How to Annoy Me...

Should picky eaters fake allergies?
from Serious Eats

I'm sure you know my answer to this, but you should read the comments to see how everyone else feels.

People faking a food allergy just so they don't get something they don't like the taste of on their food makes it that much harder for those of us who have just a little more at risk (like our child's life).

How We Are United as a Family.

There are countless reports that tell you that eating dinner each night with your family builds more than a foundation for nutrition in kids. The benefit that we personally see is our daughter blossoming as we interact with her. There is nothing better to me than hearing my 4 year old ask me, "So Mom, how was your day?". And I tell her and -gasp- we talk about it. She is included in all our dinner conversations. She loves it and we love it. She's included!

It really got me thinking - the family dinner table is really the one place where you should feel the most at home, the most included, the most safe, and the least vulnerable. And that concept translates to peanut allergy (believe it or not). I think all allergic parents strive for our children to be included. I know the place to start is at home. Bear with me while I ramble a bit...

I get questions from newly diagnosed families about once a week, overwhelmed and wondering where they should start to deal with peanut allergy? I always tell them the same thing. First, get an epipen and benadryl for every conceivable place your child will be.

Second? Clean out your house. Remove all items that contain peanuts, peanut butter, tree nuts, etc. And while you're at it, remove any items with 'may contain' or 'manufactured on' warnings. Many people don't want to (which is unconceivable to me). Too severe for you to fathom? I don't think so.

By eliminating peanuts and tree nuts from our home, Bella is free to eat anything from the fridge (well within reason obviously), grab a snack from her snack drawer, or heck, get a kiss from mom without worrying about a reaction. To the very best of my knowledge, there is nothing she could ingest (foodwise) that will send us running for the epipen. She thinks about her allergy enough while she's at school, I don't want her to be on guard at home. At home, she's free to be SAFE.

Mark and I, for the most part, don't eat nuts (and definitely not peanuts), and definitely not in the house (we can't - they aren't there!). Once she couldn't have nuts, we were done with them as well. We're a unified front. Folks have tried to bring foods into our house that are off limits (pecan pie for example one holiday - I know - can you believe it?) and the box wasn't even opened (I'm sure they thought I was so rude, but I don't care). If Bella can't have it, then WE don't have it. At home, we've just removed peanut allergy from the equation (which isn't to say we aren't very aware of it).

There will be enough times where she'll be excluded because of peanut allergy in school or after-school activities (harsh, but true - sorry). That's out of my control. But in our home, B will always be as safe as possible and included when it comes to food. There wont be anything like "you can't have this because it has nuts - but oh, everyone else around the table can." Why on earth would you do that to a child? Tough love? Well, that kind of stinks when you're 4 and have little in the way of reasoning to guide you. I tell you what though. I'll keep them out of my house even when she's 24 if she's still allergic. I'm always going to try to protect her.

But this way of dealing in your home with food allergies can't be the case with many of you. I know some of you have kids with multiple food allergies that you really can't eliminate entirely from your home, especially if you have other children. Do you make the same dinner for everyone? Separate utensils? How do you keep your kids from causing a reaction in your allergic kids? I only have one little food (I never thought I would think of peanuts as one little food when B was first diagnosed) - that's nothing compared to some of you guys.

How do you ensure that your child doesn't constantly feel different due to their allergies? How do you all handle this?

Whew. Do I have a talent for tangents or what?

Allergy vs. Intolerance

Since Bella's PA diagnosis I've been super sensitive about allergies - making sure that I accommodate folks who come for meals and make sure snacks or treats I bring to daycare are safe for all the kids.

But I have also become more aware of folks who tell me how allergic they are to something when they really just have an intolerance. For example, someone I know gets a little crampy if they have a certain type of cheese - but she tells me she's allergic. It drives me a little crazy (ok I need to say it - it drives me nuts- hee hee). I think to myself - does she have any idea what being allergic really means?

But then I thought to myself - do I?

So I went a' searching and here's what I found, courtesy
of the Mayo Clinic:

Food intolerance vs. food allergy: What's the difference?

ANSWER
Although many people have adverse reactions to certain foods, true food allergy — a reaction triggered by the immune system — is uncommon. Only about 2 percent of adults and 6 percent of children have a true food allergy. Far more people have a food intolerance, unpleasant symptoms triggered by certain foods. Unlike a food allergy, a food intolerance doesn't involve the immune system.

Lactose intolerance is one example of a food intolerance. People with lactose intolerance lack the enzyme lactase needed to digest milk sugar (lactose) in milk and other dairy foods. This inability to break down lactose during digestion may cause diarrhea, gas, bloating and abdominal pain.

In a food allergy, your immune system mistakenly identifies a specific food or a component of a food as a harmful substance. Your immune system triggers certain cells to produce immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies to fight the culprit food or food component. The next time you eat even the smallest amount of that food, the IgE antibodies sense it and signal your immune system to release histamine and other chemicals into your bloodstream. Signs and symptoms of a food allergy may include tingling in the mouth, hives, swelling of the lips, face, tongue and throat, wheezing or breathing difficulties, and dizziness or fainting.

It's important to distinguish food intolerance from food allergy. If you have a food allergy, eating even the tiniest amount of the food may trigger a serious allergic reaction. By contrast, if you have a food intolerance, you usually can eat small amounts of the food without a reaction.

If you have a reaction to a particular food, tell your doctor about it. Tests can help determine whether you have a food allergy.

So now you know. Have you encountered folks saying they are allergic to something and they are really intolerant? Should we treat an intolerance with the same seriousness? Even though it bugs me a bit, I still respect it as I wouldn't want someone else to brush off Bella's true allergy (and by true I mean life threatening). But how would you respond to someone? I told my friend she had an intolerance and she was adamant she was allergic - ah well.