I have been neglecting this blog lately. Reasons...
1. Adam has almost gone into Anaphlactic shock 3 times in the last 6 months. (Definitely not fun times to write about.)
2. I have too many posts to write about how much fun we've been having despite the food allergies. (Guilt and feeling overwhelmed.)
3. I'm dealing with the not so nice side of having a child with food allergies and want to make sure I control my tongue. (I really wish people could just get it!)
4. My computer crashed. (My children adore the power button.)
So there you have it.
I think it's time to get started again though.
Oh, I forgot one more reason for not blogging-
5. We have had a foster child in our home, Baby A, for the past 5 months. She has just been diagnosed with a milk allergy. (Why do these children come to me?)
What to blog about first...
VACATION!!!
Our family took our first real vacation since the diagnoses of Adam's allergies. It was fantastic! Adam didn't have a single allergic reaction. We were gone for 8 days.
How did we do it?
LOTS of planning!
But now I finally feel like I can share our secrets to having fun with food allergies, while still enjoying vacation.
Secret 1: Stay in a location where you can prepare all of your meals. We stayed at a beach house.
Secret 2: Create a meal plan and grocery list before leaving home. The meal plan must include all meals, snacks, and even the unplanned. Make the grocery list as specific as possible.
Secret 3: Purchase specialty allergy friendly foods before you leave and pack them with you. This will not only keep you sane but will ensure you have what you need when you need it.
Secret 4: Bring plenty of reusable snack and lunch containers to use as you are on the go. We brought food with us everywhere. Restaurants were out of the question.
Secret 5: Make a detailed itinerary for your vacation. Any unexpected stops, visits, etc... can lead to reactions. Once at the beach house we made a plan for the week. It ensured we'd know how much food to have with us at all times.
Secret 6: ALWAYS carry Epi-pens and Benadryl with you. Hopefully this one is a given.
Secret 7: Call ahead to all major attractions to ensure they can accommodate your allergy needs. Ask as many questions as you can to ensure your safety.
Secret 8: Plan places to stop while traveling that will be safe. Food courts aren't recommended. We found the most dangerous places we encountered were the deluxe gas/food/restroom stops. One we weren't even able to enter because of the dangers.
Secret 9: Inform everyone that will be with you about your child's allergy needs and rules of the house while you are there. We could have never had such success if it weren't for such supportive Grandparents.
Secret 10: Allow yourself to have fun!
Where did we go? What did we do? Stay tuned for Vacation Part II!
Friday, July 9, 2010
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Adam's Story
I've been asked several times to share Adam's story about how we discovered he had food allergies. Wanting to include this in the book I'm writing, I've decided to finally attack this monster of a task. One would think I have everything recorded, and I do, just not all in the same place. So here goes nothing...
Adam was born on August 28. 2008 by c-section. The first 24 hours after his birth nurses took care of him for the majority of the time. I was too drugged with pain killers to care for him by myself. Jason was home with Owen.
The second night I was in the hospital, Adam roomed with me. This is when I first noticed he was different. Adam was up EVERY hour, cranky and supposedly hungry. He would have diarrhea bowel movements. I specifically remember a nurse saying, "Looks like he might have a milk allergy."
The first two weeks of Adam's life I slept on the couch downstairs (because of the c-section). Adam slept in a bassinet in the living room. It became apparent very quickly that something was wrong. He would grunt in pain ALL night long. During the day he constantly had to be held and was VERY irritable. Adam would arch backward and become as stiff as a board. Nothing could help him resume a regular position until he was finished arching. His face began to break out in a rash and then his body. Every bowel movement he had was a blow out.
After two and a half weeks of holding Adam upright on the couch all night long to stop the grunting and arching we took him to the doctor's. His stool was tested and was positive for blood. Adam's formula was switched to Similac Alimentum due to a milk protein allergy. He was prescribed Axid for supposed reflux which was determined based on his constant arching.
Life became a little more tolerable. Adam took an hour to take a bottle. He lived in his swing, which was the only place he would sleep well. Still the arching continued along with irritability, discomfort, etc...
At about 4 months Adam started solid foods. He began to digress, vomiting on a regular basis. Adam was constantly irritable. We found ourselves on the couch again holding him upright all night. He rarely slept unless he was in his swing. We returned to the doctor's office.
Adam was diagnosed with a severe milk protein and switched to a prescription formula called Elecare. His reflux medication was also switched to adult Prevacid. The doctor decided to have an x-ray done of Adam's digestive system as he drank this white powdery stuff. I don't remember the name of the test. It was discovered that Adam had a Hiatal Hernia. We were referred to a pediatric gastric specialist in Syracuse.
Meanwhile, Adam was taken off of all solid foods. Once removed from his diet he began to improve. A pH probe test was done on February 5, 2009. While taking medication his reflux levels were normal. Although his dosage of Prevacid was increased to 14.5 mg per day because Adam was still doing very poorly. It was the day we received results from the pH probe test that the gastro specialist saw the arching and stiffening we had been talking about for so long. His reply, "That's not a gastro problem, that's neurological!"
Adam was sent for an EEG and CAT Scan. The initial thought was that he may have Cerebral Palsy or was having mini seizures. All tests were completed by the end of February. All results came back normal. With no questions answered still, our pediatrician decided to press forward. He always jokes that Adam has caused some of his grey hairs.
Adam was referred to an allergy specialist next. On May 4, 2009, at only 8 months old Adam received his first round of skin pricking tests. The results were overwhelming, showing that he was allergic to 30 out of 35 foods tested. Retesting was ordered. Previous to this point our pediatrician had asked us to introduce solid foods at 4 months and again at 6 months. Each time the experiments had gone horribly wrong. After viewing the results of the allergy testing, our pediatrician suggested we try again, using the results from the tests. The results showed Adam could have cantaloupe, watermelon, peaches, chicken, rice, and bananas. The experiment was successful and Adam could finally eat solid foods, if only 5 items.
Due to all of the medical struggles Adam had been enduring, he wasn't reaching his physical milestones. Our pediatrician had no other choice but to call Early Intervention to have him evaluated by physical and occupational specialists. Adam's evaluation took place on May 1, 2009. He qualified for occupational therapy due to his inability to eat solid foods and meet physical milestone markers.
Our pediatrician and gastro specialist decided to refer Adam to have a clinical feeding/swallowing evaluation performed by the CDU unit. Their thinking was that perhaps Adam's difficulties eating were caused by something working incorrectly as he tried to eat and swallow his foods. The testing was performed on June 29, 2009. Results were negative. Everything was normal.
Adam's second round of allergy skin testing was performed July 23, 2009 only to determine that all results were inaccurate due to Adam's age. All foods must be tested through trial and error.
After receiving results of first allergy testing and clinical feeding/swallowing studies, our gastro specialist decided it best to perform a colonoscopy and endoscopy on Adam. Results showed negative for every biopsy they took including celiac disease. The hiatal hernia was gone and there were no signs of reflux.
At this point we were pretty hopeless at finding the cause for all of Adam's struggles. We knew he had food allergies but there were SO MANY and they appeared to be worsening. Adam was taken off all of his reflux medication because there was no need for it. He remained on his Elecare formula. At home life was rough. Adam was almost a year old. He would not sleep through the night and was up at least twice a night. We were slowly introducing new foods, but with the trial and error method, it was a painful process. By 1 year old we knew Adam was allergic to apples, oranges, berries of all kinds, milk, Casein, eggs, oats, buckwheat, wheat, peanuts, soy, string beans, carrots, celery, peas, and sweet potatoes. Adam was NOT allergic to rice, corn, chicken, turkey, bananas, cantaloupes, plums, grapes, and potatoes. Our pediatrician had given us Epi-pens and Adam was already using Benedryl on a regular basis. The arching episodes had subsided, but we were still taking turns holding Adam upright almost every night on the couch for at least half of the night. Most likely this was caused by the reactions he was having while trying new foods.
December 1, 2009, Adam had his 15 month well baby visit. Life was still much less than acceptable. Adam's allergies were worsening. There were SO many of them. Just a few weeks before this visit we had been speaking with our pediatrician who had brought up Adam's case with a colleague. His colleague had mentioned that Adam may have Angioedema. If so, it would explain why Adam has so many allergies and where they came from. A simple blood test would determine results. Adam had the blood test done. It came back negative.
At this well baby visit we were all discouraged. Our pediatrician decided it was time to send Adam to Boston to meet with some of the best specialists in the world. Our appointment was scheduled for January 6, 2010.
On December 18, 2009, Adam had an appointment with a new allergist, a pediatric specialist. He received skin testing for 33 foods. Results were determined incorrect by the allergist. Our pediatrician, along with Jason and I were becoming very frustrated. If Adam had all of these allergies, why weren't they showing up when he was tested?
Adam and I made the trek to Boston alone. We had a foster baby at the time that couldn't leave the state so Jason stayed home with Owen and the baby. Our appointment was in the morning. We met with a wonderful doctor. She ordered blood tests to be done immediately. Another appointment was set up with her later that afternoon, along with an appointment with a dietitian.
After reviewing the blood test results that were in, along with all of the records that had been sent from NY, the doctor determined that Adam's only diagnoses was food allergies and nothing else. They are a different type of food allergies, which is why the allergy testing had been incorrect. Most of Adam's allergy attacks are internal where they can't be seen. The swelling occurs on the inside of his body, not above the skin, except for in some cases. There are foods that cause Adam to develop hives and diarrhea, but others only attack him internally, hence the arching and intense pain that we couldn't understand, causing so much irritability. His vomiting reactions can be compared to someone going into anaphalactic shock. In fact they are our warning signs. All of the doctors from the gastro unit in Boston studied Adam's chart. We met with two doctors. They assured us that they had seen several cases just like Adam's. They have no explanation as to why these cases are increasing in number, but they are. We did receive a few treatment suggestions, but the only way to avoid reactions is to avoid the foods entirely.
I find this hilarious and quite annoying since the only way we can discover Adam is allergic to a new food is if we give it to him. As you can see from the side of this blog, we've had to deal with many allergic reactions since. Fortunately with the Elecare Prescription formula that Adam will be on for years to come, along with the foods he can eat, he is thriving and doing extremely well. His fine motor skills and eating skills are about 6 months behind, but we're gaining slowly. Adam was able to walk at 15 months and talks all the time! Most often he is a happy, go lucky, toddler, until he has a reaction. That's when everything changes.
Adam currently takes allergy medication every night before bed. At 16 months he finally was able to stay in his own bed all night long without us holding him upright on the couch. He still wakes up at least once a night for a bottle, but that's usually at 5:30 AM. He goes to bed around 8 PM, so I'm not going to complain.
At times I feel like we live in a bubble, trying to keep Adam safe, but life is good. I have over 75 allergy friendly meals that our family can eat together for dinner. I now have almost 200 recipes total if you include snacks and treats. The doctors in Boston confirmed what we already thought; Adam will most likely never grow out of these allergies. So, finding peace of mind in a final diagnoses and explanation, we have accepted our lot and are really trying to make life as FUN as possible. It's taken a lot of work, but I can honestly say we're happy!
As time goes on, it appears that Adam's allergies are worsening. His milk allergy has gone from only reactions from ingestion to reactions of touch. Adam has almost gone into Anaphalactic Shock 3 times in the last six months. His face has swollen to twice the size, especially his eyes and lips. We have been to the ER once.
Wow! So that's the story. Obviously it needs lots of revisions and probably a million explanations and definitions, but there you have it. Please feel free to ask questions as you comment, because I really want to make sure this makes sense to all who read it!
Still having fun with food allergies!
Adam was born on August 28. 2008 by c-section. The first 24 hours after his birth nurses took care of him for the majority of the time. I was too drugged with pain killers to care for him by myself. Jason was home with Owen.
The second night I was in the hospital, Adam roomed with me. This is when I first noticed he was different. Adam was up EVERY hour, cranky and supposedly hungry. He would have diarrhea bowel movements. I specifically remember a nurse saying, "Looks like he might have a milk allergy."
The first two weeks of Adam's life I slept on the couch downstairs (because of the c-section). Adam slept in a bassinet in the living room. It became apparent very quickly that something was wrong. He would grunt in pain ALL night long. During the day he constantly had to be held and was VERY irritable. Adam would arch backward and become as stiff as a board. Nothing could help him resume a regular position until he was finished arching. His face began to break out in a rash and then his body. Every bowel movement he had was a blow out.
After two and a half weeks of holding Adam upright on the couch all night long to stop the grunting and arching we took him to the doctor's. His stool was tested and was positive for blood. Adam's formula was switched to Similac Alimentum due to a milk protein allergy. He was prescribed Axid for supposed reflux which was determined based on his constant arching.
Life became a little more tolerable. Adam took an hour to take a bottle. He lived in his swing, which was the only place he would sleep well. Still the arching continued along with irritability, discomfort, etc...
At about 4 months Adam started solid foods. He began to digress, vomiting on a regular basis. Adam was constantly irritable. We found ourselves on the couch again holding him upright all night. He rarely slept unless he was in his swing. We returned to the doctor's office.
Adam was diagnosed with a severe milk protein and switched to a prescription formula called Elecare. His reflux medication was also switched to adult Prevacid. The doctor decided to have an x-ray done of Adam's digestive system as he drank this white powdery stuff. I don't remember the name of the test. It was discovered that Adam had a Hiatal Hernia. We were referred to a pediatric gastric specialist in Syracuse.
Meanwhile, Adam was taken off of all solid foods. Once removed from his diet he began to improve. A pH probe test was done on February 5, 2009. While taking medication his reflux levels were normal. Although his dosage of Prevacid was increased to 14.5 mg per day because Adam was still doing very poorly. It was the day we received results from the pH probe test that the gastro specialist saw the arching and stiffening we had been talking about for so long. His reply, "That's not a gastro problem, that's neurological!"
Adam was sent for an EEG and CAT Scan. The initial thought was that he may have Cerebral Palsy or was having mini seizures. All tests were completed by the end of February. All results came back normal. With no questions answered still, our pediatrician decided to press forward. He always jokes that Adam has caused some of his grey hairs.
Adam was referred to an allergy specialist next. On May 4, 2009, at only 8 months old Adam received his first round of skin pricking tests. The results were overwhelming, showing that he was allergic to 30 out of 35 foods tested. Retesting was ordered. Previous to this point our pediatrician had asked us to introduce solid foods at 4 months and again at 6 months. Each time the experiments had gone horribly wrong. After viewing the results of the allergy testing, our pediatrician suggested we try again, using the results from the tests. The results showed Adam could have cantaloupe, watermelon, peaches, chicken, rice, and bananas. The experiment was successful and Adam could finally eat solid foods, if only 5 items.
Due to all of the medical struggles Adam had been enduring, he wasn't reaching his physical milestones. Our pediatrician had no other choice but to call Early Intervention to have him evaluated by physical and occupational specialists. Adam's evaluation took place on May 1, 2009. He qualified for occupational therapy due to his inability to eat solid foods and meet physical milestone markers.
Our pediatrician and gastro specialist decided to refer Adam to have a clinical feeding/swallowing evaluation performed by the CDU unit. Their thinking was that perhaps Adam's difficulties eating were caused by something working incorrectly as he tried to eat and swallow his foods. The testing was performed on June 29, 2009. Results were negative. Everything was normal.
Adam's second round of allergy skin testing was performed July 23, 2009 only to determine that all results were inaccurate due to Adam's age. All foods must be tested through trial and error.
After receiving results of first allergy testing and clinical feeding/swallowing studies, our gastro specialist decided it best to perform a colonoscopy and endoscopy on Adam. Results showed negative for every biopsy they took including celiac disease. The hiatal hernia was gone and there were no signs of reflux.
At this point we were pretty hopeless at finding the cause for all of Adam's struggles. We knew he had food allergies but there were SO MANY and they appeared to be worsening. Adam was taken off all of his reflux medication because there was no need for it. He remained on his Elecare formula. At home life was rough. Adam was almost a year old. He would not sleep through the night and was up at least twice a night. We were slowly introducing new foods, but with the trial and error method, it was a painful process. By 1 year old we knew Adam was allergic to apples, oranges, berries of all kinds, milk, Casein, eggs, oats, buckwheat, wheat, peanuts, soy, string beans, carrots, celery, peas, and sweet potatoes. Adam was NOT allergic to rice, corn, chicken, turkey, bananas, cantaloupes, plums, grapes, and potatoes. Our pediatrician had given us Epi-pens and Adam was already using Benedryl on a regular basis. The arching episodes had subsided, but we were still taking turns holding Adam upright almost every night on the couch for at least half of the night. Most likely this was caused by the reactions he was having while trying new foods.
December 1, 2009, Adam had his 15 month well baby visit. Life was still much less than acceptable. Adam's allergies were worsening. There were SO many of them. Just a few weeks before this visit we had been speaking with our pediatrician who had brought up Adam's case with a colleague. His colleague had mentioned that Adam may have Angioedema. If so, it would explain why Adam has so many allergies and where they came from. A simple blood test would determine results. Adam had the blood test done. It came back negative.
At this well baby visit we were all discouraged. Our pediatrician decided it was time to send Adam to Boston to meet with some of the best specialists in the world. Our appointment was scheduled for January 6, 2010.
On December 18, 2009, Adam had an appointment with a new allergist, a pediatric specialist. He received skin testing for 33 foods. Results were determined incorrect by the allergist. Our pediatrician, along with Jason and I were becoming very frustrated. If Adam had all of these allergies, why weren't they showing up when he was tested?
Adam and I made the trek to Boston alone. We had a foster baby at the time that couldn't leave the state so Jason stayed home with Owen and the baby. Our appointment was in the morning. We met with a wonderful doctor. She ordered blood tests to be done immediately. Another appointment was set up with her later that afternoon, along with an appointment with a dietitian.
After reviewing the blood test results that were in, along with all of the records that had been sent from NY, the doctor determined that Adam's only diagnoses was food allergies and nothing else. They are a different type of food allergies, which is why the allergy testing had been incorrect. Most of Adam's allergy attacks are internal where they can't be seen. The swelling occurs on the inside of his body, not above the skin, except for in some cases. There are foods that cause Adam to develop hives and diarrhea, but others only attack him internally, hence the arching and intense pain that we couldn't understand, causing so much irritability. His vomiting reactions can be compared to someone going into anaphalactic shock. In fact they are our warning signs. All of the doctors from the gastro unit in Boston studied Adam's chart. We met with two doctors. They assured us that they had seen several cases just like Adam's. They have no explanation as to why these cases are increasing in number, but they are. We did receive a few treatment suggestions, but the only way to avoid reactions is to avoid the foods entirely.
I find this hilarious and quite annoying since the only way we can discover Adam is allergic to a new food is if we give it to him. As you can see from the side of this blog, we've had to deal with many allergic reactions since. Fortunately with the Elecare Prescription formula that Adam will be on for years to come, along with the foods he can eat, he is thriving and doing extremely well. His fine motor skills and eating skills are about 6 months behind, but we're gaining slowly. Adam was able to walk at 15 months and talks all the time! Most often he is a happy, go lucky, toddler, until he has a reaction. That's when everything changes.
Adam currently takes allergy medication every night before bed. At 16 months he finally was able to stay in his own bed all night long without us holding him upright on the couch. He still wakes up at least once a night for a bottle, but that's usually at 5:30 AM. He goes to bed around 8 PM, so I'm not going to complain.
At times I feel like we live in a bubble, trying to keep Adam safe, but life is good. I have over 75 allergy friendly meals that our family can eat together for dinner. I now have almost 200 recipes total if you include snacks and treats. The doctors in Boston confirmed what we already thought; Adam will most likely never grow out of these allergies. So, finding peace of mind in a final diagnoses and explanation, we have accepted our lot and are really trying to make life as FUN as possible. It's taken a lot of work, but I can honestly say we're happy!
As time goes on, it appears that Adam's allergies are worsening. His milk allergy has gone from only reactions from ingestion to reactions of touch. Adam has almost gone into Anaphalactic Shock 3 times in the last six months. His face has swollen to twice the size, especially his eyes and lips. We have been to the ER once.
Wow! So that's the story. Obviously it needs lots of revisions and probably a million explanations and definitions, but there you have it. Please feel free to ask questions as you comment, because I really want to make sure this makes sense to all who read it!
Still having fun with food allergies!
Monday, May 10, 2010
Food Allergy Awareness Week
More than 12 million Americans, including three million children, suffer from food allergies that can result in potentially fatal reactions. The federal government spends about $26 million a year on research to find a cure for food allergies--far less than on other... important diseases. Give up a favorite food this week and make a difference!
You can also write letters to Congress by going to the Food Allergy Initiative website. I just did!
Help find a cure for Adam and Owen.
Other ways you can support the cause:
-Wear a teal ribbon or display them on your vehicle or home.
-Give out PAL Hero Awards to those who have helped Protect A Life from food allergies. (Found on The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network.)
-Give presentations at school, work, or in public settings
-Donate money to the cause or hold fundraisers
This year we're giving out PAL awards and educating the boys about the foods they can and can't eat. Next year I think we'll venture into the fundraising atmosphere!
Have Fun!
You can also write letters to Congress by going to the Food Allergy Initiative website. I just did!
Help find a cure for Adam and Owen.
Other ways you can support the cause:
-Wear a teal ribbon or display them on your vehicle or home.
-Give out PAL Hero Awards to those who have helped Protect A Life from food allergies. (Found on The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network.)
-Give presentations at school, work, or in public settings
-Donate money to the cause or hold fundraisers
This year we're giving out PAL awards and educating the boys about the foods they can and can't eat. Next year I think we'll venture into the fundraising atmosphere!
Have Fun!
Monday, May 3, 2010
Earth Day Festivities
It has always been a goal of mine to celebrate Earth Day with my kids. Last year I think I actually forgot about the holiday until afterwards. This year I planned way in advance. I came up with a plan of activities to do through out the week including crafts, games, and projects. I designed an FHE lesson to go with the theme, and even found some really yummy treats to make.
Overall I will admit the week didn't go as planned, but that was only because some of the kids were sick and it became really cold.
My Earth Day Week Plan consisted of this:
Monday: Family Home Evening dedicated to the creation story, decorating pots, planting seeds in them, and then a special treat: Rice Krispie Colored Earths.
Throughout the rest of the week I wanted to make coffee filter worlds, habitat boxes, and color pictures for decorations at our Earth Day Party planned for Thursday.
I wanted to take the kids on a walk to pick up garbage and then go to the Montezuma Wild Refuge about 10 miles from our house. They have trails and everything. Most important... it's free.
I had even found some cute movies the boys would like for a special Earth Day Movie night. Owen and Adam like Bob the Builder. He has a great video about a special project. The whole theme of the movie is "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" The Bernstein Bears also have an episode about saving the earth where they come up with projects they can do in the community to help out. Of course I don't remember the titles of these movies, but they do exist because we have them.
Lastly, we were going to go all out and have a special Earth Day Party on Thursday. I had planned on decorating, making dirt cups for the boys, possibly decorating some sugar cookies, having a great meal and just having fun with the whole idea.
Instead...
Monday night went as planned, except for planting seeds. Owen had no desire to do this. Also, there was no immediate satisfaction for him. Instead we went outside and planted my flowers from Easter in the backyard. I do believe the woodchuck that lives near our house has already eaten them.
The Earth Rice Krispie treats turned out well. The boys really liked them. All you do to make them is follow the recipe for regular Rice Krispie Treats, but split the melted marshmallows and margarine into two pots. Add food coloring to each, one blue, and one green. Let the mixture cool off a little, otherwise it's impossible to shape the balls. Once the balls are shaped-Voila!
Like I said, they were a definite hit!
After Monday we didn't do anything until Thursday. It was cold and kids were sick. On Thursday I tried my best to make the day really fun, but all of my efforts seemed to go wrong somewhere. In the end the kids didn't know the difference and were completely content and excited about the holiday, but I felt bad.
We tried making the coffee filter worlds. They are really easy. Take blue and green markers, color a coffee filter and then spray it with a spray bottle. The colors spread and run together. It looks like the Earth when finished.
I got out the markers and coffee filters. Owen and Adam each colored one, and then... I couldn't find our spray bottle ANYWHERE. We didn't get to finish them. Of course the next week I found it, but they weren't interested then.
Instead I pulled out some Endangered Animal Coloring pages I had found. They didn't care one bit and loved coloring the animals.
After the coloring pages, we had a simple lunch and then the boys took a nap. While they napped I tried making the pudding for the dirt cups. I had read that Oreo cookies and Jello Pudding mixes are dairy free. Surprise! It's true. Although there are some types of the pudding that do include dairy. Anyways, I had purchased vanilla pudding mixes and vanilla Oreo cookies, along with some gummy worms. Owen's milk worked great with the pudding mix. Adam's formula... not so much. It never thickened. When it came time to actually have the treat that night, Adam didn't get any. I was really disappointed. Although, Owen didn't eat any either. When he looked at it, he refused to eat it. He's a very picky eater. Unless he's tried something before, the chances are good he'll refuse.
So, my husband and I enjoyed the special treats. Meanwhile, Owen ate all of the gummy worms while Adam ate WAY too many Oreo cookies.
After Owen finished the gummy worms, he also ate Oreos.
I was bumbed my plan hadn't worked as I had planned, but we still had LOTS of fun celebrating the special holiday. Owen now knows what the Earth is and picks it out any time he sees it. Adam now knows what an Oreo is and actually has been known to wake up at 4:30 AM asking for them.
We never did end up watching a movie because the boys wanted to watch Go! Diego Go! instead. But hey, that's all about endangered animals so it counts too right?
I'm vowing that next year will go much better. We're definitely going to make the habitat boxes and go to the Montezuma Refuge. Meanwhile, it's still very safe to say we're having fun with food allergies as we celebrate Earth Day!
Overall I will admit the week didn't go as planned, but that was only because some of the kids were sick and it became really cold.
My Earth Day Week Plan consisted of this:
Monday: Family Home Evening dedicated to the creation story, decorating pots, planting seeds in them, and then a special treat: Rice Krispie Colored Earths.
Throughout the rest of the week I wanted to make coffee filter worlds, habitat boxes, and color pictures for decorations at our Earth Day Party planned for Thursday.
I wanted to take the kids on a walk to pick up garbage and then go to the Montezuma Wild Refuge about 10 miles from our house. They have trails and everything. Most important... it's free.
I had even found some cute movies the boys would like for a special Earth Day Movie night. Owen and Adam like Bob the Builder. He has a great video about a special project. The whole theme of the movie is "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" The Bernstein Bears also have an episode about saving the earth where they come up with projects they can do in the community to help out. Of course I don't remember the titles of these movies, but they do exist because we have them.
Lastly, we were going to go all out and have a special Earth Day Party on Thursday. I had planned on decorating, making dirt cups for the boys, possibly decorating some sugar cookies, having a great meal and just having fun with the whole idea.
Instead...
Monday night went as planned, except for planting seeds. Owen had no desire to do this. Also, there was no immediate satisfaction for him. Instead we went outside and planted my flowers from Easter in the backyard. I do believe the woodchuck that lives near our house has already eaten them.
The Earth Rice Krispie treats turned out well. The boys really liked them. All you do to make them is follow the recipe for regular Rice Krispie Treats, but split the melted marshmallows and margarine into two pots. Add food coloring to each, one blue, and one green. Let the mixture cool off a little, otherwise it's impossible to shape the balls. Once the balls are shaped-Voila!Like I said, they were a definite hit!After Monday we didn't do anything until Thursday. It was cold and kids were sick. On Thursday I tried my best to make the day really fun, but all of my efforts seemed to go wrong somewhere. In the end the kids didn't know the difference and were completely content and excited about the holiday, but I felt bad.We tried making the coffee filter worlds. They are really easy. Take blue and green markers, color a coffee filter and then spray it with a spray bottle. The colors spread and run together. It looks like the Earth when finished.
I got out the markers and coffee filters. Owen and Adam each colored one, and then... I couldn't find our spray bottle ANYWHERE. We didn't get to finish them. Of course the next week I found it, but they weren't interested then.
Instead I pulled out some Endangered Animal Coloring pages I had found. They didn't care one bit and loved coloring the animals.After the coloring pages, we had a simple lunch and then the boys took a nap. While they napped I tried making the pudding for the dirt cups. I had read that Oreo cookies and Jello Pudding mixes are dairy free. Surprise! It's true. Although there are some types of the pudding that do include dairy. Anyways, I had purchased vanilla pudding mixes and vanilla Oreo cookies, along with some gummy worms. Owen's milk worked great with the pudding mix. Adam's formula... not so much. It never thickened. When it came time to actually have the treat that night, Adam didn't get any. I was really disappointed. Although, Owen didn't eat any either. When he looked at it, he refused to eat it. He's a very picky eater. Unless he's tried something before, the chances are good he'll refuse.So, my husband and I enjoyed the special treats. Meanwhile, Owen ate all of the gummy worms while Adam ate WAY too many Oreo cookies.
After Owen finished the gummy worms, he also ate Oreos.
I was bumbed my plan hadn't worked as I had planned, but we still had LOTS of fun celebrating the special holiday. Owen now knows what the Earth is and picks it out any time he sees it. Adam now knows what an Oreo is and actually has been known to wake up at 4:30 AM asking for them.We never did end up watching a movie because the boys wanted to watch Go! Diego Go! instead. But hey, that's all about endangered animals so it counts too right?
I'm vowing that next year will go much better. We're definitely going to make the habitat boxes and go to the Montezuma Refuge. Meanwhile, it's still very safe to say we're having fun with food allergies as we celebrate Earth Day!
Monday, April 12, 2010
Up and Down
A few weeks ago, we learned from someone in the area that preschools were not accepting children with food allergies. Preschools are private and therefore have this right. I don't remember if it was before Adam was born of when he was a baby, but I know it was before the diagnosing of his allergies that I felt the distinct impression that I need to be prepared to home school my children.
Jason and I are not people that support home schooling in general. If it is necessary due to physical or mental issues, that's one thing, but otherwise we feel very strongly that children should be immersed in either a public or private school atmosphere, in order to develop in the best way possible. Of course there are always really negative parts to public and private schools, but I'd rather have my children face these issues while they are young and in my home, so I can teach them, than have them run free after they leave my home, completely naive about the world.
Previously we have held several discussions with our pediatrician and specialists about Adam and his future in a private or public school. The answer has always been a quick and comforting, "He'll be fine!" that is until today.
Last week, while trying to find ways for our family to become more social and participate in events in the community I called our local YMCA. Part of my reasoning for calling was that I had found out they had free day care available while parents worked out at the gym. A friend had also told me they have a preschool there. I wanted to obtain some information for the future, since next year I will be signing up Owen.
It turns out they can not accommodate children with food allergies in their day care facility. They can accommodate children with food allergies in preschool, to the best of their ability, BUT parents rotate bringing in snacks. Sippy cups and drinks of various kinds are always available and around. A teacher can be trained and always on sight in case of the need to use an epi-pen, BUT they can't guarantee 100% safety.
After speaking with the woman on the phone, I actually felt confident that despite the lack of the 100% guarantee, Adam would be okay there. I can't even give a 100% guarantee in my own home, just because the boys' allergies vary so much.
Then last week came. Baby A had used Adam's bottle nipples while taking some bottles of her own formula. The formula is 75% lactose free, but definitely NOT dairy free in any way. We had washed the nipples thoroughly, or so we thought, but the minute Adam had the nipples touch his face, where ever there was contact, he had a rash. It took me a couple days to figure out what was causing the rash, but when I did I was not a happy camper to say the least.
I sterilized the nipples, boiling them and adding Clorox to the water. Thankfully the rashes stopped coming. But then the reality sank in. If Adam is breaking out over contact with a nipple that had dairy on it, and it had been washed, what does this mean about his allergy to dairy? Is it getting worse in severity too? I called our doctor.
A new sticker was put on Adam's file. It says something along the lines of "allergy to dairy by contact." Today while in the doctor's office with Baby A, the doctor brought up the issue. I explained in detail what had occurred. He kind of laughed and explained that he had been at a seminar last week about food allergies. He had been thinking about Adam. One of the stories (either told by video or in person) was about a little boy with a severe milk allergy. His friends were picking on him at school about his food allergies. One of them decided to throw an open container of milk at him. Instantly he broke out in a blistering rash. Then the doctor became serious. He told me that I NEED to have epi-pens EVERYWHERE I go. And then he said it,
"It may be too dangerous for Adam to go to school."
I know I am in denial about all of this, because I still have milk in my house and really have no desire to remove it, thinking that I can handle this, but then again, Adam broke out because of a spoon used for cereal in the morning just today.
I know there are several other mothers out there with kids who have life threatening allergies that send there kids to school. I ask that you please comment and give your input and experiences.
I know too though that in the last couple of months alone, we've been to the ER over heart monitor stickers. We've been in the doctor's office receiving the tiniest amount of egg in a vaccination causing a whole slew of affects including hives, vomiting, etc... Adam has a lot of allergies and they all seem to be worsening.
It's one thing if it's just milk, but then it's another to have a list that's really long.
So, right now I feel very mixed up inside. But, in the end, what will be will be, and we'll just deal with it. I can teach my kids at home. It will be a lot of work, but I can make it fun right? Secretly I'm going to still hope that Adam will be fine to go to school when the time comes, but if I find some really cool teaching materials, I may just pick them up!
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
An Allergy Friendly Easter Celebration
I can still remember last year's Easter before allergies were diagnosed. We didn't had a clue what was causing Adam's constant sickness. It's amazing what can happen in a year. This was our first allergy friendly Easter. I must say it was the hardest holiday yet to celebrate without food. Halloween didn't bother me, but Easter I really struggled with. I remember finding the cutest chocolates last year to put in Owen's basket, all race cars and dump trucks. This year there was no candy, not even for Mommy and Daddy. Usually Jason and I do Easter baskets for each other too, but since we couldn't put candy in them, we just stopped.
In the end, I was pretty satisfied with the children's Easter baskets. They loved them.
Owen's Easter Basket:
Contents: Diego Gardening Tools & Gloves, The Children's Place Tie, Socks, & Vest for church, No Spill Bubbles (These didn't work. I was really upset.), Thomas the Train Pez Dispenser (I guess this was food, but Owen never used it in that way.), Transportation Stickers and Sticker Book, Construction Vehicle Board Book and 5 Hot Wheels Cars.
Adam's Easter Basket:
Contents: Sesame Street Children's Silverware, Cars Board Book, Frog Beanie Baby, The Children's Place Tie, Socks & Vest for church, No Spill Bubble Blitzer, Road Rockin Rids musical race car, and 5 Hot Wheels cars.
Contents: Butterfly eggs filled with Velcro barrettes for hair, Tonka Bug Car, Shoes for church, Bonnet, Ladybug plate, bowl, & cup, Disney Princess silverware, and her first sippy cup.
Tortilla Chips with Fresh Tomato Salsa or Bean & Corn Salsa
Frozen Fruit Salad
Pasta Salad with Turkey Pepperoni
Ingredients:
(I cooked this a little too long, but it was still REALLY good!)
In the end, I was pretty satisfied with the children's Easter baskets. They loved them.
Owen's Easter Basket:
Contents: Diego Gardening Tools & Gloves, The Children's Place Tie, Socks, & Vest for church, No Spill Bubbles (These didn't work. I was really upset.), Thomas the Train Pez Dispenser (I guess this was food, but Owen never used it in that way.), Transportation Stickers and Sticker Book, Construction Vehicle Board Book and 5 Hot Wheels Cars.Adam's Easter Basket:
Contents: Sesame Street Children's Silverware, Cars Board Book, Frog Beanie Baby, The Children's Place Tie, Socks & Vest for church, No Spill Bubble Blitzer, Road Rockin Rids musical race car, and 5 Hot Wheels cars.We have an 8 month old foster baby girl living with us right now. She will be living with us for quite some time. Since we can not post her name on the Internet, she will be referred to as Baby A.
Baby A's Easter Basket:
Contents: Butterfly eggs filled with Velcro barrettes for hair, Tonka Bug Car, Shoes for church, Bonnet, Ladybug plate, bowl, & cup, Disney Princess silverware, and her first sippy cup.Easter is the one holiday that we invite ALL of my extended family. I am so pleased to say that the entire menu was allergy friendly. Click on the titles for recipes, if recipes don't follow.
Tortilla Chips with Fresh Tomato Salsa or Bean & Corn Salsa
Frozen Fruit SaladPasta Salad with Turkey Pepperoni
Ingredients:allergy friendly pasta of choice
turkey pepperoni
green pepper
olives
cherry tomatoes
allergy friendly Italian dressing
(You can add more veggies, but these are the only ones safe for both of our boys. Normally I would add cucumbers, celery, and cubed sharp cheddar cheese too.)
Stuffed Red Peppers
Ingredients:
4 Red bell peppers with cores and seeds removed
1 pound ground turkey or ground chicken
1 cup uncooked rice
1 can diced tomatoes, or diced fresh tomatoes
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
1/4 c diced onion
salt and pepper to taste
Brown the ground meat and saute the onions. Cook the rice while the meat is cooking. Combine meat, rice and canned tomatoes. Season to taste. Put mixture inside the peppers. Top with tomato sauce. Bake at 375 until peppers are tender.
And for desserts: To make cupcakes, alter cooking time to about 15 minutes.
(I cooked this a little too long, but it was still REALLY good!)We also served allergy friendly turkey hot dogs for the younger kids. Instead of candy for guests at their seats and as table decor we used flowers and seeds. Extended family members brought gifts for all the kids instead of candy, which was really nice.
And the Easter Egg Hunt...
We purchase those miniature plastic animals of all kinds. They fit very well in the larger plastic eggs. My boys were thrilled, so much that they opened each egg, left the eggs on the ground and only collected the animals.
Next year I'd like to come up with some Easter activities and goodies to make before the big day, just to get in the spirit of the holiday, but that will come next year. I'm just grateful both boys had fun on yet another holiday.
Daddy's Birthday Treats
My husband's Wii/Cars Birthday Party was a hit! For more details about the actual party go here. But I must say the allergy friendly food turned out wonderful! Adam LOVED everything and so did my husband.
Dinner: Herb & Chicken Pasta
Owen won't eat pasta, but if he did I could have easily substituted rice pasta.
Ingredients
1 (16 ounce) package angel hair pasta
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning (optional) I omitted this
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1/4 cup olive oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 cup chicken broth
Directions
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain and reserve.
Meanwhile, season chicken with salt and pepper, basil, rosemary, Cajun seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat; add chicken and cook until browned. Remove chicken from skillet and stir in garlic and onions; cook and stir until clear.
Return chicken to skillet over onion mixture and add broth. Simmer until chicken is cooked through and no longer pink inside; spread mixture over pasta and serve.
Dessert: Banana Cupcakes
One of my most favorite recipes that is served to everyone that comes to our home is Banana Cake. I've not been able to adapt this recipe, but it dawned on me a couple of weeks ago that perhaps if I made the boys' allergy friendly banana bread in cupcake holders and then frosted them, they would taste similar. Well, my experiment worked extremely well. The cupcakes were a HUGE hit and the best allergy friendly ones I've tasted so far. For the banana bread recipe click here. The cupcakes ended up cooking for about 25 minutes each, but I'd suggest starting at 15 minutes depending on your oven.
Dinner: Herb & Chicken Pasta
Owen won't eat pasta, but if he did I could have easily substituted rice pasta.
Ingredients1 (16 ounce) package angel hair pasta
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning (optional) I omitted this
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1/4 cup olive oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 cup chicken broth
Directions
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain and reserve.
Meanwhile, season chicken with salt and pepper, basil, rosemary, Cajun seasoning, and red pepper flakes. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat; add chicken and cook until browned. Remove chicken from skillet and stir in garlic and onions; cook and stir until clear.
Return chicken to skillet over onion mixture and add broth. Simmer until chicken is cooked through and no longer pink inside; spread mixture over pasta and serve.
Dessert: Banana Cupcakes
One of my most favorite recipes that is served to everyone that comes to our home is Banana Cake. I've not been able to adapt this recipe, but it dawned on me a couple of weeks ago that perhaps if I made the boys' allergy friendly banana bread in cupcake holders and then frosted them, they would taste similar. Well, my experiment worked extremely well. The cupcakes were a HUGE hit and the best allergy friendly ones I've tasted so far. For the banana bread recipe click here. The cupcakes ended up cooking for about 25 minutes each, but I'd suggest starting at 15 minutes depending on your oven.Another birthday successful!
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