June/July 2008

Food for Thought

Young Children With Multiple Food Allergies

My 7-year-old son, Kellen, has multiple food allergies. I’m glad and grateful. I haven’t always felt this way. When Kellen was first diagnosed at 9 months old with what would eventually become a lengthy list of food allergies (dairy, wheat, gluten, eggs, certain nuts, to name a few), I was completely overwhelmed. A first-time mom, my only experience with food allergies was an uncle with peanut allergy and a grandfather with gluten intolerance. It wasn’t long before I developed tension headaches, induced, no doubt, by the stress of Kellen’s disturbing symptoms (hives, wheezing, vomiting and digestive problems) and the enormous responsibility of his care. What would I feed him? How would I keep him safe in everyday situations (playgroups, birthday parties, restaurant meals, holiday gatherings, school) where his risk of exposure was heightened? And there were desperate days when all hopes were dashed, as tests continued to reveal that he hadn’t outgrown any of his allergies, as doctors had suggested he might. Clearly, not the best of times.

Read more >