Be a Super Hero this summer when it comes to Food Allergies

With summer starting children will be breaking from the normal day-to-day school routine.  This can be a challenging time for kids with food allergies as they begin to interact with new people and visit out of the ordinary places during summer camps, family vacations, amusement park excursions or trips to the zoo where there may not be a familiarity with dealing with this medical condition.  FARE (Food Allergy Research & Education), one of the leading non-profit advocacy groups for the 15 million Americans with food allergies, wants to help educate those who aren't afflicted with food allergies to have an understanding of the safety issues important for those who do have them. Plus FARE wishes to remind those with food allergies (especially children) along with their family and friends not to let your guard down when it comes to maintaining safety practices over the summer break.  You can be a FARE super hero this summer by being cautious and considerate regarding food allergies!



As an educational tool, safety kit, and fundraiser, FARE is offering a special Summer Pack for $29.95 (plus shipping) to help children with food allergies during the summer break from school.  It is a simple, fun way to store and carry all your favorite summer allergy-friendly products.  Plus all proceeds support FARE's mission!

The FARE Summer Pack includes a cinch bag, a medicine storage kit, a food allergy restaurant card, a food allergy tip sheet and a common symptoms of anaphylaxis magnet:

FARE cinch bag:  big enough to carry a water bottle, epi-pens, and all the other stuff kids haul around with them during the summer months.  It also displays foodallergy.org to encourage people to learn more about the topic and give them a heads up that this is an issue to be cautious about.

Medicine Storage Kit:  Can accommodate two epinephrine auto-injectors, a large bottle of antihistamine, and a list of emergency phone numbers.  It is bright red so it is easy to spot!

A Food Allergy Restaurant Card to present to the chef while dining out to outline the foods and ingredients you must avoid.

Common Symptoms of Anaphylaxis Magnet lists the most common symptoms of anaphylaxis and what to do in an emergency so that camp counselors, coaches, babysitters, and other people who may be supervising a child with food allergies can have easy access to the information.

Parents who have a child with food allergies that will be outside a lot in hot weather may also want to consider purchasing a FRIO Epinephrine Cooling Bag which isn't included in the FARE Summer Pack.  It keeps epinephrine at a stable room temperature during the hot summer months! This reusable 5.5” x 7” wallet has insulating qualities that are activated by water – no refrigeration or ice needed – and holds 2 epinephrine auto-injectors. When activated, the FRIO cooling pack keeps its low temperature for a minimum of two days, even in temperatures of 100 degrees Fahrenheit. This is a great item to add to your emergency supply kit, travel kit or camping kit as there is no refrigeration needed. 

FARE has also posted a special SAFE FOR THE SUMMER section on its website.  It includes tips on emergency preparedness, traveling, summer camp, and barbeques.  Summer Barbeque Tips for Hosts & Guest and Managing Food Allergies at Camp are two very informative articles I'd recommend everyone take a moment to read.  This special educational section of the FARE website also highlights four important points for families dealing with food allergies to remember over the summer months:

1. Avoid the heat: Epinephrine is sensitive to light and should be stored at room temperature. Never leave your auto-injectors in a vehicle, where temperatures can rise to the triple digits. 
2. Prevent: Make sure you remain vigilant about reading labels and never take chances with foods you're unsure are safe.
3. Prepare: Summer is a great time to prepare for the school year, including learning how to advocate for your child and about the guidelines and laws that help ensure the safety and inclusion of students with food allergies. 
4. Practice: Using a trainer or expired auto-injector, practice how to use the device. Review your Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Emergency Care Plan with the entire family and all caregivers.

Dealing with my own children's food allergies is something that our family has to be constantly vigilant about.  I shared my story about being a food allergy dad on the FARE blog which you can read here.  We're lucky in that my children attend a school with a peanut free campus which provides a lot of peace of mind regarding their safety while they are attending classes but have to admit it can be easy to become complacent when they aren't guaranteed as protective an environment during the summer months when out and about.  Please be a Super Hero this summer by being cautious and considerate about food allergies.  Your actions could save a life!

Twigtale Books: Sharing with Care Bears

**A Geek Daddy was provided the featured product for free** 

My daughter in first grade has been given an ongoing homework assignment of reading 30 minutes per day after school.  It has been challenging to find plenty of books to keep her interested in continuously reading plus that are also at her beginning reading level.  So it was nice that as a Care Bears brand ambassador, A Geek Daddy was provided the opportunity to review the new "Sharing With Care Bears" personalized book from Twigtale.com.  The Twigtale service provides a soft cover book with a themed story template, like the Care Bears, and lets people personalize it by inserting pictures and customizing some of the text.

The service is really easy and convenient to use.  Just visit the Twigtale website and select the story template you want to use which include Doc McStuffins Big Sibling Book, Everybody Gets Scared, Me & Daddy, Learning To Stand Tall & Act Brave Versus Bullying, and Sharing With Care Bears, among other topics.  Themes include safety teaching stories, identity and self esteem, ages & stages, family changes, learning, and well being.  There is also a category where you can completely create your own book from scratch. 

As a parent of two children that have severe food allergies, I was pleased to see that Twigtale has partnered with FARE (Food Allergy Research & Education, a leading non-profit that advocates for the 15 million Americans that have food allergies) in creating a personalized book to help parents explain specific food allergies to children.  "My Food Allergy" is personalized with photos and specific details about a child's allergy to make it an engaging and effective way to help children understand what it means to have a food allergy and how to stay safe.  Plus a portion of this particular book's sale is donated back to FARE to help support its mission of finding a cure for food allergies and helping keep individuals with food allergies safe.  Based upon our family's satisfaction with Sharing with Care Bears, we are probably going to go back to Twigtale to create My Food Allergy books for each of our twins who suffer from life-threatening peanut allergies.

Once you've selected your story template you are asked some questions based upon the theme of the book.  For the Care Bears it was really easy as they just wanted to know my child's name to insert periodically throughout the text of the story.  They also asked for a photo to use on the cover of the book.  You just need to upload a digital photo from your computer and you're all set.  Additionally there is an author designation which you can customize based upon who the book is from such as Mommy & Daddy, Grandma & Grandpa, Aunt Sue and Uncle Joe, and so on.

 

The website then allows you to flip through the pages of the book inserting additional pictures or editing text in specifically designated areas.  For example on the page below you could add a picture plus alter the text as desired where the story talks about who your child's best friends are.

Here's another example where you can add in another personalized picture and provide your own text describing the activities that your child likes to do with his or her best friends.  Sharing with Care Bears is 21 pages and provide the opportunity to add pictures and customize text within 6 of them. It's really easy peasy to put together.  Wow did I just say easy peasy?  You know I spend a lot of time around first graders don't you?!

As I mentioned the book was very easy and convenient to customize on the Twigtale website and it arrive at our doorstep lickety split.  We received our personalized Sharing with Care Bears book in the mail three days after we had ordered it.  My daughter has really been thrilled to have a Care Bears book that includes her in the story.  As parents, we really appreciate that the text is simple enough that early readers can easily read it on their own.  So not only has this book provided a nice story for my daughter to enjoy but it also has been a great aid in helping her practice her reading by allowing us to include it as part of her first grade reading assignment.

For more information about ordering your own personalized children's books, visit www.twigtale.com.  These books cost $20 plus shipping and handling.  They normally can be delivered within a week after an order has been placed.

DISCLAIMER:  As a Care Bear brand ambassador, A Geek Daddy blog received a complimentary Sharing with Care Bears book to review from Twigtale.  No financial compensation was provided.  The opinions expressed are my own.

Food Allergy Awareness Month Twitter Chat - Thursday May 14, 2015

 In recognition of National Food Allergy Awareness Month, A Geek Daddy Blog will be co-hosting with the Life of Dad Bloggers Network a special Twitter Chat to promote awareness and information on the topic of food allergies.  Join us on Thursday, May 14, 2015 from 9 to 10pm ET as we are joined by special guest Doctor Dave Stukus, pediatric allergy and asthma specialist at Nationwide Childen's Hospital in Columbus Ohio.

During this chat about food allergies and kids, A Geek Daddy Blog will randomly be giving out four $10 iTunes gift cards to participants who are actively participating in the conversation throughout the hour.  To eligible for winning one of the gift cards that we'll be giving out every 15 minutes during the chat, participants must be following the Twitter accounts of @LifeOfDadShow & @Geekdad248 , use the hashtag #LifeofDad in their tweets, and be a United States resident over 18 years old.  No RSVP for this event just show up and engage in the conversation.

In addition to the #LifeofDad Food Allergy Awareness Twitter Chat make sure to participate in A Geek Daddy Blog's Food Allergy Trivia Contest for a chance to win a great gift pack courtesy of Comcast #Xfinity.  Answer some trivia questions for a chance to win a backpack filled with a mobile recharging kit for smart phones and tablets, coffee mug, baseball cap, and a water bottle. Must be a US resident and over 18 years old to participate in the trivia contest. CLICK HERE to give it a shot.

You can become a food allergy action hero this month by taking a moment to educate yourself on this matter and pledging to make an effort to be considerate of those who suffer from this medical condition.  If you are up to the challenge CLICK HERE to download the template to create your very own food allergy action hero costume.  Print a teal mask and a hero emblem for your shirt then cut out and wear them to have fun as you show your food allergy spirit.  Take a picture of you in your action hero outfit and tag it with #FoodAllergyMonth on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. There are adult and children's sizes of the masks available to download.

Once you have your food allergy action hero gear, take a moment to read this one page handout that contains facts about food allergies that can be shared and used to help educate others about this growing public health issue.  Download Now.

 

For more information about food allergies visit FARE (Food Allergy Research & Education) at www.foodallergy.org.

DISCLAIMER:  A Geek Daddy Blog will be responsible for selecting the winner of these contests and delivery of the prizes. By participating in this contest, you waive any and all liability to A Geek Daddy Blog and its publisher that may arise from your involvement with this promotion.  Winner is subject to eligibility verification. No P.O. Boxes are allowed as mailing addresses.  A Geek Daddy Blog is hosting this contest as a benefit to our readers and as a public service to promote awareness on the topic of food allergies. Any opinions in this post are my own.

Food Allergy Action Month Trivia Contest

I grew up eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches almost every day at school. As a first time parent, I didn't think there was any cause for alarm in giving my children food that I ate myself as a kid. Having no friends, family or work colleagues with food allergies, the topic actually didn't even come to mind. Than one nice summer day, I took the afternoon off work to enjoy some time with my kids. I fed my daughter a banana slice with a very small amount of peanut butter rubbed on it. She was only a toddler and had never had peanut butter before; my wife had read something about food allergies a few days earlier and asked me to give our 18 month old twins a small sample so just in case a negative reaction occurred I was the one dealing with the situation and not a baby sitter or day care. I didn't think much of it...what was the worst that could happen? Maybe a rash or some itching? Twenty minutes later we were in the ER at a local hospital with my toddler's eyes, nose and throat swelled shut. She was going into something called "anaphylactic shock" and was surrounded by a half dozen or more doctors and nurses urgently rushing in efforts to save her life. It's an experience I'd like to help make sure hopefully others never have to go through.

Fortunately, my daughter survived the experience. Our lives have changed now though. My daughter has a severe food allergy to peanuts and we always have to be on guard to her coming into contact with them now. Her twin brother has a more moderate allergy to them, but we have been warned by our doctor that additional exposures could enhance the condition to a more dangerous level. So we screen all the food they eat now for its ingredients and potential contamination, wipe down surfaces that could have residue on them that could be absorbed into the skin, and try to avoid situations that could put our kids at risk. May is Food Allergy Action Month and since I know from personal experience both how the subject isn't a top of mind issue for most people and also how people without food allergies can expose those who do to risk, injury, and sometimes even death, A Geek Daddy Blog is sharing our story to promote awareness and provide information on this topic.

Our friends at Comcast Xfinity have generously donated a great gift bag as a prize for A Geek Daddy Blog's Food Allergy Action Month Trivia Contest. Answer the trivia question below for a chance to win a backpack filled with a mobile recharging kit for smart phones and tablets, coffee mug, baseball cap, and a water bottle. Must be a US resident and over 18 years old to participate in the trivia contest.

Unfortunately, the number of children with food allergies is an increasing trend with most school now averaging 2 kids per class room with a moderate to severe food allergy compared to that number being a fraction of a percent a generation ago. No one knows what is causing this escalation in food allergy cases and there is no cure. Watch this short informational video from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, a division of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, to learn more about food allergies and to find the answer to our trivia contest question.

For a chance to win the Comcast #Xfinity prize pack submit one or both of the following entry methods to earn up to 3 entries prior to 11:59 pm EST on Sunday May 24, 2015:

Congrats to Kev from Maplewood, Minnesota on winning the Trivia Contest! Thank you to everyone who participated.

E-mail thegeekdaddy [at] yahoo [dot] com your name and mailing address plus correctly answer this question: In what year did an expert panel issue "Guidelines for the Diagnosis & Management of Food Allergy in the United State"? Email subject line should be ALLERGY ACTION HERO. (1 Entry)

For additional entries, visit our Facebook Food Allergy Action Month Trivia Contest post and leave a comment mentioning one of the eight most common food allergies (2 Entries)

A special thank you to Comcast Cable Heartland Region for generously providing our trivia contest prize.

We've encountered many people over the last few years who don't think that our daughter's food allergy is "a big deal", don't want any restrictions placed on them to help protect children with food allergies, or just don't care and believe it is just our family's issue to deal with and if something bad happens it is my daughter or our family's own fault.  While we understand that our daughter's medical condition is our burden to deal with we also believe that when it comes to school and public spaces that there should be some level of safeguards in place to allow people with food allergies to be able to live healthy and productive lives without fear that someone else's actions could hurt them. We're not trying to rid the world of peanuts, our family is just asking people show some consideration and compassion for those people who are facing a life threatening medical condition.

You can become a food allergy action hero this month by taking a moment to educate yourself on this matter and pledging to make an effort to be considerate of those who suffer from this medical condition.  If you are up to the challenge CLICK HERE to download the template to create your very own food allergy action hero costume.  Print a teal mask and a hero emblem for your shirt then cut out and wear them to have fun as you show your food allergy spirit.  Take a picture of you in your action hero outfit and tag it with #FoodAllergyMonth on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. There are adult and children's sizes of the masks available to download.

Once you have your food allergy action hero gear, take a moment to read this one page handout that contains facts about food allergies that can be shared and used to help educate others about this growing public health issue.  Download Now.

 

For more information about food allergies visit FARE (Food Allergy Research & Education) at www.foodallergy.org.

DISCLAIMER:  A Geek Daddy Blog will be responsible for selecting the winner of this contest and delivery of the prize. By participating in this contest, you waive any liability to the publisher that may arise from your involvement with this promotion.  Winner is subject to eligibility verification. No P.O. Boxes are allowed as mailing addresses.  A Geek Daddy Blog is hosting this contest as a benefit to our readers. Any opinions in this post are my own.

Tips for Creating a Food Allergy Friendly Easter Basket

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #DisneyEaster  #CollectiveBias

According to the non-profit group FARE (Food Allergy Research & Education) 1 in 13 children suffer from food allergies.  A statistic my daughter joined when she was 18 months old and went into life threatening anaphylactic shock after eating some peanut butter which resulted in her being rushed to the ER and a three day hospital stay.  Prior to that incident our family didn't know much about food allergies or understand how dangerous and severe of a medical condition it can be, now taking protective steps regarding food and products has become part of our daily routine. 

What is a food allergy? FARE describes it like this, "the job of the body’s immune system is to identify and destroy germs (such as bacteria or viruses) that make you sick. A food allergy results when the immune system mistakenly targets a harmless food protein – an allergen – as a threat and attacks it." What makes dealing with a food allergy especially challenging is that the trigger is microscopic (you can't see a protein) and even if a food or product like shampoo doesn't have the allergen as an ingredient if it is bakes, created, or processed with the same equipment or utensils that have handled those ingredients the contamination can cause a reaction.

Holidays like Easter can be very difficult for children with food allergies because many of the treats associated with it, like candy from the Easter Bunny, are off limits due to their ingredients or contamination issues.  To make it up to my daughter, we work to make these days extra special with non-food treats.  My daughter, like most 6 year old girls, is enamored with FROZEN so we went to our local Walmart and created a #DisneyEaster basket for her.  Here are some tips on making a food allergy friendly Easter Basket.

In addition to large assortments of candy on stock, Walmart has a nice selection of fun non-food related Disney FROZEN items that can be used to fill an Easter basket ranging from activity sets to clothing to toys.  Even if a child in your life doesn't have a food allergy you may want to check out some of these items if you're  looking to cut down on the sweets they are eating.  Here are some food allergy friendly categories of items to look out for and examples of products we purchased during our shopping trip.

CLOTHES

My kids are often just as thrilled and excited to get some cool clothing items as they are to get candy.  Plus a fun t-shirt or hat lasts longer and is more useful compared to candy for a treat.  We picked up an adorable cap and a hair accessory set that included barrettes, terries, snap clips and elastics to put in my little girl's Olaf basket.

ACTIVITIES & CRAFTS

Art supplies, temporary tattoos, and stickers can be creative and imaginative treats to use as prizes for Easter egg or basket hunts instead of jelly beans and chocolates.  You'll never have to worry about putting a kid at risk at a family gathering, school function or community event by providing these types of items as a treat.  Walmart has available a #Disney FROZEN 3-in-1 Activity Set and sticker books that we picked up for our Food Allergy Friendly Easter Basket.

TOYS

Toys are always a safe option to candy as a treat when it comes to food allergies.  They often times will be a more expensive option than candy but provide peace of mind when it comes to a child's safety for parents and of course always put a smile on a kid's face.  Walmart has a great selection of #FROZEN toys for budget conscious shoppers - keep an eye out for them rolling back those prices too!  We picked up a trio of Anna, Elsa and Olaf plush toys to fill our daughter's #DisneyEaster basket.

SNACKS & TREATS

Whether it is filling Easter Baskets, hiding Easter Eggs for a hunt, or entertaining a party providing candy, snacks and food can be a touchy subject.  While the numbers of people suffering from food allergies is growing, it is still a relatively small percentage of the overall population which means that many people aren't aware of the seriousness of the problem and the difficulties associated with the medical condition because they don't have to deal with it on a daily basis so food allergies just isn't a top of mind issue.  The fact is though that most schools average two children per classroom with a severe food allergy that once triggered could cause them to go into life threatening anaphlyactic shock so it is likely that someone you know is impacted.  My daughter's class for example has two girls with peanut allergies and another girl with a milk allergy. That makes it important to be considerate of the problem when planning snack or treats for events and parties, especially ones where children are involved.  Please keep the following points in mind:

READ THE INGREDIENTS - In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires food manufacturers to list the eight most common ingredients that trigger food allergies: milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, soy, and wheat.  The label should include any specific allergen included in the food as well as any ingredient, coloring, flavoring or other additive that contains a protein from the eight major food allergens.  Carefully reading labels is a good way to be proactive in avoiding food allergy problems.

CONTAMINATION IS AS BIG AN ISSUE AS INGREDIENTS - Microscopic contamination of food or candy can make treats unsafe even if they don't have the allergen in their actual ingredients.  Don't just look at the ingredients on labels but also watch out for warningss that identify if a treat was processed, prepared or packaged in a facility with the allergens.  Note though that contamination warnings are voluntary and not mandated by the FDA so if something looks like it may be produced with other products that contain allergens but doesn't have a warning on the label it is best to still be cautious.

HOME BAKED & BAKERY MADE ITEMS ARE A NO NO - Unfortunately, even with washing, if the same bowls, pans, utensils and other kitchen tools are used to make and prepare items that contain allergens there is a significant risk of contamination though the food itself may not have the allergen as an ingredient.  That often makes most home baked goods from other people and items from bakeries off-limits for kids with food allergies.  If you bake or cook at home using any of the eight most common allergens in your kitchen, it is probably in every one's best interest not to include home made items as Easter treats unless you are certain no one has a food allergy.

For our daughter's food allergy friendly FROZEN Easter basket, after reviewing the label we picked up some movie themed Kellog's fruit snacks that are shaped in form of various Disney princesses including Anna and Elsa.  In the food/snack category we also picked up a 2-in-1 Snack & Drink cup so our daughter can conveniently enjoy her food allergy safe snacks at home while watching her favorite movie, FROZEN on the TV.

FARE cites on their website the stat "every 3 minutes, a food allergy reaction sends someone to the ER – that's more than 200,000 visits per year."  Nobody wants a holiday ruined by a trip to the hospital and by taking some precaution and consideration for this serious medical condition that outcome can very easily be avoided.  As we've demonstrated in this #CollectiveBias shop at Walmart there are numerous safe and fun items that can be used for Easter Baskets, egg hunts, and holiday celebrations that are food allergy friendly and don't put people's health and lives at risk.

Have a wonderful Easter everyone.  For more information on the products listed in this post, please visit www.walmart.com and for more information about food allergies go to www.foodallergy.org

Don't Let Food Allergies Haunt the Holidays

Photo - Chandler Swink / Courtesy of Oakland.edu

On Thanksgiving Day when most of us were eating turkey feasts and watching football, William and Nancy Swink were deciding whether or not to remove their 19 year old son Chandler from life support at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital.  A few days earlier Chandler, who was diagnosed with a peanut allergy at the age of 2, had gone into anaphylactic shock caused by a food allergy reaction when he was somehow exposed to an allergen while being at a friend's house who was baking peanut butter cookies.  Only being given a 2% chance for survival by doctors, his family allowed Chandler to pass away that evening.  What a tragic way to spend a holiday and the nightmare scenario for any parent who has a child who suffers from a severe food allergy.

Chandler hadn't led an easy life dealing with bullying from elementary school through high school by students, and the parents of some of his classmates, who were outraged that food restrictions had been placed on them by the school for Chandler's well-being.  Despite this Chandler grew up to be a great young man according to all accounts from people who knew him that was going to school at Oakland University to become a nurse so he could have a career helping people in the medical field.  More than 600 people attended Chandler Swink's funeral saying good bye to a life that ended way too soon.

We discovered my daughter had a severe peanut allergy when she was around the same age as when Chandler was diagnosed.  No one in our family, my side or my wife's, has food allergies and we really didn't know much about the topic.  Then one day while our daughter was eating peanut butter she started howling and screaming.  Her face turned red with huge hives and her head began swelling.  I raced her to the emergency room at the hospital a mile from our home.  As we raced into the hospital my daughter's eyes and throat had swelled shut.  I didn't know if she was going to live or die at that moment.

The doctors and nurses at Beaumont Hospital did an exceptional job in saving my daughter's life and preventing her from suffering any long-term injuries from the incident.  Our family now is constantly on guard about avoiding situations that could put her in life in jeopardy again.  My daughter has to avoid ingesting food that not only has peanut as ingredients but also may have been contaminated by contact with them during the production or packaging of it.  Exposure to the proteins in the peanuts against her skin could also trigger a life-threatening anaphylactic reaction so you have to be careful of residue that could come from touching a surface or another person...yes playing with a toy, using a shampoo, shaking a hand, or even getting a kiss could potentially cause a food allergy reaction.  This can be so especially challenging to get your hands around because you are dealing with trying to avoid something at a microscopic level.

Like Chandler, we've encountered many people who don't think that our daughter's food allergy is "a big deal", don't want any restrictions placed on them to help protect children with food allergies, or just don't care and believe it is just our family's issue to deal with and if something bad happens it is my daughter or our family's own fault.  While we understand that our daughter's medical condition is our burden to deal with we also believe that when it comes to school and public spaces that there should be some level of safeguards in place to allow people with food allergies to be able to live healthy and productive lives without fear that someone else's actions could hurt them. 

Unfortunately, there are plenty of people in the world who just don't care about the safety of people with food allergies.  A recent incident in Michigan where a school board member named Linda Grossman joked "just shoot them" during a public meeting in regards to the concerns of parents and staff about food allergies that these kids should just be shot highlights the problems many families with food allergy children in schools have in providing a safe and healthy environment.  The Grossman incident was  followed up by a shameful editorial by the Detroit News' Dan Calabrese that criticized school district parents for demanding Grossman resign and mocked food allergies as not being a serious threat.  I also noticed tweets and posts from people defending Grossman because she was being sarcastic and arguing parents should be doing a better job of teaching kids to protect themselves.  This shows that despite the alarming increases in children with dangerous food allergies our society still has a lack of knowledge on the topic and a great deal of apathy towards people suffering from the condition.

So why should Grossman be condemned for an off-color joke?  Why should people be upset by "just comments" made by someone.  Well actually her comments were an action.  Grossman shirked her responsibility as an elected official by not acting in a professional manner, being dismissive of food allergies being a threat to the safety of students, and by mocking the parents and staff expressing concerns.  Being a school board member is a serious responsibility that Grossman didn't treat seriously and therefore she deserved to go.  Food allergies isn't a topic that should be joked about, especially when people are dying from this medical condition.

I'm so glad that Dr. Matthew Greenhawt, M.D. from C.S. Mott Children's Hospital jumped into the fray writing an editorial titled "5 Reasons We Shouldn't Joke about Kids with Food Allergies" criticizing people like Grossman and Calabrese for believing a joke isn't that big of a deal.  This doctor's critique really is a great way to make this topic a teachable moment for the community.  He writes "Food allergy is not a laughing matter, and these children should not serve as a target of derision." 

Here are Dr. Greenhawt's 5 reasons that joking about food allergies, especially in schools, is a serious matter:

1. Food Allergy is a rapidly growing chronic condition, affecting as many as 8% of children.  Reactions can be quite severe, potentially fatal and terrifying to experience.  There are no cures or treatments for food allergies.

2.  Children, especially those with chronic health conditions are fragile and vulnerable.  They should never be the butt of a joke.  This sets a horrible tone that it is acceptable to make light of someone, and demonstrates ignorance of and lack of empathy for those living with a particular condition.

3.  Accommodating multiple health concerns within a school is challenging, but us not an excuse for a public display of intolerance of any student for any reason, including a health condition, religion, race or income.

4.  School districts are a community, and members of the community must work together to solve problems.  Administrators must lead by example.  Derisive attitudes by school board members are counterproductive.

5.  Federal disability law affords children with food allergy and other conditions the right to seek accommodation.  It is the school's legal duty to comply as such.

Holidays can be a stressful time for people dealing with food allergies with there being such an emphasis on food being a part of celebrations.  Now is especially a time of year where the consideration and compassion of those who don't suffer from food allergies is appreciated by those that do.  It is also important to keep in mind that recent food allergy deaths have been of teenagers and young adults so if that age group is having difficulties just consider how hard and stressful it is for younger children preschool through elementary school age to deal with it, especially if you take the position that its the parents sole responsibility to make sure their kids can protect themselves.

Please keep in mind that an allergen doesn't need to be an ingredient to make food unsafe.  If someone has a food allergy please note that most food cooked in a bakery, processed in a facility that makes other food with allergens on the same equipment, or is made in someone's home is probably going to be off limits for someone with an allergy because of the threat of contamination.  It is more than just checking the ingredient label and seeing that there are "no nuts" to make sure something is safe.  People making and trying to give our child home made treats is one of our biggest headaches when it comes to looking out for our daughter especially around school functions, community events and even family gatherings.  It's not that we don't trust them or appreciate the offer but rather the risk of another trip to the hospital, or worse, just isn't worth it.

Kids with Food Allergies has two nice online pamphlets with tips for celebrating Christmas and Chanukah with children that have food allergy.  The web site Snack Safely also has a nice guide on checking out treats for food allergy concerns before serving them at a holiday function or party. Though the safest option at schools really is a food free celebration.

Don't let food allergies haunt the holidays!  How bad would you feel if you were involved in causing someone to have an allergic reaction?  How bad do you believe the Swink family or anyone else injured by food allergies will be hurting this holiday season?  Tis the season for us to show kindness to one another!  If you have a healthy child give thanks today and take a moment to consider how you may be able to be kind to a family that is not so blessed.

For more information about Food Allergies please visit FARE - Food Allergy Research & Education at www.foodallergy.org.

Halloween is a Tricky Time for those with Food Allergies

I had never had any experiences with any friends, family, co-workers or acquaintances suffering from food allergies until the day my daughter ate some peanut butter and we found ourselves in a hospital ER not sure if she was going to live or die after going into anaphylactic shock.  Fortunately everything turned out all right but now everyday is a challenge to avoid food and situations that could put her in peril.

I didn't realize just how much food I'd taken for granted over the years was dangerous for people suffering from food allergies either from ingredients or contamination during the manufacturing, baking or packaging of the product until we had to start monitoring what we fed our family.  The feeling of loneliness and exclusion when dealing with others that don't provide compassion or consideration, and in some cases even express hostility, towards your situation is a factor that I hadn't taken into consideration until food allergies started impacting our daily lives and we experienced these situations first hand.  We've already encountered our kids not being invited to play dates and birthday parties because the other students' parents didn't want to deal with our "food allergy" children being at their function.  On another occasion, we had to sit in the back of the room at a school holiday concert  away from everyone else because the event featured a pot luck buffet full of things that weren't safe for my daughter to eat and they fed everyone before instead of after the students performance of songs that my children had practiced for weeks and were very excited to participate in.

Holidays in particular can be a tricky time with so many parties and events that have a focus on food, especially Halloween.  Halloween was always one of my favorite times of year as a child.  I loved the spooky vibe of the season filled with costumes and decorations and of course trick-or-treating was a huge thrill.  While we stay away from many of the trick-or-treat type events surrounding the holiday, we do go out on Halloween night because I just didn't feel that it was fair for my kids to see all the other children in the neighborhood running around having fun and have to make them stay in the house.  We only go to a few houses in our neighborhood though and our kids don't touch or eat any of the candy.  When they get home my son and daughter trade in their candy for a treat bundle that my wife and I put together for them that includes toys and Halloween themed trinkets.  This year they are getting some Disney Infinity video game figures, Crayola coloring sets, and Scholastic books for their candy trade in. As we are imposing on others by visiting their homes asking for treats we take the responsibility on ourselves to be safe but awareness and consideration regarding food allergies by our neighbors is always appreciated.

My children's allergy doctor participates in the Metro Detroit Food Allergy Friendly Trick-or-Treasure event

Our kids are also lucky in that our community has been generous enough to adopt a Food Allergy Friendly Trick-or-Treasure event for children in the Metro Detroit area to attend the Saturday before Halloween that we enjoy going to.  The organizers screen candy labels for ingredient or contamination warnings and only purchase items identifies as safe for kids with peanut or tree nut allergies, though they do make an effort to accommodate for the eight top allergens impacting children.  They than distribute this candy and some other non-food treats (including comic books from Halloween Comic Fest) to businesses in our downtown who are participating sponsors along the trick or treat route so everyone has pre-screened goodies to hand out.

While the number of children with food allergies is still a small percentage of the population, the numbers are unfortunately growing.  Today, 1 in 12 children, approximately 8 million children living in the United States, are allergic to peanuts, tree nuts or milk, ingredients commonly found in candy.  What is really scary is that cases of the most life-threatening allergy, peanuts, have doubled in the last five years.  So there really are quite a few families dealing with food allergies at Halloween, more than you may have been aware of.

1. CONTAMINATION IS AS BIG AN ISSUE AS INGREDIENTS

Microscopic contamination of food or candy can make treats unsafe even if they don't have the allergen in their actual ingredients.  Don't just look at the ingredients on labels but also watch out for labels that identify if a treat was processed, prepared or packaged in a facility with the allergens.

2.  HOME BAKED & BAKERY MADE ITEMS ARE A NO NO

Unfortunately, even with washing, if the same bowls, pans, utensils and other kitchen tools are used to make and prepare items that contain allergens there is a significant risk of contamination though the food itself may not have the allergen as an ingredient.  That often makes home baked goods and items from bakeries off-limits for kids with food allergies. 

3.  IT IS NOT JUST EATING - TOUCHING ALLERGENS CAN CAUSE REACTIONS

In the case of my daughter, peanut or tree nut oil can be absorbed into her skin causing a reaction.  A child with peanut butter on their hands touching her skin or someone inadvertently contaminating a toy, seat, or desktop by handling something containing peanuts or tree nuts than her handling the same item creates a potential hazard.  Being wary of multiple types of exposures is so important.  The simple act of the wrapper from a piece of candy being torn and thrown into a goodie bag or trick-or-treat sack could contaminate the wrappers of every other item included with it.

4.  LET KIDS GRAB TREATS THEMSELVES OR PUT ITEMS IN THEIR BUCKETS - DON'T TRY TO HAND THEM CANDY

It can be really scary to have a food allergy and someone is trying to force candy you know you shouldn't be touching in your hand.  Every year we have well-meaning people trying to force my daughter to take Reese's Peanut Butter Cups from them by handing them to her even when she says no thank you.  Let the kids grab treats from a bowl or drop them in their trick or treat bucket just to be safe.

5.  LISTEN TO THE KIDS

If a child has a food allergy and sees that you are giving out something they shouldn't have they'll probably tell you and say thanks but I can't have that. Often times my kids just won't take unsafe candy from a bowl or will simply let someone drop it in their bag and not say anything knowing they are trading it to us at the end of the night.  It is when people start trying to force my kids to handle unsafe candy from them where problems occur though.  Every year I witness people telling my kids that food allergies aren't that big of a deal and go ahead and try it.  Than I have to step in!

It amazes me that my kids are always polite and say "thank you but I can't have that because of a food allergy so no thanks" yet adults get angry and argue with them.  Really?!!! 

6.  EVERY CHILD SHOULD HAVE A FUN HALLOWEEN

Try to provide treats at Halloween that are safe for everyone so no child is excluded from Halloween fun.  If you feel it is a necessity to include treats that aren't safe for everyone than provide other options and make sure you keep things segregated.  Many of the food allergy deaths reported within the United States the last few years have been from accidents involving safe and non-safe foods being intermingled.

The charity Kids With Food Allergies has provided a nice digital booklet with tips on trick or treating and other fun activities for food allergic children titled Celebrating Halloween With Food Allergies.  CLICK HERE to download it.

 7. SPREAD THE WORD

Because a majority of people do not have food allergies it just doesn't occur to them how important it is to make their home an allergy-friendly stop on the trick-or-treat trail or to take precautions at parties or community events.  Please share this post with friends and families to help make everyone aware!

This Halloween, the charity Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) is encouraging people to start a new tradition that will help make this holiday season less scary for children with food allergies: the TEAL PUMPKIN PROJECT.  This campaign encourages people to raise awareness of food allergies by providing non-food or food allergy safe treats for trick-or-treaters and painting a pumpkin teal - the color of food allergy awareness - to place in front of their house or display a free printable sign from FARE featuring a teal pumpkin on their front door.

VALU HOME CENTERS has a nice post on their website about how to create a teal pumpkin and participate in the  #TealPumpkinProject.  CLICK HERE to check it out.

For more information about food allergies please visit the FARE website at www.foodallergy.org

Hip Hip Hooray for Northwestern University

College makes effort for athletic events to be Peanut Allergy Friendly

As the father of a daughter with a severe, life-threatening peanut food allergy, when I observe an organization make an effort to accommodate people with this affliction I want to give them a public acknowledgement of gratitude because our family has been excluded plenty of times from activities and events due to dangers presented by food allergies.  For the 2014/15 school year, the Northwestern University athletic department will have an official Peanut/Tree Nut (PTN) program.  Forty Wildcat sporting events, including 3 football games, 10 men's basketball games, 6 women's basketball games, 18 volleyball matches and 3 wrestling matches will enforce a peanut/tree nut free environment.  During these events, which include football games versus Cal, Northern Illinois, and Western Illinois, no products containing peanuts or tree nuts will be sold at Ryan Field or Welsh-Ryan Arena.  Both venues will undergo extensive cleaning to ensure no peanut or tree nut materials remain anywhere in the facility.

Mike Polisky

According to Mike Polisky, Deputy Director of Athletics - External Affairs at Northwestern University, in an interview with FARE (Food Allergy Research & Education) the school located in the suburban Chicago area city of Evanston, Illinois began investigating doing something to address the exclusion of fans from sporting events due to food allergies after being contacted by the father of a current student.  The father communicated frustration about how his son wouldn't be able to attend football or basketball games because of allergy concerns. "After doing our research and coming to a better understanding of the impact of tree nut and peanut allergies on tens of thousands of people who cannot participate, it made sense to take the next step, said Polisky.  "We decided to break up our seasons to create more opportunities for families to attend Northwestern games in a safe environment."  Now the non-conference games will be peanut/tree nut free and the Big Ten inter-league competitions will allow them.

 In an interview with ESPN, Polisky noted "We just wanted to do the right thing.  This has nothing to do with PR. It's not a business decision...It started out with one father looking out for his son."  He added "It's great for kids' families to be able to attend these games that couldn't participate in things others take for granted."

Northwestern University becomes the first university in the United States to address food allergies at sporting events.  When asked on his thoughts about Northwestern's stance, John Lehr, chief executive officer of FARE stated "We are pleased to see sports teams across the country working to address these issues and we congratulate Northwestern on leading the way in college sports to help ensure families who are managing peanut and tree nut allergies feel welcome." He also noted "attending college sports games is often a family tradition, but for many families managing peanut and tree-nut allergies, the widespread sale and consumption of products with peanuts and tree nuts at athletic events is a deterrent."  According to FARE's website, www.foodallergy.org, the number of children with food allergies to peanuts and tree nuts tripled between 1997 - 2008.

Northwestern also issued a statement regarding its new food allergy policy from Dr. Ruchi Gupta, an associate professor of pediatrics with Northwestern Medicine.  "Now families with nut allergies can enjoy Northwestern University football, basketball and other games worry free," Gupta remarked.  "On the science side, researchers at the Northwestern Food Allergy Research Consortium are working to better understand the cause of food allergy and find treatments."

Giacalone

While I've unfortunately encountered many people who make light of the seriousness of peanut allergies, I've experienced the dangers first hand as I watched my infant daughter surrounded by doctors and nurses in an emergency room cube working to open her swelled shut throat after she'd eaten peanut butter for the first time.  A woman who lives a few miles from our house is still in a coma after she ate ice cream last year that had a peanut covered pretzel in it she wasn't aware of.  Chantel Giacalone went into cardiac arrest and has yet to recover from the incident.  Last year a college freshman , Cameron Fitzpatrick, and 13 year old girl , Natalie Giorgi, both died after accidentally eating food that contained or was contaminated by peanuts.  Food allergies are a serious problem, and a very scary and lonely one, for people who suffer from them and their families.  Helping taking precautions to protect people with peanut allergies shouldn't be considered as taking a freedom away from others but rather as being courteous to others who are suffering from an affliction that they did nothing themselves to cause.  It also shouldn't be about numbers and percentages of the population who actually suffer from allergies to determine whether or not to take action on this topic but rather placing a focus on respecting every human life so that no person  is injured or dies from an incident that could very well have been prevented by some proactive accommodation or safety measure.

Fitzpatrick

Giorgi

If you haven't had an experience before with someone with a peanut or tree nut allergy, I hope this article provided some useful information and insights.   Please be considerate ... way too many people unfortunately aren't.  For more information, visit www.foodallergy.org. 

My Family are Baseball Fanatics!

I've been a fan of Detroit Tigers baseball since I was a little kid.  I have vivid recollections of visiting my grandparents almost every summer weekend during my childhood and our family would BBQ on their back porch while we listened to Ernie Harwell do the play-by-play of the Tigers games that paint a Norman Rockwell styled picture in my mind of those good times gone by.  Some of the best times I remember spending time with my Dad during my youth involve going to see a game at the old Tiger Stadium.  My wife and I went to a lot of baseball games at Comerica Park while we were dating with our mutual interest in the Tigers being a special bond between us.  One of the few date nights we've had out without our kids with us since they were born was to go see the Detroit Tigers play in the World Series.

So when I was recently asked what was my FAVORITE baseball memory there were plenty to choose from.  The one I have to select without a doubt though is taking my children to their first Detroit Tigers game.  I'm not selecting this because I'm nostalgic about officially inducting my kids as fans of our family's favorite team by taking them to their first game at the stadium where the Tigers play.  Rather I am selecting this occasion because not only was it our first family trip  to the ballpark but it also will most likely be one of the last times we can go enjoy a baseball game there together as a family.

When my kids were really little and we weren't taking them out of the house that often, we have twins - a boy and a girl - I watched almost every Tigers game with my son and daughter on television.  I was so looking forward to taking them to their first game at Comerica Park!  My wife and I were even looking into buying a season ticket package for our family - four seats along the first base line.  Than out of the blue my infant daughter had a reaction to some peanut butter she was eating.  She went into anaphylactic shock and almost died!  She was in the hospital for three days recovering from her food allergy after the Emergency Room stabilized her. [CLICK HERE to read my post The Scariest Moment of My Life: The Day my Daughter went into Anaphylactic Shock ] Now going to a ball game isn't just a hassle about finding a parking space it is like walking through a mine field of potential allergic triggers for someone with a peanut allergy.

I hadn't noticed until it impacted me, but Major & Minor League Baseball stadiums are littered with peanut shells.  Look around the next time you go to a game and you may find yourself amazed by the amount of peanut shells lying about.  This creates a problem for many people with food allergies because it is not just eating that can cause a reaction.  The peanut oil from shells can be absorbed into skin causing a food allergy reaction.  This peanut oil is absorbed onto seats, railings, and other fixtures all around a stadium.  Combine that with the potential of food contamination, a product doesn't need to have peanuts in it to cause a reaction if it comes into contact with them during its preparation or packaging, and going to a baseball game can be a ticking time bomb for a food allergy reaction.  While many people associate food allergies with hives and itchy skin a reaction can lead to long term disabilities, comas and even death so it is a very serious issue for families that have to deal with it in their everyday lives.

While baseball is known as the "National Pastime" it is also strongly associated with "peanut and cracker jacks" and Major League Baseball (MLB) as a whole has really not done a very good job at balancing out these two points for people with peanut allergies who would like to cheer on their favorite team at the ballpark.  Often times people with peanut allergies just avoid MLB games because of concerns regarding contact with the shells that litter stadiums or worries that peanuts in the concession stands may contaminate food.  It's unfortunate that many fans because of health concerns that could be alleviated by some basic precautions and accommodations by sporting teams find enjoying the National Pastime at a ballpark with friends and family prohibitive.

The Detroit Tigers host 1 or 2 games per year (out of 81) where people with food allergies can go to watch the games from a suite that has been cleaned for peanut oil residue and restricts food during the game that could cause an allergic reaction for fans in attendance at the game.  So my favorite baseball moment was taking advantage of the opportunity to have a family outing to watch the Tigers play "live" in front of us after learning about my daughter's condition.  Our family are Baseball Fanatics and we had a great time experiencing a game together at the home team's stadium!  A memory I will always cherish.

Unfortunately, based upon a number of factors, including a very limited number of games to choose from to attend (normally very early in the season when it is still very cold out and attendance at the stadium is low); excessive cost of the tickets (you are still paying a premium amount for the "luxury" of sitting in a suite that doesn't include food, parking or any other souvenirs or perks that you can often get in a cheaper ticket package deal) making it cost prohibitive for an average family of four; and that some parts of the stadium experience are still off limits such as the tigers carousel, baseball ferris wheel and kids run the bases; it isn't very likely that we'll be going back as a family very often, if ever, to enjoy a day at the ballpark.  Now I am not necessarily advocating banning of peanuts/tree nuts at stadiums because I understand this affliction doesn't impact a majority of our population but when it does create a life threatening issue for some fans teams could do a better job of making accommodations to help families like ours.  It could be as simple as having a designated food allergy section at games that takes some precautions to make the area safe or extensive as designating the stadium as PEANUT FREE for some games throughout the season.  Various sporting teams are experimenting with these scenarios and hopefully that trend will continue [CLICK HERE to read my post THE BEST PEANUT ALLERGY FRIENDLY TEAMS IN MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL FOR 2014 ].  Until the Tigers become more progressive in being supportive of people with food allergies we'll be watching our beloved Tigers and being Fanatic Fans from the couch in our living room enjoying the games together as a family.

Since we aren't traveling to Comerica Park to watch games we've occasionally picked up souvenirs, baseball caps and team apparel from Fanatics.com.  This website has a great selection of sports gear and items you can purchase at decent prices. Half the fun of being a fan is promoting and showing off your team pride and Fanatics.com can set you up with everything you need to display your fanatic side with more than 250,000 products representing 700 teams.  They get your purchases shipped out fast to you with great tracking updates on your packages.  Plus orders over $50 get FREE shipping.  Anyone who has bought a baseball cap and other team/player branded merchandise knows you can get to a $50 price tag really quickly and easily.  You can shop with confidence with them too as their website utilizes state-of-the-art encryption technology to protect your credit card/personal information and they provide an unconditional satisfaction guarantee on your experiences with them. If you are a sports fanatic than I'd encourage you to check out Fanatics.com.

One little side note not to deviate too much but I went to a small college that it is not easy to find branded clothes for without going through the university's bookstore.  Many retailers both locally and online carry mostly items focused on the big sports schools like Alabama, Ohio State, University of Michigan and Michigan State, but in addition to the items for professional sports and the power house collegiate sports programs I also found more than 100 items for my alma mater to choose from, including a baseball cap, at Fanatics.com.  That was one of my biggest surprises with Fanatics.com and one of the things that impressed me the most about the site.

If you would like more information about Food Allergies, please visit Food Allergy Research & Education (FARE) at www.foodallergy.org

Disclaimer:  I did not receive any compensation from Fanatics.com for including them in this post. Fanatics.com reached out to me as one of an exclusive group of bloggers which they desire to interact with through social media. I agreed to participate in their social media outreach and answer the question they submitted to my blog regarding what my favorite baseball memory was to bring awareness to the food allergy issue and because I am a past customer of the company who has appreciated their excellent customer service.