PBS KIDS DVD: ALL ABOUT ALLERGIES

May is Food Allergy Awareness Month, a topic of particular interest to our family as my daughter has a severe peanut allergy. I have to embarrassingly admit not knowing much on the topic before the fateful day when we discovered my daughter's medical condition after she went into anaphylactic shock and came very close to dying. If you haven't previously read about our family's experience with food allergies, here is my post about it.

With 1 in 13 children now suffering from food allergies it really is important for people to have a basic understanding of the condition and understand this is is not a joking matter even though you often see television and shows use it as the topic of comedy sketches. Yes I'm talking about you Big Bang Theory!  There is a really good chance that even if someone in your direct circle of friends and families doesn't have a food allergy you will be interacting with someone at some point who does.  Food allergies are a series, potentially life threatening medical condition.  Since I didn't know much about food allergies until they impacted my family, I  understand how easily others can be in the dark about them as well.  So please take a moment to learn some tips about dealing with food allergies this month as a favor to this food allergy dad.

As part of Food Allergy Awareness Month, PBS KIDS is releasing ALL ABOUT ALLERGIES a DVD collection of shows from some of its most popular animated series that all have allergies as a topic. These episodes are a great way for children and their parents to learn about food allergies. Young viewers can join Binky as he works to understand his peanut allergy in an ARTHUR story, and Daniel Tiger as he tries a peach for the first time and gets hives leading to the discovery he's allergic to the fruit.

The DVD also features a WORD WORLD story in which Pig struggles to tell his friends that he is allergice to peaches after Sheep and Dog bring over a bag of fruit for him to make into pies. I was a bit disappointed PBS included a PEG + CAT episode on pet allergies because it can cause confusion with the food allergy messages.  Also the WORD WORLD episode doesn't really explain food allergies correctly which is troubling because people don't sneeze in those circumstances when having a reaction they break out in hives or start having issues with their body swelling up. Overall though this is a very nice collection of shows that provide very valuable information in an entertaining format.

ALL ABOUT ALLERGIES will be available at retailers across the United States beginning May 9, 2017. It has a run time of approximately 70 minutes. The DVD features five stories from four of PBS KIDS television including these two standout episodes:

ARTHUR --  Binky Goes Nuts

When Binky discovers that he’s allergic to peanuts, he has so many questions: will he be forced to live without Chinese food? Will he ever again be able to eat with his friends? And most importantly, will his Mom ever calm down? Binky learns that the best way not to go nuts is to be well informed, and to understand his allergy.

PBS KIDS also has a special website filled with peanut allergy information and tips revolving around the episode.  CLICK HERE to check it out.  They also partnered with Cherrybrook Kitchen to create a line of ARTHUR themed snacks including brownies and cookies that are peanut allergy safe to eat.

DANIEL TIGER'S NEIGHBORHOOD -- Daniel's Allergy
When Daniel tries a peach for the first time, he learns he is allergic to the fruit. Dad and Doctor Anna take care of him, and Doctor Anna tells Daniel how he can take care of himself, too.

For more useful information about food allergies, please visit Kids With Food Allergies or FARE (Food Allergy Research & Education).  Plus here is an informative video on the topic:

Win a $15 iTunes Gift Card: FOOD ALLERGY AWARENESS WEEK Contest

UPDATE (5/19/13): Congratulations to Z. Noras who won the FOOD ALLERGY AWARENESS WEEK Contest & has been emailed a $15 iTunes gift card code.

As readers of this Geeky Dad's blog know, I'm the father of a little girl with a severe peanut allergy.  In addition to writing about adventurous road trips, comic books, things I do with my kids, toys and parenting tips, I also try to use this blog as an educational outlet on the topic of food allergies (specifically peanut allergies).  Here are a few of my past posts about our families struggles with our daughter's food allergy:

TheScariest Moment of My Life: The Day my Daughter went into Anaphylactic Shock;

Book Review: THE GIRL WHO CANNOT EAT PEANUT BUTTER;

YES, I am THAT Dad!

BEST PEANUT ALLERGY FRIENDLY TEAMS IN MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

In recognition of Food Allergy Awareness Week (May 12 – 18), I’m hosting an iTunes giveaway contest to promote understanding of the 8 most prevalent types of food allergies and consideration for those who suffer from the problem.  Answer in the comment section a few questions involving this post and the ones listed above and you could find a $15 iTunes gift card in your mailbox.  Simple as that!

You can earn up to 6 entries in the giveaway contest from Sunday, May 12^th through 11:59pm EST on Friday, May 17, 2013. Here’s what you need to do for a chance to WIN (each task is one entry and please submit each task as a separate comment so you get credit for each one):

[MANDATORY ENTRY] – Register to follow my blog & leave a comment below telling me what one of the 8 most common food allergies are (hint – look for the picture in this post ). Click on JOIN THIS SITE button located between the banner ads in the column to the right of this post if the link in this paragraph doesn't work (in the grey background area next to the 8 Common Allergies Picture)

ADDITIONAL ENTRIES – You can get earn up to 5 more additional entries for completing EACH of the following (Multiple people may answer each Q 4-6 with the same Answer):

[ENTRY 2] – Follow my twitter account @geeky_dad and tell me your twitter handle in the comment section.

[ENTRY 3] – Tweet this message on twitter & post the url from your twitter feed in the comment section:

I entered the @geeky_dad FOOD ALLERGY AWARENESS WEEK Contest at www.ageekdaddy.blogspot.com to win a $15 iTunes Gift Card

[ENTRY 4] – Tell me in the comments section who I ranked as the best Major League Baseball Club when it comes to being Peanut Allergy Friendly

[ENTRY 5] – Tell me the name of the author of THE GIRL WHO CANNOT EAT PEANUT BUTTER in the comment section of this post.

[ENTRY 6] – Tell me in the comment section the name of the 19 year old college freshman who died from a peanut allergy on March 8, 2013.

CLICK HERE to comment

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE! For more information about food allergies please visit the FARE website www.foodallergy.org

Remember, you need to submit a new comment for EACH entry so each of your entries is assigned its own number and included in the random number generator selection. Also here are a few RULES for the contest:

Participants must be USA residents living in one of the 48 lower continental states.  You must register to follow & become a member of the blog to participate. It is FREE to join this blog. By participating in this contest, you agree to waive any and all claims for any injury, liabilities or damages relating in any manner to your participation in this promotion and agree to hold the contest promoter harmless for any damages that could or may occur resulting from this contest. Winner agrees to allow contest promoter to post their name and/or twitter handle on this blog & twitter identifying them as the winner of this contest. Prize will be sent via First Class U.S. Postal Service delivery upon winner selection, but the contest does not guarantee delivery after the prize has been mailed if a mishap with USPS occurs. Each comment submitted in this contest will be assigned a number and a number will be randomly generated from the total number of all valid submissions to pick a winner. A winner will be selected on May 18, 2013 or a date shortly following and will be contacted by email or twitter notify them and confirm their mailing address. Contest prize: one $15 iTunes gift card.

Disclaimer:  Neither  Apple Inc. nor iTunes is a sponsor of this contest or has any association in any manner with this promotion.  iTunes is a registered trademark of the Apple Inc. The prize has been purchased by the host of this blog for use in this contest.

BEST PEANUT ALLERGY FRIENDLY TEAMS IN MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

I had never heard the term “anaphylactic shock” until the day my daughter suffered from it and I find myself in a hospital emergency room not knowing if she might live or die.  Since that day, anaphylactic shock is something that is on my mind everyday as the parent of a young daughter who has to watch everything she eats and comes in contact with to avoid the peanut and tree nut proteins that trigger a deadly allergic reaction.  Now because of the risk of contact and contamination things that we used to do regularly aren’t as easy to do anymore like eating at a restaurant, going  out to get ice cream, and going to a baseball game.

This Mothers Day we’ll be spending the afternoon at Comerica Park watching the Detroit Tigers play the Cleveland Indians.  We’re big Tigers baseball fans, but the reason we are going to the game on Mother’s Day is that it is one of ONLY 2 games the Detroit Tigers offer a peanut friendly environment for our little girl.  We’ll be sitting in a suite designated for people with peanut and tree nut allergies that have been scrubbed down and cleaned for allergens and where peanuts and other risky food items are banned during the game.  It’s a great opportunity to enjoy a day at a ballpark with my whole family and not feel insure about my daughter’s safety.  

I appreciate that the Detroit Tigers make an effort to reach out to families dealing with food allergies and give them the chance to enjoy a day at the ballpark to cheer on their favorite team and see the players perform live on the field; especially when many Major League clubs provide absolutely no options for people with food allergy issues to attend a game.  On the other hand, the Tigers option is still very disappointing for a family of diehard fans (before our twins were born my wife & I went to several games a month and were considering season tickets) because of the limited options on games to attend and it is VERY EXPENSIVE (it costs more than $250 dollars just for four tickets to the peanut allergy friendly suite which does NOT include cost of food, parking, and souvenirs at the game). This will be our third time enjoying the suite at a Tigers game which is a fun and enjoyable time for our family, but it sure is an expensive day out on the town for us.

Mothers Day is also the first day of Food Allergy Awareness Week, so in recognition of that and our upcoming road trip to a Detroit Tigers game I’ve decided now would be a good time to provide a list of the best peanut allergy friendly teams in Major League Baseball.

#1  BOSTON RED SOX

The Red Sox have a designated area in the stands available as peanut allergy friendly zone for 5 dates this season.  The designated section on the Right Field Roof Terrace has 70 seats available to fans.  The seating area is inspected and cleaned prior to the game and the sale of any nut products are banned on and near the Right Field Terrace during the game.  Signs are posted surrounding the access points to the area alerting people it is a “Peanut Allergy Friendly” zone. There is also extra security, EMS, and team ambassadors assigned to the area during the game to assist with trouble shooting and to provide assistance in case a medical emergency arises.

Tickets to the peanut allergy friendly zone at Fenway Park are $50 each.  In addition to your seats for the game and the peanut allergy  friendly steps taken by the team, the admission price also includes a goody bag, a half inning visit by team mascot Wally the Green Monster, and a scoreboard message during the game: “The Boston Red Sox Welcome  Our Peanut Allergy Families to Fenway Park.”

The Peanut Friendly Games for 2013 are:

June 8 vs Los Angeles Angels

July 20 vs the New York Yankees

August 3 vs Arizona Diamondbacks

August 31 vs The Chicago White Sox

& the Futures at Fenway game on July 27

Additionally, for one game at each home stand for the Red Sox, Booth F on the Media Level will be available for people with peanut allergies.  The booth can hold up to six people and tickets are $55 each.  The booth is cleaned prior to the game to avoid contamination issues and is free of nut products during the game.

This is the 9^th year the Boston Red Sox have provided peanut allergy friendly options to its fans and many of the things they are doing are based on the results of surveys they receive from attendees each year.  It is great they are asking the food allergy community for guidance and taking actions based upon the feedback they are given.

#2 MINESSOTA TWINS

Unfortunately, it can be very hard to find information about peanut allergy friendly arrangements at Major League stadiums, even for the teams that provide services addressing food allergies.  The Twinshave the best online presence promoting their Peanut Allergy Friendly games making it very easy to find due to its partnership with the Anaphylaxis &Food Allergy Association.  The team will be offering 10 special dates at Target Field for fans who suffer from peanut allergies. The Twins private balconies located above left field will be a “peanut free zone”. Tickets range from $18 – 24 dollars. 

2013 games are:

April 28 vs Rangers

May 12 vs the Orioles

May 14 vs White Sox

June 2 vs Mariners

June 11 vs Phillies

July 30 vs Royals

August 4 vs Astros

August 27 vs Royals

September 8 vs Blue Jays

September 15 vs Rays

#3 SEATTLE MARINERS

The Mariners get the nod for providing the best price for a peanut friendly allergy event.  For $11 dollars you can buy seats in designated sections of Safeco Field for 4 games this season that individuals and families who live with severe peanut allergies can attend with a reduced risk of exposure to allergens.  No peanuts are allowed in the reserved sections and about 200 seats are available for each game. Seattle also gets a nod for making this information easy to find on their website!

The 2013 peanut allergy friendly games at Safeco Field are:

April 28 vs Los Angeles Angels

June 25 vs Pittsburg Pirates

July 26 vs Minnesota Twins

August 27 vs Texas Rangers

#4 CHICAGO WHITE SOX

The Chicago White Sox are holding NUT ALLERGY AWARENESS GAMES where they have a special designated area in the club level for anybody with a nut allergy to enjoy the ball game along with their family and friends.  No nuts or anything containing nuts will be allowed in the special seating area.  There will also be a special food table in the area featuring foods that do not contain nut products.  There will also be food options for people with milk and egg allergies.  Tickets are specially priced for attendees and each family that purchases tickets will be eligible to win 1 of 2 autographed White Sox items during the game.

#5 TORONTO BLUE JAYS

The Blue Jays are the only team from my recent listing of Best Kids Clubs in MajorLeague Baseball to make this ranking.  The Blue Jays provide a peanut free zone similar to the other teams noted in this list, but they doubled the number of games they are hosting it this year from what they did last year.  They were marked down a notch though because all of the games are during the week – come on Blue Jays working parents need some weekend games.  Their ongoing effort and commitment to providing an affordable peanut friendly environment is appreciated and that is why they are at #5 on the list.

The Blue Jays games this year are:

April 30 vs Boston

May 14 vs San Fransico

June 17 vs  Colorado

July 19 vs Tampa Bay

August 27 vs Yankees

Sept 10 vs Angels

HONORABLE MENTION:

Atlanta Braves are having a Food Allergy Friendly Game on June 2 which should be a matchup of two of the best teams in Major League Baseball as they face off against the Washington Nationals.  The Braves have partnered with Mylan Specialty to provide two sections where exposure to peanut fragments will be limited.  Tickets are $35 and include a seat in peanut-free Club Pavilion as well as $10 food and beverage credit.  Special parking arrangements can be made for $10  that provide straight access to the peanut-free section of the ball park.

Pittsburg Pirates are also partnering with Mylan Specialty to host a peanut friendly event.  Allergy Awareness Night at PNCPark on Friday, May 31 will provide a peanut free zone in the reserved deck for fans.  Tickets are $20 and addition to your seat include a $10 credit to use for food or souvenirs.  The Pirates will also be providing tips throughout the game to help ALL fans be more aware of life-threatening allergic reactions.

Detroit Tigers, as I mentioned before the Tigers host a peanut allergy friendly suite a few times a year that allows my family to attend games.  Some other teams that provide suites on specific dates for peanut/tree nut allergy fans are the Baltimore Orioles, NewYork Mets, New York Yankees, and Washington Nationals.  Suite tickets depending on the team and date can range from $20 to $100 per person.

For more information on baseball games that provide peanut allergy friendly options check out these two great resource websites:

http://foodallergyfoundation.org/events/food_allergy_baseball_2013

&

http://www.peanutfreebaseball.com/

The Scariest Moment of My Life: The Day my Daughter went into Anaphylactic Shock

Every 3 minutes across the United States someone is admitted to an Emergency Room for a food allergy reaction.  My family experienced that trauma 18 months ago when my daughter spent three days at the hospital as we dealt with a life-threatening situation brought on by a severe food allergy.  This week is Food Allergy Awareness Week and I wanted to share our story.

18 months ago I was spending the day at home taking care of my 18 month old twins.  My wife had suggested that I give them some peanut butter for lunch that morning because she had heard about more kids having peanut allergies than when we were younger and preferred that if something happened one of us was with our children versus them being at day care, taken care of by a babysitter, or spending time with one of their grandparents.  We weren’t that concerned because no one on either side of our family has food allergies but wanted to be safe.  We were so lucky that we were cautious!

At lunch time I cut up some banana slices and placed a tiny bit of peanut butter on them for the twins to eat. I gave them first to my son who LOVED them! Fifteen minutes went by without a problem and he was asking for more.  With a feeling of relief that there didn’t appear to be any problems, I gave him some more slices and handed a few to my daughter.

About a minute later that is when trouble happened!   My daughter started screaming hysterically and pulling at the skin on her face.  Dark red hives began appearing across her body.  I went to get some Benadryl and call me wife at work.  No Answer!  Just a couple minutes later I could see my daughter’s eyes and nose starting to swell up.  Do I call 911? Do I make a run to the Emergency Room at the hospital just a few miles down the road?  I grabbed my keys and rushed with my kids to the car! 

Five minutes later I pulled up to the entrance of the ER like a bat out of hell.  The security guard at the door asked what I needed as I was unbuckling my daughter from her car seat but as he saw her just said “Oh my God! Let me help!”  My daughter’s eyes at this point had completely swelled shut. He grabbed my son and yelled out "follow me".  We ran through the ER each with a kid in hand as he gave an alert on his radio for the pediatric care unit to be prepared.  A swarm of doctors enveloped us as they connected her with an IV of life saving medication, put an oxygen tube down her throat which was now swelling shut, and checked out her vitals.  A nurse backed me away from the gurney telling me everything was going to be alright and sat me and my son in chair set back out of the doctors’ way.  The adrenaline began to fade and was replaced with a feeling of helplessness as there was nothing that I could do to help and deep stabbing pains of guilt knowing that I had given my daughter the food that put her here in the ER. I was raised with the attitude that guys don’t cry but I started to weep.

A little while later, my wife burst into the curtained area where we were at, having gotten my voice mail alerting her to the situation.  The look on her face seeing our little girl lying in a hospital bed connected to a bunch of tubes is burned into my head.  It is something I hope I never have to witness again in my life.  We were informed that my daughter wasn’t reacting as well as they would like to the medication and needed to stay in the ER until she was stabilized.  We spent twenty-four hours there and were transported to a regular hospital room for more treatment the next day once she had fully responded to all the medications and was on the road to recovery.  They kept her one more day after that for observation.  Fortunately, everything turned out alright in the end and she didn’t sustain any long-term or permanent damage from the incident.  Her life, and our family’s lives, changed forever though on that day as she was diagnosed with severe peanut/tree nut allergies and we have to be ever vigilant now for her safety.

The following is a video with useful tips and information regarding food allergies from Dr. Devang Doshi a leading expert in the field:

We carry an epi pen now with my daughter wherever we go.  An epi pen is a medical device also known as an epinephrine autoinjector that delivers a measured dose of epinephrine to treat the onset of anaphylactic shock caused by an allergic reaction.  In the case of my daughter’s reaction, while fortunately everything turned out fine, I made the wrong decision I rushing to the ER.  If someone is having an allergic reaction give them a shot of their epi pen if they have one and call 911.  Police, firefighters, and paramedics carry medication and have training to deal with these situations.  Food allergy reactions can be life or death situations, get help!

In dealing with our daughter’s food allergy, we need to be alert to avoid her ingesting peanuts/tree nuts or having peanut/tree nut protein or oils absorbed into her skin.  This isn’t as easy as it would seem though.  Our biggest hurdle is the fact that a food item might be contaminated in the kitchen or food processing plant although not specifically having the allergens as an ingredient.  We have to ask questions at restaurants and read labels all the time.  You need to look at for warnings labels such as “may contain” or “processed in facility with peanuts or tree nuts.”  It is frustrating though, because allergy warning labels are not required by law in the United States so just because a product does not have one you can’t assume it is safe.  We do lots and lots of consumer research on food products now in our household.

Basic things you used to take for granted now become problems too!  I had to pick up my crying daughter from preschool the other day because she couldn’t participate in a classmate’s birthday party.  One of the girls in her class had brought in cup cakes with a peanut warning on them so the teacher excluded my daughter from the class room snack time and sent her to the office for her protection.  My daughter was heartbroken she missed the birthday party and as a parent I was frustrated that food that was a danger to my daughter was allowed in a room with a big peanut-free sign on the door for a special occasion.

Halloween was one of my favorite times of the year as a kid - I loved trick or treating!  When I took my kids trick or treating last October 75% of the houses gave us Reese Peanut Butter Cups.  As much as I tried to prescreen the candy, people consistently tried to go around me to give candy directly to her or get her to put her hands into buckets.  We took some risk and gaver her some freedom on Halloween to take candy but afterward she traded it in to us for a special treat at Toys R Us.  I also didn't let her put her hands in her halloween basket and made her wash her hands when we got home...I was a nervous wreck to be honest when we went trick-or-treating last year but I don't want her excluded from fun activities other kids enjoy.

I’m a huge Detroit Tigers fan! Before we had kids, going to a Tigers games were a fun activity that my wife and I regularly attended.  We were looking at buying season tickets for us and the kids.  We went to a game and realized to our horror once we got there that there were peanut shells EVERYWHERE.  You don’t notice these things until they really matter.  We quickly left the game!

Peanut Butter & Jelly sandwiches were a lunch time staple in my house growing up.  In our house now we have Sun Butter & Jelly sandwiches.  Sun Butter is a peanut butter substitute made from sunflower seeds.  It has a little bit of a sun flower seed aftertaste but is really good once you get accustomed to that.   

These are just a few examples of ways a food allergy can impact things in your life that you wouldn’t have thought about otherwise.  Here are a few tips on dealing with a peanut allergy from the American Dietetic Association:

UNDERSTANDING FOOD LABEL ADVISORY STATEMENTS

• Some Food manufacturers voluntarily print advisory statements on food labels if there is a risk that a “safe” food came into cross-contact with a food allergen such as peanuts.  Look for warnings “may contain peanut” or “produced in a facility that also produces products containing peanut”.  An independent review showed that more than 7% of products that don’t contain peanuts as ingredients are contaminated in a kitchen or factory and contain enough peanut protein to trigger an allergic reaction.
• Advisory labeling is NOT required by law.  The absence of an advisory statement does not necessarily mean there is no risk of cross-contact with peanut.
• You may need to contact a manufacturer directly to get the information you need to assure the safety of someone with a peanut allergy before consuming a product.
• The type of advisory statement may not reflect risk.  For example, “manufactured in a facility that also manufactures products containing peanut” may not be safer than “may contain peanut”.

SHOPPING TIPS

• Read product labels EVERY time you purchase an item.  Ingredients and manufacturing practices change. Also different sizes and versions of same product may contain different ingredients or be manufactured different locations.  Oreos for example has some products that are safe and others that are not, but you have to read the labels to identify them.
• Nonfood items (including lotions, soaps, shampoo, and sun screens) may contain allergens. 
• Arachis oil contains peanuts.

EATING OUT TIPS

• When eating in restaurants use “chef cards” (available at www.foodallergy.org). These cards list all the ingredients your child needs to avoid.  Speak directly to the manager and inform him or her of the food allergy.  Present your chef card and discuss which ingredients to avoid as well as how to avoid cross-contact.
• Be aware that peanut butter may be used as a thickener for pasta sauces, in chili, and to seal egg rolls. Always inform restaurant staff of a food allergy.
• Avoid complex dishes and desserts with multiple ingredients or sauces.  These may contain hidden allergens.
• Avoid foods that are fried in a deep-fat fryer that may have been used to fry other foods with peanut ingredients.
• Be cautious that cross-contact is likely in salad bars and buffets.  Serving utensils may be shared and foods can spill and splash.
• Restaurants that serve Asian foods (such as Chinese, Indian, Indonesian, Thai, or Vietnamese) are high-risk because they commonly use peanuts as ingredients.  There is a risk of cross-contact with peanuts even if a peanut-free item is ordered.
• Mexican mole sauces can contain peanuts
• Be aware that bakeries make products with peanuts and the use of shared equipment and close contact in display cases may increase risk of cross-contact with peanuts
• Ice cream parlors typically offer many flavors, some of which contain peanuts or a peanut ingredient.  Cross contamination is a risk.
• Look for food allergen information on Web sites for some fast food and chain restaurants.  Culvers does an incredible job with this … check this out.  However be aware that restaurant companies may use multiple food suppliers and ingredients or recipes may change over time.  Always reconfirm that food is safe before ordering.

I’ve had people rudely confront me that my child’s food allergy isn’t that big of a deal.  Consider this, last year more than 400 people died in the United States from food allergies and 90% of those cases were related to a reaction from either a peanut or tree nut.  As a parent of a child with a severe food allergy, I just ask others to try and keep in mind a basic rule that we are all taught at children “treat others as you’d like to be treated yourself in their situation.”

For more information on food allergies, please visit the Food Allergy & Anaphlaxis Network (www.foodallergy.org) or the Food Allergy Initiative (www.faiusa.org).  These two groups recently announced they will be merging to better serve the food allergy community so stay tuned for further updates as this develops. Click here to read about the merger.