Surviving and Thriving with Food Allergies
August 14, 2007 by top8free
When we first discovered my daughter’s allergies I was overwhelmed and felt like I couldn’t handle the situation. Then I realized there was no one else that could handle it either and that I was just going to have to learn. I learned how to cook all over again from scratch — literally. I couldn’t rely on the shortcut convenience foods that I was used to, like canned soups. While I had always considered myself a healthy cook, I was shocked to discover the additives that were in most of the foods I was used to eating. Trips to the grocery store would end in tears after frustrating hours of reading labels. I’ve gotten better at label reading and I’ve learned a few other things along the way that have kept me going:
Become an adovate. Trust your instincts. Don’t give up when a doctor blows you off, you know your child better than anyone. We’ve spent countless hours dealing with doctors, teachers, friends, and family members who at best didn’t believe us and at worst blamed us for her symptoms. (Be prepared for the ridiculous. One highly regarded doctor at a prominent childnren’s hospital told us that the solution to her reactions, when she is in so much pain that she spends all day and night clutching her tummy and screaming in pain was to practice extinction, as in ”let her cry it out.”) Keep a ring-bound notebook with all of your child’s medical records, notes from conversations with doctors and nurses, and test results. Bring it with you every time you go to the doctor. It will help you keep everything organized, and it will impress the doctor with the seriousness of your quest to help your child feel better.
Seek support. Food allergies or intolerances are a chronic illness, and are incredibly stressful to manage. Seek out people who will support you, better yet people who have been there and know what it is like to have a child with food allergies. If you don’t have a local support group, try Kids With Food Allergies. It is both difficult and important to maintain your social network after you’ve been diagnosed with food allergies because so many social activties revolve around food, restaurants, or alcohol. Parties you used to enjoy may leave you feeling isolated. Come up with fun things you enjoy doing with friends that don’t involve food. Watch a movie, go for a hike, invite kids over at a non-mealtime to run through the sprinkler. Or invite folks to your house for dinner. People want to see you, but they are afraid of feeding you the wrong thing.
Stay positive. It is possible to eat well while avoiding your allergens, it just takes a little creativity. And it does get easier with time. Focus on the things you CAN eat, make sure you have special things sometimes. It is actually easier and less risky to make things yourself than to search and search for prepackaged things that are safe for your family. Remember that food allergies are only one part of your child’s life.
