Thank you for not sending nuts to school - Page 3

[Sneezykids]

Hi, I have two comments. First <oh and the so-called "helpful" note they sent home with suggestions on replacements included TONS of candy!>

Ldyblu, now that you know the schools MO, perhaps you can be proactive about it in the future. I know what a pain it is, I live it! Forget the candy, what about cheese and crackers? Or carrot sticks? Or, since it's fall, apples? Cut them up and mix it w/ melon or some other fruit. There are TONS of peanut free ideas!! Keep in mind, being peanut free will probably be easier if you stay away from prepackaged foods. Which is the healthiest anyway right!?

Oh, soap and water are best for removing food proteins.

My other comment was just a little vent about how much food is CONTAMINATED with freaking peanuts!! I was at the grocery store today and it took me forever just to buy a few things cause I had to label read everything. I once told DH that our life would be at least 90% easier if we didn't have food allergies. He said 50%, but I buy most of the food is why :LOL (and the cooking)
But, you do what you have to!!

[Missy]

Originally Posted by LdyBluNH@aol

btw - is germex & puricell really ok for washing hands when there is a nut allergy in the room? i thought those were NOT effective because they don't work on the protein (unfortunately it hasnt even helped dd stay healthy)

You're right!! Those antibacterial hands scrubs only remove germs, not the proteins. Johns Hopkins, I think, did a study on effective cleansing, and soap and water was fine.

[LdyBluNH@aol]

well in dd's room they're using germex on all thekids when they first arrive and the reason is the child with peanut allergies in the room

[Missy]

Originally Posted by LdyBluNH@aol

well in dd's room they're using germex on all thekids when they first arrive and the reason is the child with peanut allergies in the room

Maybe you could pass the info on?? I thought it was common knowledge among folks who deal with peanut allergies...even handi-wipes are more effective. Baby wipes don't work because something--I think the moisturizers---just spread proteins without fully removing them.

[Sneezykids]

Update!

Ds saw his allergist yesterday, the first time tested in a couple of years. As we suspected he is 3-4+'s on all the grasses and weeds. He would get covered in hives in the summer after dh mowed the lawn, if he rolled in the grass.
I told her I didn't know how we will send ds to K. next year, he is anaphalactic to milk, nuts and peanuts. She actually agreed with me later in the appt. And she has seen *alot* of allergic kids.

[ShelleyMom2in2]

Originally Posted by Sneezykids

I told her I didn't know how we will send ds to K. next year, he is anaphalactic to milk, nuts and peanuts. She actually agreed with me later in the appt. And she has seen *alot* of allergic kids.

I am so sorry I cant even begin to imagine what its like.

[Sneezykids]

http://lakegirl1969.tripod.com/lakeliving/Aug05_004.jpg
http://lakegirl1969.tripod.com/lakeliving/OP_333.jpg

Please take a look at these pictures. The first one was taken last month when ds accidentally spilled someone elses milk and put his hand to it then to his mouth (which he's never done before). This picture was taken the day after.
I'm not going to be at the school scrubbing desks next year. It looks like he will homeschool for a while.

[Sneezykids]

Thanks, did those links go through? The pics didn't appear when I checked.
Somedays I don't know how I deal with it either. It's been such a long hard road since he was born really. The good news is he is 50% in HT and 75% in WT so his restricted diet isn't hurting his growth.
The bad news is his asthma meds have been upped and they want him to start immunotherapy (allergy shots) which I'm so hesitant to do. Guess that's another thread eh?

[ShelleyMom2in2]

neither will come up I just get ta little picture saying 'this image hosted by tripod'

[ShelleyMom2in2]

Originally Posted by Sneezykids

Thanks, did those links go through? The pics didn't appear when I checked.
Somedays I don't know how I deal with it either. It's been such a long hard road since he was born really. The good news is he is 50% in HT and 75% in WT so his restricted diet isn't hurting his growth.
The bad news is his asthma meds have been upped and they want him to start immunotherapy (allergy shots) which I'm so hesitant to do. Guess that's another thread eh?

Thats GREAT on his size!! Yikes on the shots...but if they help....well whats the alt really? (honestly I know 0 about allergies, Im not trying to be snarky)
Is this something that could lessen with age? Does anyone know what 'causes' allergies?

[Sneezykids]

Thanks, I was pretty shocked he was so high in the charts! He doesn't get vaxed so no well baby so I really had no idea where he was.
Didn't think you were being snarky (cool word btw)
We know both our kids inherited the allergies as both dh and I have them, dh more than me and asthma also runs heavy on his side of the family. When both parent have allergies (any kind) a child is 67% likely to inherit them (any kind) so even if we don't have food allergies our kids got those plus environmental ones. Ds breastfed for 2.5 years too. He has outgrown some of them, wheat, oats (basically all gluten) and potato.
As far as I know they could lessen, but his allergist said he is so allergic to milk he probably will never drink it, but may be able to eat a slice of pizza now and then (as an adult). So far in the last two years he hasn't outgrown any of it, soy was UP from a mild + to a 3+.

Peanuts and tree nuts are generally for life.
They were working on a peanut vaccine and it was apparently going well, working that is, until someone died...someone in the wrong group got an injection and it was fatal so they stopped the research. I just learned that yesterday (but I knew they had been working on a vaccine)
I don't know what the alternative is, the mold and pollen allergies trigger his asthma...those are so hard to 'control' unlike foods (and even then accidents happen..sigh) so unless he goes through immunotherapy he could be on asthma medication for the rest of his life.

Dh's brother is. He doesn't always take his meds consistently, and in fact we got a call the other week that he had passed out at work again and was taken by ambulence to the ER. It's the 3rd time it's happened in a few years! His O2 just dives and he goes out. Scary.
I don't want ds to go through that. So, I guess we need to think about it. He goes in again next month for a check up and to discuss it. She also ordered a blood test for peanuts b/c she was too afraid to prick him in the office. My baby... I love him so much, it's really heartbreaking.

Sorry so long. I'm so overwhelmed..ack...

[Missy]

Kelli--the dairy was what convinced us. Our ds2 is ana to dairy via both contact and air borne and I just couldn't deal with school. Schools are so much more prepared for nuts and peanuts (which we have also) but ana on contact to dairy?...can't even imagine. So all three of ours are hsed now and I think our docs are somewhat relieved. Hang in there; it's so overwhelming sometimes!!

Missy

[TeaBag]

Originally Posted by Sneezykids

They were working on a peanut vaccine and it was apparently going well, working that is, until someone died...someone in the wrong group got an injection and it was fatal so they stopped the research. I just learned that yesterday (but I knew they had been working on a vaccine)

I love him so much, it's really heartbreaking.

Sorry so long. I'm so overwhelmed..ack...

I know how you feel. When we first went to an actual allergist (after several, and I do mean several, doctors told me that there is no such thing as food allergies!!), he wanted my ds to be a part of the clinical trials for the peanut vaccine! ummmm, yeah, doc, *that's* what I'm going to do, I'm going to take my not quite three yr old and exose him to who knows what....

I worry about asthma as well. It's so hard, for me anyway. I don't have any allergies. I've never even had a sinus headache. I can eat whatever I want. Dh has severe hay fever and environmental allergies....but somehow, we never connected the two. And then there's my IL's who, after a year of me saying "I don't know what's wrong with him, he cries all the time, he has diaper explosions constantly, he's got this horrible diaper rash that I just can't seem to get under control...he never sleeps, he cries constantly" and *never* said a word about the fact that dh was allergic to dairy as a baby! : NEVER said a word! Um, and my MIL is a RN!?!

Just wanted to give you a and some support. It isn't easy being a mom under the best of circumstances, but when you're dealt a hand like this one....well, we'll muddle through, won't we? 'Cause what's the alternative?

[Sneezykids]

Thank you APmom and Missy... to you moms too!

I think the only alternative really is going crazy, which isn't an option, who would keep our kids safe? LOL.

It's amazing there are still Dr's out there who don't believe in food allergies. How ignorant! Tsk Tsk.

Oh, speaking of IL's....seems dh and his brother had some issues too..dh had 'croup' a few times, was hospitalized, his brother had constant diarrhea and was the 'sick' baby. Only after my kids were born did MIL realize he was probably allergic to the milk formula/milk. Even now, dh admits he is probably allergic to dairy. He craves ice cream all the time!

[LdyBluNH@aol]

as moms 'in the know' can anyone point me in the right direction to get snack ideas that are safe for a peanut-free room??? ideally i'd like to try and find some sort of website list i can print out in the hopes its better received than just a list i make up -- if that makes sense

the list given by teh school nurse wasn't designed for daily situations

[TigerTail]

Originally Posted by APMom98

Another reason, I wish, wish, wish, with all my heart that I could convince dh to let me homeschool.

not to go too ot- my ds has an eggplant allergy that swells him up if he even touches one, let alone eats it, but it is relatively easy to keep him from eggplant, if not so much other nightshades!- i cannot imagine what it must be like- well, i had the other ds on dairy-free for awhile, & wow, do they hide stuff well- having had two anaphylactic reactions in my life to god knows what (chamomile & clove tea were what i drank, perhaps a certain type of honey?), i truly sympathise, so please go back on topic asap...

but please, APMom, tell me you didn't say 'let' (groan).

susan

[Sneezykids]

www.peanutallergy.org

This is a good site for you other mums with a PA child. They have the cutest medic alert sport wristbands on here too.

Snack ideas: (this is stuff we use)

Rold Gold pretzels
baby carrots/cut up celery + dip (if allowed)
Wheat thins
Triscuits
Honey Maid graham crackers/sticks
Homemade 'trailmix' (we use: Cheerios or similar oat cereal + raisins + mini marshmallows + dairyfree chocolate chips) (this snack is more sugary so I limit it)

These snacks are portable for taking to the classroom. Pretzels are always a hit and with some juice is a pretty good snack for bringing the classroom. Be careful though, some of the pretzels may have nut contaminations. Rold Gold are safe. Check the label often though, the companies change things w/o notice)

Think: Whole foods to eat.
Forget about: commercially made cookies and baked goods and bulk items (most have peanut risk)

HTH!!!