Kiddipedia
My son Alex is 10 years old and was diagnosed with food allergies when he was 3 and eosinophillic oesophagitis when he was 4½. We were lucky we missed a trip to the emergency department following anaphylaxis, largely because Alex is so fussy and would never eat peanuts!
It’s Food Allergy Week this month from the 14th May to the 20th May. 1 in 10 babies in Australia will develop a food allergy which means that there sure is a large number of families who live just like my family! Life would be so much easier without food allergies, but I think there is always something to be grateful for and it helps keep me positive in the tough times.
This is what I have to be grateful for and I expect al lot of families with food allergies would agree with a few of these too!
- It could be A LOT worse
It took me some time to come to this realisation. When Alex was first diagnosed with food allergies life was pretty hard, especially when my he was gluten free, dairy free, soy free, egg free, tree nut free, peanut free, sesame free, rice free, fish free, shellfish free and beef free. Alex was so fussy and wouldn’t eat anything I made because of his food phobia, and a lot of what I made ended up in the bin. The truth is that lots of kids who have food allergies and eosinophilic oesophagitis do it tougher. I am grateful that with good management Alex is well.
- There is lots of support available to me
There is a lot of support now for families with food allergies. The group that has helped me the most is ausEE. I can still remember searching online for a support group that was a good fit for us. I remember the excitement of finding ausEE and then meeting a mum just like me. This kind group of parents helped me to understand that I need to just get on with it and do my own research. They taught me to trust my own instincts and to question everything.
- Life lessons
My children have all learnt to be tolerant and understanding. When we are out if we can’t find a safe option for Alex to eat, none of us eat. This is hard sometimes, like in summer at the beach when everyone is having yummy ice creams and we’re eating food from home. This is especially hard when we’re on holidays but everyone is used to it and no one even asks for food when we’re out. I’m pretty sure that saves quite a bit of money too!
- Thoughtful friends and family
Occasionally when we go somewhere, someone has gone above and beyond what they needed to do to make Alex feel included. Often I think these special people don’t even realise the magnitude of what they have done for us. It doesn’t take a lot so that kids with allergies can be safe at a party. Sometimes the host calls me before and asks if there is something they can make that Alex can eat, they do a lolly bag the same as the other kids that I can slip some safe treats into or they put a few bowls of safe food for Alex on the table that everyone can share (Alex takes his first). It makes my boy feel so happy!
- Food choices
We live in a time when there are ingredients from all over the world available to cook with. I can grab a bag of sorghum flour, a jar of coconut oil, some potato starch, some teff flour….. things that wouldn’t have been available just a few years ago.
- Our family eat better
Hardly any take away for us, no school canteen, and no overly processed food. We just don’t buy it because Alex can’t eat it. We do have a treats like plain potato chips and dark chocolate but always additive free and simple ingredients. We check the ingredients on EVERY packet and even the kids read the ingredients packets.
- I cook more, and I’ve got better at it
Slowly I got better at cooking and baking and now I can cook heaps of things that taste normal with no wheat, dairy, eggs, soy, rice, tree nuts or peanuts. I actually enjoy the challenge of making something that tastes ‘normal’ that Alex can eat now!
- We have to be organized
There’s almost always a plan for dinner and a full pantry and fridge. There’s usually a stash of allergy free cupcakes for unexpected birthday parties in the freezer. We are also super organised when we travel and have learnt to travel light to make up for the food we need to take.
- Alex isn’t a kid who LOVES food
Life would be harder for us if Alex was upset when the other kids at school had a treat he couldn’t, or when I looked in a party bag and confiscated all of the lollies (and I have had to do that). Luckily Alex is understanding and tolerant and never worries when I say he can’t eat something. I usually have a back up plan or some lollies to swap but I do occasionally get caught out but he just takes it in his stride.
- Life saving medication at our fingertips
Life saving medication is easy for us to get for our children in Australia.
- Hope
There is so much research happening on food allergies and so many people trying to find a cure. I am hopeful that in Alex’s lifetime there might be a cure for his food allergies and eosinophilic oesophagitis.
- I’ve found what I’m meant to be doing
I love work – making life easier for families with allergies. That’s why my husband Chris and I started Happy Tummies. When Alex was first diagnosed with allergies I felt so lonely and didn’t know any families like us. Our vision for the future is that when families are first affected by food allergies that they will know to come to Happy Tummies and that our community can help. Life and food can definitely still be yummy and fun, and with the right support it can be easier too.
If you’d like more details about how you can get involved with Food Allergy Week 2017 you can get all of the details here.
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