bring your Benadryl and your epipens. Be safe, be comfortable with your choices, and enjoy the game!

Thanks Jennifer! Anything else?

If anyone has any info on peanut-free seating, food-free seating or other accommodations at an upcoming game, please feel free to let me know. Just send an email to jenniferATfoodallergybuzz.com and I will post it on Free to Enjoy Baseball (www.peanutfreebaseball.com) and give you full credit for the tip! Or if you wish to remain anonymous, that's okay too! Let's get the word out on the accommodations so those with food allergies can take advantage of these opportunities and we can support these teams.

(Editor's note: To read a post I wrote on peanut allergies and baseball last year, click here.)

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If you are in the Detroit area and would like to attend a Detroit Tigers game, please email me at peanutallergykidATgmailDOTcom for more information.


photo courtesy of flickr

Food Allergy Video by J&J

A reader sent a link to a great video done by Johnson & Johnson on food allergies. Enjoy!

Safely Dining Out with Food Allergies

Linda Coss, popular food allergy author, is our guest blogger today. She has written a great article on dining out with a life-threatening food allergy. We all know the fear that this seemingly ordinary event can bring!

Thanks Linda!!

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While the average American family eats out fairly frequently, for the growing number of people who suffer from life-threatening food allergies dining out is often a rare treat. When even a crumb-sized piece of food can trigger a potentially fatal reaction, it can be very difficult to find a restaurant that can safely accommodate your needs!

Linda Coss, author of “How To Manage Your Child’s Life-Threatening Food Allergies: Practical Tips For Everyday Life,” provides the following recommendations for dining out with food allergies:

• Beware of the Dangers of Cross-Contamination – From the food allergy perspective, one of the biggest problems with food prepared in a restaurant setting is the cross-contamination between different dishes that can take place in the restaurant kitchen. If you react to minute quantities of an allergen, your food is likely to require special handling by the restaurant staff.

• Avoid High-Risk Situations – Some restaurants have a particularly high risk of cross-contamination, and are often best avoided altogether. Depending on what allergens you’re avoiding, this can include buffets and self-service salad bars (for most allergies); Asian restaurants (for nut, wheat, soy and fish allergies); African, Thai and Indian restaurants (for nut allergies); bakeries (for nut, milk, egg and wheat allergies); seafood restaurants (for fish or shellfish allergies); and ice cream shops (for nut, milk, egg and wheat allergies).

• Bring Your Emergency Medication – When your family first arrives at a restaurant, check to be sure that you have your emergency medication (for use in case an allergic reaction should occur) with you. If it is not with you, do not stay at the restaurant.

• Avoid Busy Times and Holidays – Avoid going to restaurants during their busiest hours or during their busiest days, when the staff will not have time to properly deal with your special needs.

• Speak to the Chef or Manager – Find out exactly what ingredients are in the suggested menu item. Then ask about the ingredients of any other foods that the dish might come into contact with during the preparation process (i.e., what else is made on that grill, cut at that station, fried in that oil, flipped over with that spatula, etc.). Discuss everything in detail, and be sure the restaurant understands that the allergies can be fatal.

• Order Plain, Simple Foods – Avoid sauces, gravies, fillings and so forth unless you are completely sure of their ingredients.

“Dining out with food allergies is certainly a challenge,” explains Ms. Coss. “The secret to success is advance planning plus clear communication with the appropriate members of the restaurant staff.”

Additional tips for dining out with food allergies can be found in “How To Manage Your Child’s Life-Threatening Food Allergies.” This popular book gives parents the step-by-step information they need to create a safe and enjoyable home, school and social life for a severely food-allergic child.

Ms. Coss is also the author of two popular food allergy cookbooks, “What’s to Eat?” and “What Else is to Eat?,” both of which provide recipes for cooking without dairy, egg, peanut or tree nut ingredients. All three books are available at www.FoodAllergyBooks.com, at Amazon.com, and at various retailers nationwide.

*****

In my opinion, Linda Coss has written the most comprehensive, readable food allergy book on the market. If you missed my review of it, click here.

photo courtesy flickr

Ever Feel Like This?

Yep, me too!!


photo courtesy of flickr

Weekend Discussion: Boy or Girl?

Our local food allergy support group met this past Monday and we all discovered something that astounded me: Of the 13 of us who were present, 12 of our children were boys. That is 92%!!

So, I would like to make this weekend's discussion a poll. Is your PA kid a boy or a girl? I will calculate the ratio of boys to girls and post later next week.

So, BOY or GIRL??

Thanks for participating!

The First Bite

I really enjoy reading the stories of other PA moms that live with the same fears that I do everyday. The thing that always amazes me is that everyone has a unique story about their child's diagnosis, yet we all end up in the same place.

Please welcome Nicole to "Peanut Allergy Kid" today as she shares her own story. I bet many of you can relate to how she found out about her son's peanut allergy: the first bite of peanut butter.

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When my son was 11 months old, I made him a snack. It was a piece of bread with a very thin layer of peanut butter on it. Very thin because, of course, I didn't want him to choke. The bread was then cut into nice baby sized pieces. I thought "What a nice healthy snack". I was watching him carefully because I know that peanut butter is sticky, but I wasn't worried. And he had no problem to any other food so far.

He ate it fine and I took him out of the high chair to give him some juice. It was then that I noticed this strange sort of redness on his chin. "That's weird", I thought. My husband had just called me on the phone and we were talking when Jack threw up. I had just finished cleaning him up when he threw up again. I threw him in the tub and still remember his poor sad face looking up at me as if saying, "Mommy, fix this." After that he would go on to throw up more (5 times in all) and he started turning bright red from head to toe.

I called the nurse who told me to give him some Benedryl and then she said something that I still can't believe. "Tomorrow you can try to give him some more peanut butter and if it happens again we'll know he's allergic." (What??!!??) As soon as I got off the phone I realized I never was told how much Benadryl to give him. I never could get back a hold of a nurse. I'd put in a call and it would take forever to get a call back. By this time the poor little guy was so miserable. Just laying his head on our shoulders, not really responding to our attempts to cheer him up.

We finally took him in to Urgent Care and by the time we were seen he seemed to be feeling better. The doctor promptly prescribed an epi pen and said don't give him peanuts. That was pretty much it. I hit the internet the next day and what I learned absolutely scared me to death: he could die from this. It took me a long time to get used to what life was going to be like now. Praise the Lord, he has not had one reaction since then. Not one!

don't live in constant fear anymore. He is so very careful and responsible about not eating things without checking with us first. Our families have been great about making things safe for him. Knowing what we know now though, we should have taken him to the hospital that night. Had I been a bolder person, I would have mentioned to the doctor the very dangerous advice the nurse had given me on the phone.

That's Jack's story about his allergy!! We take each situation as it comes now and continue to trust the Lord to guide us in each one.

You can catch up with Nicole on her family blog at http://increasinggrace.blogspot.com.

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Did you shudder as much as I did at the nurse's medical advice? Try it one more time? There is no excuse for someone in the medical profession to not know the life-threatening potential of a peanut allergy.

Thanks so much for sharing with us Nicole!!

An Update...We're Home...for Now

I just want to thank everyone that has expressed so much concern for my youngest child, Dylan. He is home now but not out of the woods. As you can see from the picture above, he was a sick little kid

Apparently rotavirus is what struck our home in the last week. This is a common childhood illness but Dylan's body just could not handle it. He was pretty seriously dehydrated. He was doing pretty well by the time we left the hospital yesterday but started having problems again once we returned home. I will be speaking with his doctor this morning to determine what the next course of action should be to get him healthy.

As most of you know, hospitals scare me when it comes to Tyler. As Dylan lay in the hospital bed on Tuesday night, I was so glad that food allergies were not something I had to worry about. Funny enough, I instinctively still read labels. There must be some sort of a label reading disorder moms like me have.

In spite of all of that, we still had a food allergy scare. Dylan is on a very strict, bland diet. My husband was careful to get Dylan foods Tyler could eat, too. But, since we were both so exhausted, we both missed something. Shortly after Tyler and Dylan shared a bowl of cereal (no milk, of course), I noticed the cereal had coconut oil in it. Tyler had eaten it and had no reaction. But, we will not be chancing it again.

Amazing how Dylan is sick, yet Tyler's food allergies still make me a nervous wreck!

I will (hopefully) return to my regular blogging schedule tomorrow. I have a few guest bloggers coming (if you would like to be included, check out this). Plus, I have a few simple posts I can prepare. I will return with some more of my own meatier posts on May 4.

I hope you will enjoy and learn a lot from from our guests. It will probably be nice to hear someone else's perspective for a change! Thanks again for all of your well wishes for Dylan. It means a lot!

Want to Write for Peanut Allergy Kid?

I am looking for a few people to be guest bloggers on "Peanut Allergy Kid." My youngest child is currently in the hospital. Plus, we have plans to go out of state on Friday if everyone is healthy. So... I need your help!!

Some topics could include:

How we found out about our child's PA
Surprising peanut sources
Favorite allergy products
Scary reactions

Or anything else you think might benefit a parent with a peanut allergic child.

If you would like to share your story on the blog, please send it to me (limit it to 500 words please!) at peanutallergykid AT gmail DOT com. Please put "Guest Blogger" in the subject line. Thanks for your help!!

200th Post!

Today is the 200th post on "Peanut Allergy Kid!" Woo Hoo!! (Actually, I think yesterday's was but I have a very sick kid so humor me here!) Who knew one person could so much to say about a peanut allergy!

I just want to thank everyone who reads the blog. Were it not for you, I would not continue to write this blog. The emails of readers that tell me how much this blog has helped them are what motivate me to continue to write. I absolutely love and cherish each email I receive.

I thought it would be fun since the blog is now 9 months old to go back and highlight some of my favorite posts. Here they are, in particular order:

*My kids remind me how I am a little crazy sometimes about food allergies.

*I actually am strong enough to handle a diagnosis with other food allergies.

*I am very optimistic about a treatment for PA someday soon.

*Tyler knows is slowly learning the importance of label reading. This is huge for him and me!

*PA can actually be funny!!

*Mr Peanut freaks me out.

*My PA kid reprimands me for even saying the word "nut."

*Thomas the Tank engine is peanut free and his conductor apparently has serious allergy issues!

*Food allergies truly can be something to sing about!

*I actually left the country for safe food. Crazy stuff...

*Guest blogger, Alexis talked about her fear of Epi Pens. This post still cracks me up!

*This post really made an impression on my husband.

*Two of my most popular posts were on ice cream and my emergency plan.

*I also loved a post from an 10 year old girl with a peanut allergy.

*Off all the posts I've written on my personal perspective of dealing with Tyler's PA, this one is my favorite.

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I also want to thank a few people I met last night. We had our food allergy support group meeting that myself and another mom are now leading. Seeing the actual faces of some of my readers remind me of why I write this. I admit some of it is therapy for myself. But the rewards of helping others are absolutely incredible.

So to those of you I had the privilege of meeting last night, you guys are awesome and totally made my day!!

The Nutty Video

Educating friends and family members about your PA Kid's allergy can be one of the most challenging parts of dealing with a peanut allergy. It seems like many in our lives feel like we are over exaggerating the severity of the allergy.

The online video at www.thenuttyvideo.com offers an online video that is not only very informative, but also allows you email it to family and friends. This is a great way to educate friends and family in a very "non pushy" way.

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I appreciate the well wishes for my family! The stomach flu has hit my 2 year old now (which is why this post is short and late!). Tyler, on the other hand, is on the mend. Our hope is that my husband and I can continue to dodge the bullet. We are leaving for vacation on Friday!

Weekend Links: The Sunbutter Edition

I found a couple of recipes that call for Sunbutter as a sub for peanut butter. If you try them, let me know!

• A recipe for sunflower Sweet and Sour Sauce (scroll to bottom) if you love Chinese food but need an alternative to peanut sauce.

• A recipe for "Peanut Allergy Chocolate Bars" that calls for Sunbutter. I love the name of them!

Other Links:

• Fruit & veggie allergies are on the rise. I can very much relate to this because I have a husband allergic to several fruits. He recently had a cross contamination issue with a raw apple!
  

• Food allergy author, Linda Coss has a great article on dining out with food allergies. Great reminders for those new and not so new to PA.

• Pennsylvania legislators are attempting to get schools to adopt a uniform food allergy policy. Yeah for PA!!

• A great story about a peanut sniffing dog and his PA owner.

• A simple article in a newspaper on how to use an Epi Pen. I love it that Sarasota, FL is publishing this stuff!

photo courtesy of flickr

Weekend Discussion: What is Your PA Kid's Favorite "Safe" Restaurant?

This weekend's question is:

What is Your PA Kid's Favorite "Safe" Restaurant?

*We will discuss this in the Facebook group or in the comments section of this post.

(Do you have a question you would like to discuss in a coming weekend? Please email me at peanutallergykidATgmailDOTcom or leave a comment.)

photo courtesy of flickr

Sick PA Kid

I'm sorry to say there will not be a post today. Tyler has been sick with the stomach flu for the last couple of days. Sleep has been very scarce. I think we are on the mend, unless someone else comes down with it!

I will be back tomorrow with our weekend discussion. See ya then!

Great Sources for Peanut Free Candy

If your child has a peanut allergy, chances are you want your child to have some special peanut free treats. In the last few years the supply of this type of product has really come a long way. They are usually not extremely cheap but worth the splurge for an occasional treat.

I have compiled several places that sell these types of products. I know many of my readers are new to PA and would love a list of places to find some safe candy. Unless noted, I don't have any personal experience with these products. But, I would be willing to try each of these companies because they seem great.

This list is by no means exhaustive but just a few places that I have been impressed with their websites and peanut and tree nut free claims.

• Allerneeds (I reviewed them here.They have a great feature that allows you to shop by allergy.

• Amanda's Own Confections (chocolate, lollipops, and everything in between. They also carry holiday specific items.)

• Dean's Sweet (safe hand-dipped truffles. Pricey...but they look good!)

• Divvies (nut, egg and dairy free candy)

• Enjoy Life Foods (free of the 8 most common allergens. Amazon carries these, too. Read a review I wrote on them here.)

• Fab Snacks (fellow blogger Jennifer started this company. I've never tried them but really love Jennifer and her blog. She will be a guest blogger here soon. She sells a little of everything.)

• Gimbal's Candy (A few types of candies; their jellybeans are as good as Jelly Bellys. Amazon carries these, too)

• No Nuttin' (granola bars, granola, chocolate chips, and more)

• Nothin' Nutty (several kinds of fun chocolate)

• Panhandle Premium Candy Co. (offers safe Canadian candy bars)

• Peanut Free Planet (a bit of everything, including non-sweets)

• Vermont Nut Free (I think my SIL and I will be placing an order soon. I'll review them if we do. They have a large variety of chocolates that look wonderful!)

Don't forget to check out "The Peanut Allergy Kid" Amazon store. There are some great finds in there. Granted, you are buying in bulk. But, if you plan on feeding your PA kid special treats regularly, you will actually save yourself money in the long run. Plus you get free shipping on many of them.

Have I missed one of your favorite peanut treats websites on this list? Please let me know!!


photo courtesy of flickr

The PA Kid's First Trip to the Dentist

One of the hardest parts of dealing with Tyler's peanut allergy is surprises. Normally, I love surprises. But preparation is the key to effectively managing PA.

So, last Thursday, when Tyler complained several times that his tooth hurt, I knew a visit to the dentist was probably in order. On the surface, this does not sound intimidating for someone with food allergies. But I was nervous about the flavorings they would use to clean his teeth and anything else that might enter his mouth. (Actually coconut was a bigger concern than peanuts.)

I know, I admit I'm a worrier.

When I called to make the appointment, I cringed when I started to tell the receptionist about his allergies. Numerous experiences of people acting like I am a lunatic to think it would be a concern in certain situations makes me a bit skiddish.

After I said my piece, the receptionist said, "Oh, my daughter is allergic to nuts, too."

I felt a ton of nerves lift. She told me she would note all of his allergies all over his chart.

Then, she warned me there might be nuts in the basement of their building where the employees eat lunch. I had to chuckle because I knew this was a mom who understood my concerns.

Once we arrived and the dental hygienist called us back, I reminded her of Tyler's allergy. She assured me she had seen the notes and would be using grape flavoring. I felt like things were gong to be fine.

My only "freak out" moment was when she said they preferred moms to wait in the waiting room. Since I already had "allergy nerves," this made me uncomfortable. Thankfully before it was much of an issue, Tyler said, "No, I want my Mommy!"

Yep, the boy probably knew I needed him as much as he needed me!

In the end, everything was fine. No cavities. A sinus infection. Go figure!

Downloadable Anaphylaxis Plan Now Available

click to enlarge plan

By far, the most popular thing on this blog is Tyler's anaphylaxis plan. I created it for our church and put it on the blog last August, I thought one or two people might be interested in it. Nearly every week since I posted it, I have received multiple requests for a copy of it.

To make it easier, I have uploaded it so that anyone can download it without having to wait for me to send the file. (Sometimes I'm slow!) Once you download it, it is completely customizable.

Originally, this file was in MS Publisher (which I love!) but I know not everyone has that program. So, I have also created a version in MS Word. Hopefully everyone that wants it has one of those programs!. If not, let me know and I will help you out!

If you want the MS Publisher version of this file, click here.

If you want the MS Word version of this file, click here.

You Might Be a Family with Food Allergies at Easer If...

• Your son and you discussed how the Easter Bunny knew about peanut allergies and only gave him candy he could eat.

• You used the term "safe" to describe certain foods to your son and niece and nephew (the allergic trio in our family).
  

• You made a carrot cake that was nut free.

• You had homemade chocolate Easter eggs.

• You gave your sister-in-law a catalog for Vermont Nut Free Chocolate.

• You rejoiced with family members that Hershey's now makes chocolate Easter eggs that don't have a cross contamination warning.

• You gave away some cleaning products because they contained a no-no in your home: coconut.
  

• You had an in-depth conversation with your sister-in-law about Disney World's food allergy policies.

• The only nuts at the dinner table were your husband and brother-in-law!

photo courtesy of flickr

Free Engraving at N-Style ID

N-Style ID is celebrating 9 years of providing great medical alert bracelets. To celebrate, they are offering free engraving on all new orders over $25. That's a $10 value!

If you have never checked out N-Style ID and need a medical alert bracelet, now is your chance to get one at a great price.

Weekend Discussion: What is a Positive Aspect of Your Child Having a Peanut Allergy?

I try to talk a lot about the positives of having a peanut allergy in the family on the blog. I want to remind my readers that there really is a good side to this allergy. I need the reminder as much as anyone!

This weekend we will be discussing in the Facebook group or the comments section of this post:

What is a Positive Aspect of Your Child Having a Peanut Allergy?

photo courtesy of flickr

How To Make "Safe" Chocolate Easter Eggs Video Tutorial

Here it is!! There have been a lot of hiccups in my production of this in the last few days. But I did it! You can now learn how to make chocolate Easter eggs with me in my kitchen!! I have to say these were really good. The filling tastes almost identical to store bought chocolates.

*As a side note, youtube has messed up my title slide. In an effort to get it posted, I am temporarily ignoring this. I will fix it later!

Part 1 - Buttercream Filling


Part 2 - Chocolate Coating




One other recipe I considered was Chocolate Fondant Eggs. Since I just covered fondant in a previous post, I decided to do the Buttercream because I LOVE creamcheese. Here is the recipe for the Buttercream Eggs I did make.

If you have any questions about this tutorial, please feel free to email me.

Easter Egg Tutorial Coming!

My Easter egg tutorial will be posted later this morning. I am in the final stages of editing. A sudden ear ache on a certain "Peanut Allergy Kid" prompted an unexpected trip to the pediatric health clinic at our local hospital last night. As a result I lost some valuable editing time and finishing up this morning.

Thanks for your patience.

Disney Easter Candy

First of all, I want to apologize for my tardiness in posting this morning! Believe it or not, I have been working since last night on tomorrow's post. It will be (if everything goes right!) my first video tutorial. I will teach you how to make safe chocolate Easter eggs. But, my camcorder was not compatible with our new computer. I actually had to buy and install hardware. It totally freaked me out but I did it!! So stay tuned tomorrow!!



The holidays always scare me. Even though I make sure I buy safe candy for Tyler many people at our church also buy him candy. They are all very diligent about not giving him anything with peanuts. But, its hard to expect someone that does not live with PA to understand cross contamination. I don't fault them at all for that.

Last night someone gave both of my boys an Easter basket. They had already told my husband they were going to and put M&M's in it. My husband told them Skittles were a much better choice.

When they got their baskets they also had some Disney marshmallow treats in them. They also included the package (a nice touch!). I was thrilled when I saw this statement just below the ingredients:

"This product does not contain peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, or
wheat gluten. It has been manufactured on dedicated equipment."

Disney really "gets it" when it comes to food allergies!! Yeah!! Of course I immediately rushed to the giver of the baskets and asked where he got them. He said the dollar store! Wow! Safe candy for a dollar!! I am so going to get more before Easter is over!!

The picture above is from flickr but is exactly what our bag looks like. So keep your eyes out for these before Sunday!

This One's for the Squirrels

File this under the "I never thought about that!" category. I consider myself to be a pretty thorough and aware allergy mom. Yet, this story from Wisconsin made me realize I'm not as with it as I thought.

Wisconsin hopes to protect kids from Capitol nuts

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin is asking people to refrain from feeding squirrels at the state Capitol because they might inadvertently harm a child with a peanut allergy. The state sent a letter Monday to tenants of a downtown Madison office building, asking whomever has been feeding the squirrels on the Capitol lawn to please stop.

Ron Blair, of the Division of State Facilities, writes in the letter that someone has been carpeting the Capitol lawn with peanuts. He says the indiscriminate nut-tossing might pose a risk because thousands of school children tour the building each year and some might have peanut allergies.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says 4 percent to 8 percent of children have a food allergy, with peanuts being one of the most common. Some can have a reaction just touching or being near peanuts.

Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Thankfully the woman who fed the squirrels has agreed to stop.

As you can imagine, this has people up in arms, saying nasty things about those with peanut allergies. But, even with a little negative reaction, it still raises awareness of peanut allergies. And that is definitely a good thing.

I actually lived in Madison when I was in high school. This is a city that is very concerned about its citizens. They think "outside of the box" compared to other towns I have lived in. So, it doesn't surprise me a bit that they are this proactive.

photo courtesy of flickr

What's In Your Bag?

There has been talk recently on the Facebook group about how to transport EpiPens. For us, it is more than just transporting the EpiPens. I also have a few other things that I keep with Tyler at all times.

• Two EpiPens. Since one Epi may not work or may not be sufficient, we always have two with us.

• Two packs of "Benadryl Perfect Mesuare." Each packet has one teaspoon in it. (If you can't find these at a drug store near you, Amazon carries them here and here.)

• A trial pack of Wet Ones. Generally, I have a larger bag of wipes in my purse for my little one that is still in diapers. But having this package with the Epi's ensures that we always something for Tyler to wipe his hands of possible peanut residue no matter what the circumstances.

The carrier that transports my little allergy emergency pack is nothing fancy. In fact I think I paid $2.99 for it at Wal-Mart. It is a soft pencil case and fits everything just perfectly.

There are many ways you can transport your Epi's. Amazon carries some really cute packs made just for transporting them. Here are a couple of them:

This one will attach to a belt, purse, or backpack:

This one holds your Epi's and an asthma inhaler:

To see Allergy Haven's entire line of EpiPen holder on Amazon, click here.

I'd love to hear from others about you transport your EpiPens!

Review of "The Princess and the Peanut Allergy"

When I heard a new children's peanut allergy book was recently released, I knew I had to read it. Never mind the fact I have two boys and the book is about princesses! But don't all girls have a little "wanna be a princess" in them?

Synopsis of the Story

Regina's princess birthday party is coming up and she has found the perfect cake: a castle cake complete with peanut butter brownie bricks. Regina couldn't wait! She excitedly told her friend Paula.

But Paula wasn't nearly as excited. Paula has a peanut allergy and is very upset about the cake. When she tells Regina how sick peanuts make her, Regina tells Paula she can't come to her party.

Both Regina and Paula are very upset. But, the more Regina thinks about it, the more she realizes Paula attending her party is more important the peanut-filled castle bricks.

Regina calls Paula to tell her she will have a peanut free cake so that Paula can come to the party. Regina orders the special "peanutless" cake herself.

In the end, the two princesses have a wonderful time at the party despite the previous conflict. Regina also comes away with an understanding of how serious a peanut allergy can be.

Analysis

This was a great book that any little girl would enjoy. I think even a child who does not have a peanut allergy would enjoy this book. The art work and story are very well done.

The point of any good children's food allergy book is to educate the non-allergic clearly about food allergies. This book certainly fits the bill. It also will be entertaining for a peanut allergic child, while making them feel connected one of the characters.

The only minor problem I had with this book was the fact that they order the "peanut free" cake from a bakery with special instructions to leave the peanuts out. We do not allow Tyler to eat anything from a bakery.

For the sake of this book, we can just assume this was a dedicated nut free bakery. In addition, this one minor issue can easily bring up a discussion with your peanut allergic child.

I highly recommend this book to any young girl with a peanut allergy.

A great companion to this book would be "The Peanut Free Cafe" that I reviewed here.

(Purchasing Amazon products through this blog helps support it.)



Check out more great PA products at "The Peanut Allergy Kid Store"

Weekend Links: The "Let's Party!" Edition

I am going to get back to my tradition of posting interesting links I have stumbled on this week at the end of each week. Enjoy!

By far, my favorite story of the week is this:

Dr. Burks (a.k.a.) as "my hero" is now predicting a treatment for PA will be available to everyone in 2 or 3 years (instead of the 5 years he predicted last year) in a NY Times article this week. Yeah!!

A video that talks about the desensitization that includes an interview with Dr. Burks.

The desensitization was the talk of a meeting on Wednesday at the Academy of Asthma and Immunology meeting.

In other news:

A new study shows that African American children are at a higher risk for food allergies.

A great article on one parent's struggle to keep her son safe while dealing with multiple food allergies on CNN.

An article by a mom on what it is like to interrogate the preparers of our children's food to keep them safe.

Peanut sniffing dogs are showing a lot of promise to protect the severely allergic. Too bad my hubby is very allergic to dogs!


photo courtesy of flickr

Weekend Discussion: What Peanut Treat Do You Miss Most?

I have been totally blown away by the response to the Facebook group!! Wow! You guys are awesome!! In one week, 77 of you joined!!

I realize how much each of you that joined desire to connect with other PA moms. Me too!

I decided for those of you want to participate, each weekend on Saturday we will have a discussion question. This will be a question/discussion that everybody in the Facebook group can participate in. It's a time to share, vent, and even show your sense of humor about your child's peanut allergy (yes, its possible).

This weekend's question is this...

What peanut treat do you (or your family) miss most??

OK, I won't steal my own thunder...but here's hint:



Hmmm....did I give away??

An added bonus... I'm making encouraging my hubby participate in this discussion. His is rather elaborate...


photo courtesy flickr

Recognizing Food Allergy Awareness Week Next Month

Food Allergy Awareness Week is May 10-16. This is an excellent opportunity to create more awareness in your community, schools and every where else your PA kid goes.

Wouldn't it be amazing if your entire state recognized this?

FAAN's goal this year is to have each of the 50 states to recognize this. Connecticut, Illinois, and Nebraska have already recognized this special week. If you do not live in one of these states, would you consider requesting this proclamation from your Governor?

FAAN offers a letter and template that makes it simple to request this of your state's governor online or by regular mail. You can visit your governor's website for contact information.

Requesting your governor to recognize this week in your state could make a big difference in educating your state on ways to keep your PA kid safe.

**********

If you live in Michigan, I have a contact at Governor Granholm's office. This request has been submitted but I think the more of us that ask for it, the better chance the chances she will recognize it. Please email me at peanutallergykid AT gmail DOT com for more information.

The Best Party Ever!

Last weekend we attended a birthday party for a family member. Normally when we attend any sort of event where cake will be involved, I bring a "frozen cupcake."

It had been a crazy morning and I realized on the way to the party that I forgot my special treat for Tyler. I do, however, always carry a safe granola bar in my purse. I quickly dug it out and told him I had a granola bar for him to eat while everyone else ate cake. I felt bad he would not be able to eat any cake but his response was, "OK, Mommy!"

When we arrived at the party, I was blown away by what I saw. There were about 10-12 kids. Four of them had food allergies! We were dealing with peanut, tree nut, and soy allergies. But, there was a table with allergy friendly foods set up by the parent with the soy allergic child.

First, there were snicker doodle cookies. The recipe was sitting right beside them. Next, there were brownies that had the brownie mix box sitting next to them. They were free of all 8 major allergens.

I cannot tell you how happy I was to see an allergy friendly table. I showed Tyler. I showed my husband. I thanked the mom. I looked for my camera phone to take a picture for this post but had left it at home (darn!).

Tyler was so excited that he grabbed a cookie. At first I got onto him. But then I realized this might be the only opportunity for him to have a table like this. Then, he grabbed a brownie!
But what about the cake? My husband has known the woman that made the cake since he was born. She makes the big, fancy ones as a hobby. Her daughter came to tell me that her mother made it totally from scratch and it was safe for Tyler. I will admit it made me a little nervous but I trusted her because she has been a friend of my husband's family for so long.

The funny part? Tyler was so full from the cookies and brownies he only ate a couple of bites of cake!


photo courtesy of flickr

Making Safe Fondant

Last fall I took a cake decorating class in anticipation of both of my boys' birthdays in October and January. Martha Stewart, I am not! But I had fun making cakes with their favorite cartoon characters on it.

A longtime reader of this blog contacted me a few days ago to ask if I knew what kind of fondant would be safe. Since most types of cake decorating products are made in a facility with peanuts, I decided to make my own last fall.

It was my first attempt. As you can see in the cake below, Thomas' face is actually fondant. (To read the entire post on this cake, click here.)

How did I do it? It's not nearly as hard as it looks or sounds. Here are the online resources I used.

The recipe:

• 16 ounces white mini-marshmallows

• 2 to 5 tablespoons of water

• 2 pounds powdered sugar

• 1/2 cup Crisco shortening (you will be digging into it so place in a very easily accessed bowl)

I got this recipe from this site. It has very detailed instructions.

But...I'm a visual learner. I watched the following youtube video a couple of times and was ready to go.



Let me give you a warning, this starts out to be sticky, sticky mess. Be patient. Allow plenty of time to work on it. I think you will be amazed at how easy it is once you get over the the "What have I gotten myself into?" feeling.

If you are not familiar with fondant, once you master simple cakes with fondant, you can make amazing things that look like this:














(the Thomas photo above was taken by me, the others are by people more talented than me on flickr (see here and here)