No Nuts For Me

AAIA Family 2k Scamper

2011-05-14T13:28:00.002-04:00

This year, we participated in the Allergy & Asthma Information Association’s (AAIA) Family Scamper, part of their EpiPen-sponsored Take Action event held locally in Whitby. Family and friends donated to help raise money for Allergy and Asthma research and education. One of the participants this year raised over $3000 !

We arrived early to register
and then went to get tea & coffee

The walk was held at Heydenshore Kiwanis Park, located right on Lake Ontario (which was somewhere down there through the fog), and had quite a few participants for the 2k Family Scamper & 5k run.

When we got back, the registration
was in full swing, and Kyle Dine
was beginning to get the crowd going

And then the race was on! The 5k runners started first, and 10 minutes later the Family Scramble started – 1k out and 1k back. Joseph – our oldest – ran out ahead of everyone and blew past the turnaround spot, running an extra kilometer before realizing he’d gone too far. Then when we got back, Joseph realized his keychain had fallen off of his belt loop somewhere along the route; so back he went.

He found it out where he had turned around before, which means Joseph got an 8k run in this morning. As one of my friends remarked, “He’s not allergic to exercise.”

They provided water and Chapman’s popsicles after the event, as well as a full snack table … with allergy-friendly snacks, of course … and gave us bags to fill to take home afterwards. There were plenty of choices, below are some of our favourites.

The sunbutter chewy bar was definitely a crowd-pleaser
and it contains none of the top 8 allergens.

It was lots of fun, and I think we will definitely be participating again next year … who knows, maybe even in the 5k walk?

If you still want to donate even though it’s after the event,
here’s the link to sponsor us (or anyone else, for that matter).
We’re listed under “Liam Elliott”

Should schools ban home-packed lunches?

2011-04-12T10:34:00.001-04:00

There was an article published in the Chicago Tribune about one school banning all home-packed lunches except for medical conditions or food allergies (which itself is a medical condition, but I digress), and allowing only school-served meals.

The local morning show talked about it as well, and polled viewers if this should be the case. At last check, the results were 80% to 20% against. And the story has launched a debate across the Internet – The article’s link on Fark.com was a multiple choice question, stating “Chicago school bans a) soda in school, b) peanuts, or c) bagged lunches from home”, and sporting an “asinine” tag to launch its comments.

One morning that I was home I caught an episode of Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution, which focuses on the unhealthy choices offered to children through over-regulated school meal programs. It was appalling, to say the least, and the school involved in the episode didn’t like the attention. It seems par for the course, as Jamie Oliver hit a similar snag with the Los Angeles Unified School District – reported here by Fox News.

So what do you think? Is the whole thing a good idea or not?

A Farewell to Arms … er, Eggs

2011-03-19T21:49:00.001-04:00

With Easter coming up, one of our favourite treats is – or rather was - the Cadbury Easter Creme Egg. This year we found to our dismay that they contain a may contain peanuts warning.

Sigh.

So now as we watch the clucking bunny commercials, we mourn the loss of this Easter-time staple in our house. Now while I don’t think that companies need to change their products to suit consumers’ allergen sensitivities, it’s always encouraging to see companies that put in the extra effort to make allergen-sensitive products and lines.

… and equally discouraging when companies change recipes or production facilities that introduce allergens into their products.

Sigh.

Japan Earthquake–Google People Finder

2011-03-11T07:13:00.001-05:00

Like many people today, I woke up to the horrific news of the 9.8 magnitude earthquake and tsunami in Japan. Thoughts and prayers go out to the entire nation.

Google has launched a “People Finder” to help provide information to people trying to reach loved ones. If you are looking for someone, or have information on someone, please enter that information.

Google Crisis Response is located here:
http://www.google.co.jp/intl/en/crisisresponse/japanquake2011.html

Please note that information on their site will change as the situation changes.

Comfort Food

2011-03-10T08:00:00.000-05:00

As I write this, my wife and I are both home … sick.

The heat in the house has been bumped up about 5 degrees, Krystyne is cuddled into her blanket, and I am sporting my “sick sweater” … when I’m not burning up, that is.

And in the midst of tissues, orange juice, chicken noodle soup, and tea, my histamine-laden mind wanders to thoughts of things we do for comfort when we are sick.

Is there a particular food that you enjoyed as a child? One that when you eat it, your memories come flooding back? Maybe there’s one that you used to eat, but now due to food allergies – either in yourself or in family – are on a “naughty list”, or even banned outright?

Eating out Allergen-Free

2011-03-09T08:00:00.000-05:00

I’ve noticed a number of visits to the website through Google searches for peanut-free restaurants in Canada.

Earlier on in my blog I listed a number of restaurants that we tend to frequent as a family, which provide either peanut-free menus or peanut-allergy-friendly options.

There’s a restaurant in town called “Frankie’s Ristorante”, which prides itself on being 100% gluten- and wheat- free. As well, they are a peanut-free and nut-free environment. We haven’t been yet, but have heard nothing but great reviews from our friends. As their website states, “We feel that anyone, with almost any food sensitivity, should be able to eat an enjoyable, fulfilling and tasty meal without the risk of cross-contamination.”

List Update …

Also, Wild Wing originally listed in Uxbridge has undergone a makeover. The owners remain the same, but they are no longer a part of the aforementioned franchise. Now called Clem’s Custom Wings, they allow you to customize (fancy that) your wing order. For example …

1 & 1/2 lbs of original wings, tossed in Frank’s Red Hot sauce and blue cheese dressing, and dusted in Southern Heat BBQ spice.

This was my first foray into their menu, and I wasn’t disappointed. You get to choose the type of wing (boneless or bone-in), what topping(s) to toss, coat, and/or dust them in, and a plethora of sides and beverages to match.

And our favourite heart attack waiting to happen …

Some people may mistake this for poutine, but this is more. This is fries with cheese, gravy, and … wait for it … bacon!

… like I said, our favourite heart attack waiting to happen.

So if you’re in the Uxbridge area, check out either of these fine eateries. And, by the way, Clem’s is also in Port Perry.

How much does your child weigh?

2011-03-08T08:00:00.000-05:00

The joy of growing children.

After recently updating Liam’s EpiPens with newer ones, our last visit to the allergist informed us that because Liam has grown, the EpiPen Jr injectors that he carries may not be strong enough for him.

So, we’ll need to re-update his pouch to include full, adult-strength EpiPen injectors.

The crazy part is that we’re updating to adult-strength injectors when Liam only weighs 70 lbs. How much does your anaphylactic child weigh?

Information Night

2011-03-07T08:00:00.000-05:00

At the end of January the boys’ school hosted an Information Night (specifically, a “Healthy Eating and Student Achievement Parent Workshop”), and the principal asked Krystyne to be there as the resident expert on food allergies for the school.

The information night was held for anyone interested in knowing more about nutrition, allergies, and peanut-/nut- safe foods to bring to school.

In all it was a good night, we answered a few questions from some of the parents, and also in attendance were a health nurse from Sick Kids’ hospital, local co-op farmers – including the CSA that we belong to, Cooper’s CSA Farm & Maze – and John Beatty, one of the members from the Durham District School Board.

The cool part was being referred to as “the resident expert on food allergies” for the school.

Baking Stuff

2011-03-05T09:00:00.000-05:00

Just a quick note about Wilton’s cake-decorating supplies.

The icing colours are no longer safe. The lady on the other end of the phone wasn’t too clear as to why … either they’ve changed manufacturing practices, or the labelling was never consistent in the first place.

It used to be that they were all peanut-free, then we started finding ones (in our own cupboards) that listed the dreaded may contain tagline. So Krystyne called, and since then we have had to scramble to find other alternatives.

So far, we’ve used liquid food colouring and Kool-Aid mix. Between the two, the liquid food colouring works better, but nothing like the way the Wilton icing colours did.

The search continues …

Candy? Can Do!

2011-03-04T09:00:00.000-05:00

My wife, Krystyne, is a bargain shopper. In fact, she may be the Queen … nay, Empress … of bargain shoppers.

One thing that becomes difficult when your child has a special diet is finding treats for a decent price. When it comes to peanut-free chocolate, we shop our local grocery and department stores.

“Buh-duh.”

However … while this isn’t rocket science, in order to get the best bang for your buck make sure to shop after one holiday for the next holiday.

After Christmas, buy for Valentine’s Day.
After Valentine’s Day, buy for Easter.
After Easter, buy for the Summer break.
After the Back to School rush, buy for Halloween.
After Halloween, buy for Christmas.

… And repeat.

For example since Valentine’s Day just finished, Krystyne picked up our Easter treats on February 15^th. She found Hershey’s Kisses for 80 cents per package at WalMart. She bought … let’s just say she bought lots!

This means that the kids will be happy come Easter. There will be lots of Easter eggs for the hunt (we have hollow plastic eggs that we fill with treats), chock full of yummy Valentine’s Day chocolates!

… Provided we don’t eat them all before that.

What a Year!

2011-03-03T20:38:00.000-05:00

After a gruelling year of allergy tests, family trauma, exhilarating highs and excruciating lows …

LIAM IS NO LONGER AIRBORNE-ALLERGIC TO PEANUTS!!!

Now, he is still touch-allergic and definitely taste-allergic … anaphylactic at that … but after blood tests, smear tests, and even a blind peanut challenge, we now have had at least a large amount of stress removed from our shoulders.

I remember many times us saying, “if even he were not airborne-allergic …”, and now that’s a reality. It means that we no longer have to monitor what everyone else eats (a relief to both us and other parents), and we can return to only watching what our own family eats.

And, speaking of which, we’ve found another peanut-free (and diet-friendly) snack.

Cheecha Krackles are a Canadian puffed potato snack product that are produced in a nut-free facility, come in a variety of flavours, and also offer a gluten-free line. Oh, and did I mention that there are 0 Trans Fats, Less than 3 grams of fat, and only 89 calories in a 2-cup portion! Careful, though – they are very tasty and therefore extremely addictive.

Great post on Nut-Free schools

2010-03-05T09:07:00.002-05:00

I wanted to share this opinion on peanut bans in schools. It's from a
parent who does NOT have a peanut-allergic child and is ... GASP ...
In favour of her child's school banning nuts, and reasons why in some
cases it's a good idea.

http://notedandblogged.blogspot.com/2010/03/nut-free-oh-we-should-be-so-lucky.html

Quaker Crispy Minis changed again

2010-03-02T18:37:00.001-05:00

I realize that this blog has been quiet of late, but I felt it important to let people know that there have been changes to the recipe for Quaker’s Crispy Mini Rice Chips – which had been a staple in our peanut-safe classroom. They changed the recipe once before to include trace amounts of peanuts (and other allergens). Now I am happy to report that they have reduced the number of allergens in 10 flavours of this product.

Here is the notice, forwarded through Anaphylaxis Canada …

**********************************

NOTICE FROM: PepsiCo Canada

March 2010

IMPORTANT NOTICE: QUAKER BRAND TO REDUCE ALLERGENS

IN SEVERAL CRISPY MINIS® RICE CHIPS

As part of its ongoing mission to deliver healthy and convenient options that fit into a healthy lifestyle, PepsiCo Canada's Quaker brand is making changes to its manufacturing and allergen control procedures for its Crispy Minis rice chips.

The changes will reduce the number of potential allergens in most flavours of rice chips products only. Allergen labeling on other Crispy Minis products, including Crispy Minis Bite Size rice chips, Crispy Minis Delights cookies and Crispy Minis rice cakes, remains the same.

The reduced allergen Crispy Minis rice chips are now on store shelves in major Canadian retail outlets. Accordingly, ingredients listings will be changing, and precautionary labeling will be adjusted only on affected products, as follows:

CRISPY MINIS RICE CHIPS FLAVOUR	CURRENT FORMULA	NEW FORMULA
Ketchup	Contains Milk and Soy Ingredients. May Contain Wheat, Egg, and Peanut	Contains Milk and Soy Ingredients
Sea Salt & Lime	Contains Milk and Soy Ingredients. May Contain Wheat, Egg, and Peanut	Contains Milk and Soy Ingredients
Salt & Vinegar	Contains Milk and Soy Ingredients. May Contain Wheat, Egg, and Peanut	Contains Milk and Soy Ingredients
Caramel Kettle Corn	Contains Sulphites. May Contains Wheat, Milk, Soy, Egg and Peanut.	Contains Sulphites. May Contain Soy.
Crunchy Dill	Contains Milk and Soy Ingredients. May Contain Wheat, Egg, and Peanut.	Contains Milk and Soy Ingredients.
Butter Popcorn	Contains Milk and Soy Ingredients. May Contain Wheat, Egg, and Peanut.	Contains Milk and Soy Ingredients.
Sweet Chili	N/A new flavour	Contains Soy and Wheat Ingredients.
BBQ	Contains Milk and Barley Ingredients. May Contain Soy, Egg, Wheat, and Peanut.	Contains Milk and Barley Ingredients. May Contain Soy.
Cheddar	Contains Milk and Soy Ingredients. May Contain Wheat, Egg, and Peanut.	Contains Milk and Soy Ingredients.
Sour Cream & Onion	Contains Milk Ingredients. May Contain Soy, Egg, Wheat, and Peanut.	Contains Milk Ingredients.

The Quaker brand reminds consumers of these important tips regarding the importance of carefully reading food ingredient labels:

Food-allergic individuals and those buying for them are encouraged to read food ingredient labels at least three times: once when purchasing the item; a second time when putting the item away; and a third time just prior to serving the item.

Take steps to improve your understanding of labeling regulations and their limitations. It should never be assumed that all sizes and flavours have identical allergen profiles, so check the label every time.

Products with a "may contain" warning could be problematic for individuals with life-threatening food allergies. If there is a precautionary warning, it is possible that the product contains traces of the allergen.

No Traction

2010-01-29T13:49:00.001-05:00

Today, as I sit in the school parking lot, it is –20 degrees Celsius here in Uxbridge – hence the inspiration for the post title. However it also explains the reason why this blog has been quiet for so many months. I knew that if I started writing about anything related to peanut allergies, too many raw emotions and soured words would bubble to the top to allow for a readable post.

Sadly, there have been no improvements in the situation at school. We are still not allowed to check all of the lunches in Liam’s classroom, nor are we allowed to check the lunches of the class that mixes with his twice a week. The school board seems to be dotting their i’s and crossing their t’s, as the last we heard from them was to ask for Liam’s allergist and our family doctor to write – in their own words – the same information that was included in Liam’s allergen avoidance policy. So … no traction there.

In the meantime …

The grand total of allergic reactions Liam has had since this all started is six. Six reactions in a matter of two months, after two years of no reactions while in Junior and Senior Kindergarten, where community snacks were still being provided by the parents. We finally decided that Liam would stay home on days when the classes merged. The final straw came through a short conversation with one of Liam’s friends from the other Grade One class.

On this morning while Liam’s classmates were presenting their lunches to Krystyne for a visual inspection (yes, this is what the board has dictated, since we can’t touch their lunchboxes), a little girl from the other classroom told her, “you’re not doing a very good job at checking our lunches.”

Questions about the lunch checks have become common since the change in policy, but this comment was a little surprising. Krystyne politely explained that we’re not allowed to check her class’ lunches anymore. Then she asked why.

“Because there are some kids eating Peanut Butter Cups for snack.”

WHUUUUAAAAAAT????

We don’t know whether it’s true or not, but we weren’t about to take any more chances. We know the girl and her family well and trust that she wouldn’t lie to us, and that would help explain why Liam reacted whenever the classes merged. Either way – true or not – we were unwilling to take any more chances with Liam’s life. So on mornings when the classes are slated to merge, Liam stays home until lunch, and the desks are washed down before he gets there for the afternoon.

Some progress at the school

There is some good news in all of this. In November the principal started a parent's advisory board on food allergies, of which Krystyne is a member. They review the school’s policies to help keep all of the food-allergic students safe. At the last meeting, they learned that the school will be putting a sink outside the primary grade classrooms so the children can wash their hands more often and more easily, rather than having to travel down two floors to the washrooms.

So, out of the frustration with this situation comes hope for some of the other parents at the school.

Beware at Zehrs

2009-11-11T10:34:00.001-05:00

I was at our local supermarket this morning, and saw a box of Farmers Market cookies. What caught my eye was that the label on top of the box said “No Nuts”, as you can see below.

sorry about the quality – the macro on my cell phone sucks

So, having trained myself to religiously read labels, I flipped the box over – only to read the following underneath the ingredient list …

MAY CONTAIN TRACES OF PEANUTS, NUTS, SOY AND/OR OTHER ALLERGENS AND CONTAIN THE OCCASIONAL PIT

WHAT??? According to the label from Zehrs, this product contains no nuts, but according to the manufacturer (Farmers Market – and kudos to them for clearly listing the allergens, BTW) there may be trace amounts of nuts (and apparently perhaps a fruit pit as well, but I digress).

The store manager won’t be in until later today, but we’ll need to ask them the reasoning for, and if they could change the confusing front label.

To some it may seem that I am unfairly targeting Zehrs, but they are the only supermarket in our small town and the closest competitor is 20 km away. Not many choices for parents looking for quick and easy snacks to send with their children to school.

Again, make sure you Read the Label every single time.

Fighting False Information

2009-11-10T10:44:00.001-05:00

I always find it amazing how in a society that prides itself on tolerance and acceptance, there can be so much hatred directed towards people – and children, no less - with medical conditions that in some jurisdictions are classed as disabilities.

In the latest issue of Chatelaine magazine, you can find an article that dismisses food allergies as an overreaction by “parents and schools [who are] cowering in fear of the tiny peanut”. The article is a parent of a picky eater who has been inconvenienced by her son’s school enacting a ban on peanuts for the sake of safety of another allergic student.

The author proceeds to misquote studies and figures to support her theories. A good take on the article – and the overall reaction by the public and Chatelaine’s editors - can be found here (and yes, that’s my comment as ‘Hi-Lander’). I can understand the editors’ reasoning for publishing the article … it creates controversy, controversy creates sales, and sales create profit.

How often do the people with these negative opinions think about how it affects those of us that have to deal with food allergies on a daily (sometimes hourly) basis? Reading through the comments on both the original and CBC News articles rub salt deep into a fresh wound for me, as we are still dealing with the effects of one such parent at our sons’ school. Krystyne or I now have to be in the classroom from the morning bell until lunchtime to monitor for a possible reaction in hopes to catch Liam before it turns anaphylactic. What’s sad is that before this, Liam had no reactions in the two years he was in school. Since this change (read my last post for the details), Liam has had two reactions within three weeks. This is also the reason the blog has been so quiet lately – the whole thing is physically, mentally, and emotionally draining – as it is still not resolved.

When it comes to peanut allergies, there are varying triggers that require varying precautions.

The trigger with the highest threshold for causing a reaction is when someone actually eats peanuts. This is relatively easy to avoid – one commenter on the Chatelaine article (connieg) relates to this – simply don’t eat peanuts. This has no effect on picky eaters as long as food is not shared. Education of your own child is the key to keeping them safe.

The trigger for the next-lower threshold is in touching something with peanut protein (residue). In this case, the education of others is necessary as well as the child with the allergy. This is the reason that some airlines create “buffer zones” where peanuts are not allowed to be served. As long as the child doesn’t touch anything outside of that buffer zone, there should not be a reaction. In school classrooms, the easiest thing to do is ban peanuts from the room (at least in primary grades, until the child is old enough to manage their own allergy). There is a Kindergarten student at our boys’ school who is touch allergic to peanuts.

Many people believe that using an anti-bacterial hand wash or spray can clean surfaces of peanut residue, but anti-bacterial is not anti-protein. When wiping a surface with peanut protein using anti-bacterial wipes (or sprays, or alcohol-based cleaners), you are merely smearing the protein around. It needs to be washed with ‘regular’ cleaning agents (i.e.: SOAP).

Liam’s trigger has the lowest threshold (rare even in his allergist’s experience). He is in the 1% of peanut-allergic children who are airborne-allergic to peanuts. This means that if you ate peanut butter for breakfast, he can react (and has reacted) to you. With each reaction, the allergy gets more severe, and lessens any chances he may have had of growing out of it later in life. His reaction times have lowered from over an hour (airborne) to within 15 minutes, and from minutes (ingesting) to seconds. This is another reason why many schools put peanut bans in place, and why Liam always carries his EpiPens with him.

With more misinformation, such as in the Chatelaine article and related comments, comes the need for more accurate education. When Anaphylaxis Canada learned that the article was to be published, they penned and submitted a formal rebuttal letter, and started a discussion forum in Chatelaine’s Health section – which has since been buried by discussions on H1N1 concerns.

Education is the key, but like all keys, needs to fit the lock.

Enough is Enough

2009-10-28T13:07:00.001-04:00

For the last few weeks, I’ve been fighting the strong urge to speak out publically about an issue at Liam’s school – one that’s seen him miss classes and made us the topic of conversation in the staff room – but, as Popeye would say, “That’s all I can stands. I can’t stands no more!”

I do apologize that this will be a long post, but I’ve included headings to help organize my thoughts and assist in reading.

Background
All three of our boys are allergic to peanuts. Joseph and Keeghan, our older two, only react if they eat trace amounts. Liam, our youngest, is by far the worst reacting of the three. He is anaphylactic to trace amounts (down to 10 ppm) but he is also airborne allergic. This means that if you eat peanut butter – or anything else with nuts – and are in the same room with him, he will react to you. Our allergist has told us that he is in the 1% of children with peanut allergies who have this airborne trigger. His reactions are also atypical – there’s no swelling or rash. Instead, he loses blood pressure that if left unnoticed can (and has) put him in the emergency room.

School Life Before
Liam was diagnosed with this allergy three years ago. Two years ago, at age 4, he started school. The boys’ school and the parents of his classmates until now have been very understanding and supportive. The school has an “avoidance policy” for every student with a food allergy. This policy describes accepted and agreed-upon procedures for reducing the risk of exposure to the child’s allergen(s). Part of Liam’s avoidance policy is that the students’ lunches are checked for non-peanut-free snacks.

This school (which I will not name, because the faculty and staff have been very cooperative with us over the years) is too small and too crowded (read “old”) to allow for a lunchroom, let alone a peanut-free table within it. For this reason the primary students eat their lunch and snacks at their desks. Hence the need to ensure that, as the school board policy states, “the students have a safe environment in which to learn”. So for the last two years, Liam’s class lunches have been quickly checked each morning. The children place their lunches on a bookshelf outside the classroom. While class begins, the lunches are discreetly checked – not someone groping through the lunch bag, but a quick glance at packaging and gently shaking the bag to see any that may be obscured. This is something that my wife Krystyne has volunteered to do since Day One. She is phenomenal at differentiating “safe” and “unsafe” items quickly – it still amazes me. If something is found, Krystyne quietly asks the teacher to speak to the child, and they are asked if they could put the “unsafe” item in their backpack to enjoy after school. The student is then offered a peanut-free item to replace it (which we have bought with our own money and left in the classroom for this purpose), and the day continues.

In this way, we are taking the responsibility of keeping Liam safe back on us rather than burdening others with it. The teachers, staff and other parents have often thanked us that this worry has been lifted from their shoulders and that, as one mom put it, “even if I screw up and accidentally put something in there, I know it’s going to be caught.” Krystyne has also volunteered to do this for another touch-allergic student who started Kindergarten this year as part of his avoidance policy. And despite everyone trying their best, there have been “unsafe” foods found.

But No More - “The Incident”
Three weeks ago, the mother of a child in Liam’s class decided that this showed a “lack of trust” on our part and asked the vice-principal that the lunches no longer be checked. The mother suggested that Liam could eat his lunch outside of the classroom instead. The vice-principal agreed with us that this did not help avoid exposure to peanuts, as Liam’s classroom could still be contaminated. Not finding any satisfaction, the mother then went to the school board complaining now of privacy concerns. In a knee-jerk reaction, the school board went against Liam’s established avoidance policy and put a stop to the lunch checks.

In a long, tearful meeting with the vice-principal, we came to the conclusion that if the school was unable to provide a safe environment for Liam, he could no longer attend until it was resolved. We offered to sit down and talk with the other mom and asked the vice-principal to convey that message to her, but in the end we were left with no other choice but to keep Liam home until the matter could be addressed.

Sadly this decision affected the touch-allergic child as well, as his classmates’ lunches were no longer being checked either.

School Board Miscommunication
After downloading and reading through the policies available on the Durham District School Board’s website we saw that, indeed, the board was going against its own guidelines. We left messages for trustees, administrators, superintendants, but got no answers. At this point we called our MPP (Member of Provincial Parliament), who assured us that under Sabrina’s Law we were fully within our rights and that he would gladly help us – but cautioned that the matter would become immediately public once he got involved. We thanked him and declined his offer for the moment to allow the possibility of a resolution through the school board. Liam remained home, feeling that his friends no longer wanted him in the classroom.

Finally we were contacted by the School Board’s administrator, who informed us that she had talked with a representative from Anaphylaxis Canada and been told that in her words, “airborne allergies account for only 1% of food allergies, so don’t worry about it.” Needless to say we were taken aback. We spoke with the same representative at Anaphylaxis Canada who assured us that she was grossly misquoted, and that the school board administrator did not even mention that she was inquiring about an airborne allergic child. It took a few days of back-and-forth calling for the administrator to understand Liam’s documented sensitivity and severity.

Since then, we have talked with other members of the school board (we were originally told to only deal with the administrator), and a plan was arranged to be put into place.

Baby Steps
For the first week, Krystyne was constantly on the phone. The principal at Liam’s school had taken over the matter from the vice-principal, and one morning we went in to discuss if there was any progress since talking with the board. We brought Liam with us, as it was his education (and life) we were dealing with, and we make it a point not to lie to our children about what’s going on. Within 5 minutes of being in her office, I noticed the first signs of Liam having a reaction – you could start to see the veins through his temples. If we catch it at that point and keep him active (natural adrenaline), we can usually halt the reaction with Benadryl, which he also carries with him. While Liam munched on the pills and bounced around the office, we explained how we can never know what triggers his airborne reactions – maybe residue on a doorknob or surface, someone in the outer office, anything – and that’s how subtly they start. While unplanned … and definitely unwanted … Liam’s reaction that morning helped the principal understand what she was dealing with. So a “lunch check permission form” was drafted to be sent home with board approval.

During this time, a number of parents had come to us and asked if we knew which mother it was (“No.”), if we wanted them to write a letter (“Sure, but only to the principal or board. Not the media.”), or if there was anything else they could do (“Just keep praying.”). We didn’t tell many people what was going on other than the bare minimum, since we didn’t want to be what everyone was talking about around the dinner table.

The school board has since said to us that they have never received as much support – or even comments either for or against – on any issue in the past as with the support from parents on this one.

A few days later, all but 2 permission forms had come back with resounding support of the lunch checks, and the decision was made that any children with “No” forms would eat in another classroom and have to wash their hands and faces before coming back into Liam’s class. After a full wash down of the classroom, we sent him back to school, and all but those 2 lunches were allowed to be checked in the manner they were before.

Ostracised!
The next week, another complaint came in from the same mother that her child was being singled out by eating in another room. So in another knee-jerk reaction, all of the students are once again eating in Liam’s classroom regardless if their lunches have been checked or not. Once again policies are being thrown out the window and a child’s life is being threatened.

The two Grade One classes fully interact with each other – they use each other’s classroom for activities often, such as making crafts, and using wooden geometric shapes and blocks in math. This is why originally both classes’ lunches were being checked. The closest sink/washroom to the classrooms are two floors down, so sending them downstairs before each time they merge would take away too much instruction time.

Under the advice of other principals in the region, the school’s annual bake sale was cancelled and replaced with a “peanut-free Halloween treat sale”. The school actually made more money with it than with previous bake sales.

And this is not just overreaction by a food-nazi or an overprotective parent. There have been incidents in the school with kids bringing mixed nuts for snack, or claiming they have peanut butter on their fingers as they chase known allergic children around the playground. A couple years ago, one mother in another grade heard that they were not allowed to send peanut products with their child and deliberately packed a jelly sandwich with a dollop of peanut butter in the middle. Luckily, their child knew she had, and took their lunch to the school office to tell them about it.

The Last Straw
This morning while Krystyne was checking the lunches, she was handed a note about an upcoming class activity in which the primary classes will be making a vegetable soup lunch. Among the list of things for parents to bring is french bread. Bakeries are understandably notorious for cross-contamination. In the past, we have offered and provided treats and peanut-free baked goods for the class. Krystyne offered to bake all of the bread and bring it in. She was told by Liam’s teacher that it might be better to keep him home that day instead.

For the first time since all of this started, the classes merged for an activity this morning. Within minutes Krystyne noticed that Liam was having an airborne reaction to someone else in the classroom. So out came the Benadryl and she stayed with Liam to make sure that the reaction had been halted.

So while the principal and most of the parents have been very supportive, the matter is still unresolved and we can no longer trust that Liam has a safe learning environment. For that reason we have decided to bring it forward publically in the hopes that this can help educate others, and raise awareness about the need for safe learning environments for students with severe food allergies.

Other information on Sabrina’s Law can be found here.

Disciplinary Abuse, Criminal Negligence, or Worse?

2009-10-10T10:45:00.001-04:00

This is certainly a story to keep a close eye on. There is no crime being brought against this teacher, but should there be?

http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2009/10/10/Mom-Teacher-tried-to-sicken-allergic-boy/UPI-10131255151458/

Peanut-Free Field Trip

2009-09-24T17:47:00.001-04:00

Krystyne often volunteers at the boys' school. From baking to shopping for peanut-free snacks to chaperoning field trips, she's a regular in the halls.

Recently, Keeghan's cross country group had a meet at another school and Krystyne volunteered to drive some of the students. Before she left, she printed up some small signs on cardstock to place inside the van to mark it as a "peanut-free zone". Since Liam is trace-amount allergic nuts are allowed nowhere near our house or car.

The kids' reactions were cool. They noticed the signs right away, and asked if the stuff that they had brought with them was ok. They thought it was great that there were alternative, peanut-free snacks in the van just in case something needed to be replaced.

First Day Down

2009-09-10T10:19:00.001-04:00

First off, I want to apologize for not posting lately. My laptop has been put out of commission and I am taking longer than expected to get things back up and running on an older computer.

Tuesday was the big day. As many parents of peanut-allergic children, we were nervous wrecks the day before and on edge the morning of. But I am happy to report that everything went extremely well.

All of the class lists were posted on the outside walls of the school, and the teachers were mingling about their individual areas of the schoolyard to meet the students and parents. We found each of the boys’ areas and Joseph ran off to play with friends – Grade 6’s won’t wait with their parents :)

Keeghan’s and Liam’s classrooms are across the hall from each other, so we were able to wait in the same area for them to meet with both teachers. When the bell rang, we headed up to Liam’s classroom to help with the morning routine.

The children swapped their outdoor shoes for newer indoor ones and then placed their lunchboxes on a table and shelves outside the classroom.

lunchboxes waiting patiently

Then Liam’s teacher took the class on a tour to show them where the washrooms were – and wash their hands as part of their morning routine – then back to the classroom where Krystyne had prepared a little talk about allergies – we need to get a copy of Allie the Allergic Elephant for Liam. We also had Be a PAL cards (from the PBS Kids’ Hooray for Health activity book) for the teachers to give out. Then Krystyne and I were off to follow up with the Vice Principal.

The really cool thing was that within the novella of take-home notices from the school that night we found the Peanut Alert notice that the Principal drafted based on Krystyne’s letter to parents that she had created for Liam’s Kindergarten class. AND the one-page notice that alerted parents to the fact that there are peanut-allergic students asked (in bold) for cooperation to make the school a peanut-free school.

Liam went through Junior and Senior Kindergarten with no reactions at school – we’re praying that this streak continues … and big brother Joseph has volunteered to be a lunch monitor for Liam’s class again this year, so he’ll help keep his brother safe.

Back to School

2009-08-28T08:26:00.008-04:00

We're coming down to the wire for sending our kids back to school. Most parents view this time as - like the Staples commercials suggests - "the most wonderful time of the year". Parents of children with food allergies more often view this as the most stressful time of the year.

Along with the return to classes comes the return of communal lunches, school bus snacking, and field trips with school-provided food. To the parent of a food-allergic child, each of these have the potential for cross-contamination and allergic reactions.

Anaphylaxis Canada has put together a Back to School podcast to help share strategies for returning to school. It can be found under the Anaphylaxis Learning Centre on their website. Below is also a checklist they originally posted for returning to school.

Back to School Checklist:

Educate your child about his/her allergies and review key recommendations:

Do not share foods or take food from others.
Read food labels. Avoid any foods with precautionary warnings, such as may contain.
Always carry an epinephrine auto-injector, i.e. EpiPen or Twinject when age appropriate.
Wash their hands before and after eating.
Wear medical identification, such as a MedicAlert bracelet.
Talk to others about their allergies.

Work with your child's school staff and community:

Establish open communication when developing avoidance strategies and plans. Strive for allergy-safe, not allergen-free environments.
Provide completed medical forms and in-date auto-injectors at the start of the school year.
Advocate for no eating policies on buses and other settings where no adult supervision (for younger children) is provided.
Help educate the school community about anaphylaxis with credible allergy-related information.
Consult with foodservice/cafeteria staff to inquire about their allergen management policies for food prepared at school.

Review emergency procedures with staff:

Anaphylaxis Emergency Plan (download at http://www.allergysafecommunities.ca/)
How to use an auto-injector (view at http://www.epipen.ca/ or http://www.twinject.ca/

Stay informed

For information, resources and products visit our website at http://www.anaphylaxis.ca/. Visit our new teen website, http://www.whyriskit.ca/ for useful resources specific to pre-teens, teens and young adults.

Remember, anaphylaxis management is a shared responsibility that includes allergic children, parents, educators and the entire school community. Only by working together can we help keep our kids safe.

We wish you all a happy and safe school year!

Anaphylaxis Canada

I (Shawn) would also like to add a few more resources for you from earlier posts:

Our Safe Snack letter that we have shared with parents at Liam's school (pdf file)
Some peanut-free snacks that we have found
More peanut-free snacks
School-safe snacks from the Dare cookie outlet
How to inject epinephrine using both the EpiPen and the Twinject injectors

Peanut-Free Contest !!!

2009-08-21T19:08:00.003-04:00

If you haven't already, make sure you enter the Pack a lunch with panache contest from Dare Foods!

As a back to school treat - for the parents :) - Dare is giving away a great lunch tote from Built, along with a Klean Kanteen stainless steel water bottle. AND you also get a selection of Dare's peanut-free snack products to go in the tote!

Get more details and sign up for the contest here.

... Sorry, but the contest is only open to Canadian residents.

So Close, and yet So Far

2009-08-19T21:27:00.016-04:00

Peanut-Free Snacks!

This is the sign that greeted me last night when I walked into the local grocery store. Hallelujah! Along with all of the Back to School binders and pens and backpacks, here were some school-safe snacks for parents to pick up as well. I wandered over to check out the stash.

Large packs of Mars bars, Tootsie Rolls, Wonka candy, and Dare Bear Paws all stared at me with smiling "No Peanut" symbols. But then, what was that? There's some Cadbury boxes on the shelf. Has Cadbury finally joined the ranks of companies offering peanut-free lines? Is that a Caramilk package I see?

I went in for a closer look. Yes, it was a Caramilk package. I eagerly turned it over, ready to scan through the ingredient list for the may contain warning, newly free of peanuts.

Nope. There it was in bold lettering - may contain peanuts, tree nuts ... Then I saw the Mr. Big package next to it.

Now I knew there was a problem. One of the main ingredients in a Mr Big bar is peanuts. Read the label - there it is. Mind you, the may contain warning only listed "tree nuts", but up just one line from it was the word "peanuts". I grabbed a bag of both and walked to the nearest cashier.

"Is there a Duty Manager I could talk with about the Peanut Free section?", I asked. Now, I know that a 6'4, 350-lb man coming up to you late at night may seem intimidating, so I smiled and made sure to stand a "safe" distance from her. After a second-take and a little blink, she called upstairs and shortly thereafter, the night manager came downstairs.

"First off, thank you for the peanut-free section," I started (It's always good to start and end with praise, sandwiching the concern in the middle - Management 101). "But I noticed there are a few things in the section that contain nuts."

"Oh? Well my understanding is that it's only the one wall that is peanut-free, she replied."

Wait, what? - that part was thankfully only in my head - "Ok, but couldn't that be a bit confusing?", I asked as we walked towards the small corner at the store entrance.

She looked over the layout which was "only supposed" to be peanut-free, and nodded in approval. "Yep, this is the side."

This side mostly contained cookies. The candy bars behind me were apparently a mixed bag of nut and no-nut treats and separated from the safe snacks only by a small block of drink boxes.

"Ok," I calmly retorted, "but again, couldn't this layout be confusing?" I then turned to the Cadbury boxes and pulled out another bag (I still held mine) for her to read the label. "See, it says 'peanuts' right here. If someone picked up one of these, thinking they're peanut-free - because it's in the 'peanut-free' section - and gave it to their child for lunch, and then that child ate it while sitting next to my airborne-allergic son, that would be enough to send him to the emergency room."

"Oh, but ... Oh!" Her eyes went wide as the lights came on, and she grabbed the 'peanut-free' sign and moved it next to the end-cap of the side with the cookies. "I'll get the Grocery department to change this for tomorrow," she apologized (it was almost closing time). "The last thing we want is to send a child to the hospital."

She then picked up one of each bag of candy to check the ingredients. We then spent a few minutes reading the backs of the packages together, discussing shared manufacturing lines and differing label laws for Canada and other countries. She then figured out which ones would need to be moved from the section to make the whole corner "peanut-free" rather than one side of the shared shelving unit. I thanked her and then went deeper into the store to find the oil that I originally went there to buy (100% Vegetable Oil; Ingredients: canola and/or soybean oil).

For those of you pissed off that the food police are at it again, let me say that we're not trying to remove all peanut-containing products, or asking manufacturers to change recipes for a minority of consumers that can't eat their products anyway. We're only trying to make it easier for all consumers to make informed decisions. Not everyone is as used to reading the labels so carefully as the parent of a food-allergic child.

Allergy awareness happens at all times of the day, in all places. My wife or I will probably drop in later this afternoon to check on the section again.

Binky Goes Nuts

2009-08-19T09:09:00.003-04:00

Helping a food-allergic child understand their allergy can be difficult. There's also the fear of singling them out and over-protecting them. All three of our boys are allergic to peanuts to some degree, with Liam having the worst of all reactions - analphylactic to trace amounts. His blood pressure drops and, if we don't catch it, he goes comatose. More than enough nights have been spent waking him up evrey 15-20 minutes and waiting for his secondary reaction - projectile vomiting. When this is the option, there really is no such thing as "over protecting".

The makers of the Arthur cartoon series understand a child's need to see that they are "normal", and even included food allergies. One of the main characters - Binky, the school bully - has a peanut allergy, and the show Binky Goes Nuts deals specifically with this.

You can download a number of pdf files in the parent and teacher section of the pbskids website, located here, in their Hooray for Health series. The DVD of the episode is available at Amazon - in Canada here and the US site here. If you want to preview it, I found the episode in two parts on YouTube (I didn't put it there, so don't please yell at me for not respecting copyright):

Binky Goes Nuts, part 1 of 2
Binky Goes Nuts, part 2 of 2

I found a list of other TV characters that deal with food allergies that I posted here. Did you know there are characters in Star Trek: Enterprise and StarGate: Atlantis with food allergies?

Hidden Allergens

2009-08-17T11:51:00.003-04:00

There's a commercial for peanut-free Quaker Chewy Bars up here in Canada that shows a mom about to put a cupcake in her child's lunch when all of a sudden a peanut jumps up through the top of the cupcake. The purpose of the commercial - other than to sell the Chewy Bars of course - is to highlight the hidden allergens in some products. At the end of the commercial we see the peanut "in jail" within the box of cupcakes that declares on its side may contain peanuts.

The point is, we can't tell what's in a product unless (a) we make it ourselves, or (b) the manufacturer clearly labels what is present as an ingredient or may be present due to cross-contamination from shared lines. And these allergens can be anywhere. Check out the short list of non-food items that I posted earlier that contain peanuts.

I have also noticed for the past month or so that there have been visits to the blog from someone typing "allergy to freezie" in Google. I don't know if that means that they are looking on behalf of them or a loved one to understand how they can be allergic to a freezie, not realizing that it may be through cross-contamination with nuts or some other allergen. Whatever the reason, my heart goes out to them.

As parents of food-allergic children, we each have lists of "safe" foods that our kids can eat and longer lists of foods to avoid. All we can do is share our discoveries, prayers and experiences with each other. For that reason, I'm listing a few links here in the hope that they help you as they've helped us. I caution you that these lists are far from exhaustive, and as always, may change without warning. Always read the labels, and ask questions whenever possible. Also, note that legislation, labelling and products are different in each region.

Our family restaurant list
Peanut free snacks
Our "safe snacks" letter for schools
A list of "safe foods" from the Toronto Catholic District School Board

Scary Statistics

2009-08-13T11:26:00.001-04:00

According to an article in the Fall 2009 Allergic Living magazine, there are many, many, potentially dangerous misconceptions about food allergies. A study done last February surveyed 2000 Americans about their knowledge surrounding food allergies.

The numbers …

46% thought there is a cure for food allergies
66% thought daily medication can prevent allergic reactions
50% thought a milk allergy is the same as lactose intolerance
51% didn’t know allergies run in families
41% were aware that egg allergies are common in children
33% felt allergic children should have separate lunch tables

With the new school year fast approaching, it is imperative that we as parents of food-allergic children find a way to raise awareness on the seriousness of food allergies. The difficulty is in not becoming militant in our concern for our own child(ren)’s safety and in so doing, alienate and anger those with whom we need to cooperate.

The survey also showed that while most people believe that schools should have food-allergy policies, two-thirds thought it would be unfair if their own child could not bring a peanut-butter sandwich to school. Scary stuff.

Mmmm, Zucchini Bread

2009-08-08T19:32:00.001-04:00

We saved up our zucchini from last week’s and this week’s farm share from Cooper’s Farm and decided to make some zucchini bread.

8 cups of pre-shredded zucchini :-)

Here’s the recipe we ended up using (shortened here for 2 cups of zucchini instead of 8 cups, though – we bake a lot) …

3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups white sugar
2 cups grated zucchini
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit ( 165 degrees C). Grease and flour two 8x4 inch loaf pans.
In a large bowl, beat eggs until light and frothy. Mix in oil and sugar. Stir in zucchini and vanilla. Combine flour, cinnamon, soda, baking powder and salt; stir into the egg mixture. Divide batter into prepared pans.

Optional
We decided to make chocolate zucchini bread too. If you want to make some, add 1 cup of melted chocolate chips and another 1/2 cup of un-melted chocolate chips and mix them through just before you divide the batter into the loaf pans

Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until done.

A Better Selection

2009-08-06T18:59:00.001-04:00

On the heels of yesterday’s exclusion of the Selection brand of foods, I am happy to report on finding a peanut-safe brand of flours for baking.

Oak Manor Farms, located in Tavistock, Ontario, sells a number of certified organic products, including spelt flour, which is milled onsite. I called them to ask about cross-contamination, and was pleased to hear that they do not produce any nut products onsite – although they can’t state that they are “peanut free”. The example I was given was that one of the harvesters may be eating peanuts while harvesting the grains … which is far enough out of the production cycle for us. :)

So if you’re looking for a good supplier for peanut-safe and organic flours to be used in baking, I’d give the folks at Oak Manor Farms a look-see.

Risky Selection

2009-08-05T17:17:00.001-04:00

One of the endless tasks in living with food allergies is reading package labels and ingredient lists. From party snacks to groceries, we have to be diligent in looking for allergens – like peanuts – or possible trace amounts.

We’ve found our favourite brands – those that we know and love and use daily – and brands that we need to avoid. One of the in-store brands that we absolutely love is the Compliments brand from the Sobeys family of stores (see Camping with Allergies), because of their clarity in allergy labelling. Sadly, we’ve had to add the Selection brand from the Metro family of stores to our “do not touch” list.

In an attempt to find allergy information for baking supplies, Krystyne called the customer service number and was told that there are no allergy warnings on any of that brand’s packaging. The reason given was that the manufacturing facilities change often enough to (they feel) preclude them from changing the labelling.

The customer service rep on the other end of the phone was very understanding – she has friends with food allergies – and she recommended to us that we avoid the Selection line entirely to err on the side of caution.

So we will be avoiding the Selection brand whenever we come across it in our shopping, at least until the national legislation on food labelling for allergens comes through. However, to the Metro chain’s credit, they do carry a number of products that are CAC-certified to be free from specific allergens.

Happy Anniversary

2009-08-02T14:55:00.001-04:00

Three months ago today my wife and I started this blog … interestingly enough, on our wedding anniversary. We thought it would be a good way to help other parents of children with food allergies – peanuts specifically, but since we all have to read labels and work at helping family, friends, and caregivers understand the hidden dangers of food allergies, all are welcome.

As an anniversary post, I’d like to offer links to some of the most-visited pages since May …

How to inject epinephrine
Peanut Free Snacks
Harmful Cure
Allergies on TV
Sticks and Stones aside …
Restaurant List
A Kindred Spirit
Reaction Watch
“Allergy Moms” Newsletter
It’ll drive you nuts

Thanks for a great three months so far. Hopefully these posts have been – and will continue to be – informational and helpful for you in learning to live with food allergies – whether in yourself, or in your child.

Complacency in Food Alerts?

2009-07-29T09:00:00.000-04:00

I read an interesting article last night regarding alerts sent out from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, and how the increasing number of alerts may result in consumers being overloaded and desensitized to them.

Here are some of the statistics quoted in the article:

Since 2004, the CFIA has issued 696 alerts

56% of those were food recalls
41% were allergy alerts
3% contained other food-related advice

Of the recall notices, 67% were due to suspected bacterial contamination …

22% from listeria
19% from salmonella
10% from E coli

So do you think we’re being overloaded on food notices?

Communication is the Key

2009-07-28T12:34:00.001-04:00

The boys are at Vacation Bible School (VBS) this week. I know from other parents of children with allergies that this fills them with anxiety. Thankfully, the VBS is being hosted at my sister-in-law’s church, and she has been hard at work to ensure that the week is peanut-free – not just for her nephews, but for other allergic children as well. Also Krystyne is hosting a class on baking with the kids so she is right there in the kitchen, keeping an eye on all of the snacks for the week.

Our boys’ involvement in this week’s VBS stresses the importance of communication – communication with organizers, with school staff, with camp staff, anyone. If you’re longing to send your peanut- (or other allergen) allergic child to a camp, or are looking towards the coming school year with trepidation, let me encourage you to open a dialogue with those who will be responsible for your child in your absence.

Another method of helping your child have some of the “normal” experiences you remember as a kid is to offer to volunteer time, information, snacks, or anything else to help. The first time the boys went to VBS at their aunt’s church, Krystyne volunteered to provide the snacks to ensure they were peanut-free. The other volunteers were spoiled with homemade chocolate chip cookies, brownies, and other such goodies.

We just got back after spending some time at Grandma’s trailer (she bought it for the grandchildren to enjoy, and since none of them can drive yet we get to tag along), where the boys were able to attend a children’s program every weekday. The staff there were so supportive and a couple of times asked Krystyne to check the snacks up-front. Krystyne also attended a staff meeting to teach everyone how to use an EpiPen, just in case. During one of the days home to do laundry Krystyne baked a LOT of chocolate chip cookies to take back to the staff as a thank-you.

Open the door to communication, and keep it open.

Young Children with Peanut Allergies

2009-07-25T08:00:00.000-04:00

Here’s a good article on helping your young child learn to live with their peanut allergy!

http://www.allergyuk.org/art_peanutallergy.aspx

From the article …

With good management and practical solutions peanut allergy can be managed and risks can be minimised, however younger children may need some extra help! As independence is gained your child has to learn to deal with many new situations.

Other articles to help you and your child …

But How do They Feel?
10 Things Children with Food Allergies Want You to Know
What It’s Like (penned by 11-year old PA-son, Joseph)

Curing Peanut Allergies

2009-07-24T13:03:00.001-04:00

Earlier this week I posted a commentary on the findings of recent peanut allergy studies involving feeding children increasing doses of peanut flour, which has now allowed many of them to eat full peanuts and enjoy a newfound freedom (see Harmful Cure).

There have also been reports of developments related to treating the underlying causes for food allergies. First, researchers in Scotland have found the protein responsible for triggering anaphylactic reactions …

Find 'could cut allergy deaths'
Discovery offers hope for nut allergy sufferers

And other news this week announced that researchers in New York have discovered the protein responsible for triggering allergies themselves …

Protein behind food allergies identified

It’s encouraging to see these developments into freeing people – especially children – from life-threatening food allergies.

Harmful Cure

2009-07-19T08:50:00.001-04:00

Over the past few weeks I’ve seen a scary trend in news articles regarding food allergies.

Scientists find nut allergy children cure
Nut allergy children cured by new treatment

There are more and more articles touting the UK study that involves feeding children peanuts in increasing doses as a “cure” for peanut allergies. While I am happy for the children that this study has helped (and their parents), there are few news outlets that mention the children whose reactions were so severe that they were unable to continue the study.

With the prevailing attitude on food allergies being “why should my child change their eating habits to accommodate yours”, children like Liam – whose anaphylactic reaction is triggered by trace amounts (near 10ppm) of peanut protein – may be put more into danger. The more militant of the anti-allergy camp could take this news and say that the allergy can be “cured” so there is even less reason to make peanut-safe policies in schools, or label allergens.

I realize this is a drastic view of the argument, but there is also another problem with this kind of study. What if – for example – there are three siblings involved in the study and two are “cured” of their peanut allergy while one remains trace-amount allergic? In order to keep the allergy from redeveloping, the two siblings would be required to eat peanuts on a regular basis. How do you manage this in a house where the third child cannot be near peanuts – or people who have eaten peanuts – without reacting?

This is similar to the scenario we were faced with on our last visit to the allergist. Liam’s older brothers’ allergies are declining where they may be able to peanuts in the future, but at that point they would have to continue eating peanuts on a regular basis to keep the allergy from returning. Again, because Liam’s reactions are so severe and his allergy’s threshold is so low, there is no way we would be able to keep the house trace-amount peanut-free.

So while the news of treatments that raise the participants’ thresholds for reactions is good news, it still does not provide a “cure” that parents are praying for. However, there is uplifting news coming out of Glasgow University.

Find 'could cut allergy deaths'
Discovery offers hope for nut allergy sufferers

Researchers there have found the molecule responsible for triggering anaphylactic reactions, and preliminary lab tests have shown favourable results in blocking the molecule to reduce the severity of the reaction.

While we may not have a cure yet, thankfully there are signs that we are heading in the right direction.

More Peanut-Free Snacks

2009-07-17T16:28:00.001-04:00

A trip to the local grocery store has yielded more labels of products free from nuts.

The President’s Choice brand from Loblaws includes a Dipped & Chewy line of granola bars that prominently display the peanut-free symbol on the front and there are a number of varieties, including chocolate chip and s’mores.

Of course, if you have more of a sweet tooth, you can pick up a Mars bar – either original, dark, or caramel – they are all peanut-free in Canada.

Mini Rolo chocolates are a good choice choice as well. The ingredient lists wheat under its may contain section, so by Canadian labelling standards that means no peanuts.

And if you’re baking, or looking for sugary candy snacks, the in-store No Name brand offers peanut-free choices such as …

jujubes

gumdrops

… and jellybeans!

And unless you live in Central Ontario, you’ve been seeing beautiful summer temperatures and bright sunshine (it’s getting ready to rain again here for the next few days), and there’s few summer treats that our boys want more than freezies. The No Name brand offers jumbo freezies that are manufactured in peanut-free factories too!

Certified Allergen Control

2009-07-13T15:31:00.001-04:00

Reading labels is a familiar practice when you live with food allergies. I’ve mentioned a few times before the many different ways that manufacturers list allergen information in Canada (under the Food label at the right).

However, I was not familiar with the method for labelling allergens on products manufactured within the province of Québec. We recently found the Leclerc brand of soft-baked cookies, which the boys love.

These little (25g) cookie packages have the familiar peanut with the “No” symbol on the bottom left corner, next to the branding CAC, which stands for Contrôle Allergène Certifié – or Certified Allergen Control. A quick search on the Internet brought me to the program’s official site, which was developed by the Québec Food Allergy Association to recognize products in which their manufacturing process was highly controlled (the CAC program does not use the term “peanut-free”).

The four allergens currently tested for by the program are:

almonds
peanuts
milk
eggs

Participation in the program is voluntary, so not all products labelled as “peanut-free” are automatically included. Again, this underscores the need for a common labelling standard, but this method of certifying products is certainly appreciated. Check out their list of certified foods here.

Alergy Alert - Crown, Lotte, Surasang

2009-07-11T06:22:00.003-04:00

There was another food allergy alert posted from Anaphylaxis Canada regarding undeclared allergens. To sign up for these alerts, visit their webpage and click on Anaphylaxis Registry.

*** *** *** *** *** ***

Dear Registrant,

The following alert from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) pertains to undeclared milk, eggs, or tree nuts (almond, hazelnut) in Crown, Lotte, and Surasang brands of snack foods described below. These products contain allergens which are not declared on the label.

This message is brought to you via the Canadian Anaphylaxis Registry, a public service of Anaphylaxis Canada. Anaphylaxis Canada's mission is to inform, support, educate, and advocate for the needs of individuals and families living with anaphylaxis and to conduct and support research related to anaphylaxis.

http://www.anaphylaxis.ca/
***************************************
ALLERGY ALERT UNDECLARED ALLERGENS IN CROWN, LOTTE, AND SURASANG BRANDS OF SNACK FOODS FROM KOREA

OTTAWA, July 10, 2009 The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is warning people with allergies to milk, eggs, or tree nuts (almond, hazelnut) not to consume various Crown, Lotte, and Surasang brands of snack foods described below. These products contain allergens which are not declared on the labels.

All codes of the following Crown, Lotte, and Surasang brands of snack foods, imported from Korea, are affected by this alert. Product information below can be found on the package and the sticker applied for the Canadian market.

Brand
Product
Size
UPC
Undeclared allergens

Crown
Couque Dasse Coffee Biscuits / Korean Cracker
128 g
8 801111 614252
Hazelnut

Crown
Sando Choco biscuit
161 g
8 801111 614436
Milk

Crown
Couque Dasse Coffee Biscuit, Korean Cracker, Item #09803
64 g
8 801111 614214
Milk

Crown
Couque Dasse Coffee Biscuit / Korean Cracker Item #12721
128 g
8 801111 614252
Milk

Crown
Korean Cracker
Item #13885
372 g
8 801111 110624
Milk, Egg

Crown
Butter Waffles Korean Cracker Item #08488
237 g
8 801111 113212
Milk, Egg

Lotte
Pepero Biscuit with Choco / Funzel Crispy Sticks
33 g
8 801062 272112
Almond

Lotte
Pepero Biscuit with Choco / Pepero Choco Sticks 180 g
8 801062 272136
Almond

Lotte
Pepero Almond and Chocolate / Almond Pepero Sticks
32 g
8 801062 272174
Egg

Surasang K
orean Cracker Item #13961
420 g
0 87703 01398 8
Egg

These products have been distributed nationally.

There have been no reported allergic reactions associated with the consumption of these products.

Consumption of these products may cause a serious or life-threatening reaction in persons with allergies to milk, eggs, or tree nuts (almond, hazelnut).

The importers are voluntarily recalling the affected products from the marketplace. The CFIA is monitoring the effectiveness of the recall.

For more information, consumers and industry can call the CFIA at 1-800-442-2342 / TTY 1-800-465-7735 (8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern time, Monday to Friday).

For information on milk, egg, and tree nuts, three of the nine most common food allergens, visit the Food Allergens web page at:

Milk:
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/labeti/allerg/milklaite.shtml

Eggs
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/labeti/allerg/eggoeue.shtml

Tree nuts
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/labeti/allerg/nutnoie.shtml

For information on receiving recalls by e-mail, or for other food safety facts, visit our web site at http://www.inspection.gc.ca/.

30

Media enquiries:

CFIA Media Relations
613-773-6600

********************

ALERTE ? LALLERGIE PR?SENCE NON D?CLAR?E DALLERG?NES DANS DIVERSES GRIGNOTINES DE MARQUE CROWN, LOTTE ET SURASANG DE LA COR?E

OTTAWA, le 10 juin 2009 LAgence canadienne dinspection des aliments (ACIA) avise les personnes allergiques au lait, aux ufs et aux noix (amandes, noisettes) de ne pas consommer les diverses grignotines de marque Crown, Lotte et Surasang d?crites ci-dessous. En effet, ces produits contiennent des allerg?nes alors que l?tiquette nen fait pas mention.

Tous les codes des grignotines suivantes de marque Crown, Lotte et Surasang, des produits de la Cor?e, sont touch?s par la pr?sente mise en garde. Les renseignements suivants figurent sur lemballage des produits et sur un autocollant qui y a ?t? appos? pour le march? canadien.

Marque
Produit
Format
CUP
Allerg?nes non d?clar?s

Crown
? Couque Dasse Coffee Biscuits Korean Cracker / Biscut Cor?en ?
128 g
8 801111 614252
Hazelnut

Crown
Biscuit ? Sando Choco ?
161 g
8 801111 614436
Milk

Crown
? Couque Dasse Coffee Biscuit, Korean Cracker / Gateau Item #09803 ?
64 g
8 801111 614214
Milk

Crown
? Couque Dasse Coffee Biscuit Korean Cracker / Gateau Item #12721 ?
128 g
8 801111 614252
Milk

Crown
? Korean Cracker Biscuit Cor?en Item #13885 ? Item #13885
372 g
8 801111 110624
Milk, Egg

Crown
? Butter Waffles ? Biscuit Cor?en ? Item #08488 ?
237 g
8 801111 113212
Milk, Egg

Lotte
? Pepero Biscuit with Choco ? / Funzel B?tons Croustillants
33 g
8 801062 272112
Almond

Lotte
? Pepero Biscuit with Choco ? / Pepero B?ton de Choco 180 g
8 801062 272136
Almond

Lotte
? Pepero Almond and Chocolate ? B?tons de Pepero DAmande
32 g
8 801062 272174
Egg

Surasang
Gateau Cor?en ? Item #13961 ?
420 g
0 87703 01398 8
Egg

Ces produits pourraient avoir ?t? distribu?s ? l'?chelle nationale.

Aucun cas de r?action allergique associ? ? la consommation de ces produits na ?t? signal?.

La consommation de ces produits peut d?clencher une r?action grave, parfois mortelle, chez les personnes allergiques au lait, aux ufs ou aux noix (amandes, noisettes).

Les importateurs retirent volontairement du march? les produits touch?s. LACIA surveille lefficacit? du rappel.

Pour de plus amples renseignements, les consommateurs et les gens de lindustrie peuvent appeler lACIA au 1-800-442-2342/ATS 1-800-465-7735, du lundi au vendredi de 8 h ? 20 h (heure de lEst).

Pour obtenir des renseignements sur le lait, les ufs et les noix, trois des neuf allerg?nes alimentaires les plus courants, consultez les pages Web consacr?es aux allerg?nes alimentaires suivantes :

Lait
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/francais/fssa/labeti/allerg/milklaitf.shtml

Oeufs
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/francais/fssa/labeti/allerg/eggoeuf.shtml

Noix
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/francais/fssa/labeti/allerg/nutnoif.shtml

Pour savoir comment recevoir les rappels par courrier ?lectronique ou pour obtenir dautres renseignements sur la salubrit? des aliments, visitez notre site Web ? ladresse http://www.inspection.gc.ca/.

30

Questions des m?dias :

Relations avec les m?dias
Agence canadienne dinspection des aliments 613-773-6600

********************

The FOODRECALLS_RAPPELSALIMENTS archives all list postings at:
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/corpaffr/recarapp/recaltoce.shtml

You can join or leave a variety of e-mail lists managed by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency using the on-line form found at:
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/tools/listserv/listsube.shtml

La liste FOODRECALLS_RAPPELSALIMENTS archive tous les enregistrements de listes ? :
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/francais/corpaffr/recarapp/recaltocf.shtml

Vous pouvez vous inscrire ? une vari?t? de listes courriels administr?es par l'Agence canadienne d'inspection des aliments au moyen du formulaire en ligne affich? ? l'adresse suivante : http://www.inspection.gc.ca/francais/tools/listserv/listsubf.shtml.
Le m?me formulaire vous permet de retrancher votre nom de ces listes.

No-Nonsense No-Nuts policy

2009-07-09T09:23:00.001-04:00

A news article was posted today announcing that the Las Virgenes Unified School District board has adopted new policies surrounding peanut allergies that should bring a sigh of relief to many parents of peanut-allergic children in this area west of Los Angeles, California.

According to a local online paper, There were safety standards in place for some schools within the district, and these have now been extended to all of the schools in the area. From the article …

For starters, if a highly allergic student attends an LVUSD school, all parents will be asked not to bring items in a particular food group— say peanuts—to the school.

As well, substitutions will be made in school breakfasts, lunches and other food provided after school or during field trips.

If you don’t live within the area and are concerned about sending your peanut-allergic child to school in September, let me encourage you to start a dialogue with the school administration as early as possible and in a calm manner. Don’t expect to dictate your concerns to them, as this is definitely the wrong way to go about it. We found that offering assistance, as well as being available for questions from staff, is the best approach.

If you want a copy of a letter that Krystyne made that can be distributed to parents, you can download a copy (pdf file) here. It outlines anaphylactic symptoms and alternative choices for peanut-free snack ideas as well. The principal at our boys’ school has asked to include it in their official policies package for this September.

A Kindred Spirit

2009-07-06T11:56:00.001-04:00

It’s great when you connect with someone who truly understands.

When we enrolled our boys in day camp for the summer, we were ready for disappointment when it came to Liam’s class. We fully expected that we wouldn’t be able to sign him up at all – or at least have to keep him home from special events like cookouts or campfires.

What a beautiful surprise to learn that the person responsible for the children’s programs was herself extremely allergic to bee stings and carries an EpiPen with her. She grew up knowing what it was like to be excluded from things, so she was determined to include as many kids as possible.

We’ve been overjoyed to see Liam and Keeghan at their first class campfire, toasting marshmallows with their friends, with huge smiles on their faces for being a part of it all.

Allergies on Trial

2009-07-05T09:54:00.001-04:00

I read an article this morning regarding immunotherapy for treating food allergies and found it interesting that out of all of the reports posted on trials involving ‘training’ the body to tolerate allergens by feeding a small amount to the participant, this was one of the few that even mentions that some participants are unable to continue due to severe reactions.

Many well-meaning friends mention these studies to us or pass along clippings that they’ve found in the paper. Each time we thank them, but knowing that Liam has anaphylactic reactions to 10ppm of peanut protein, there is no way that he could participate in any of them.

But we are looking into another option – some naturopaths are offering immunotherapy that does not involve ingesting any nut protein whatsoever. A friend of ours whose son tested allergic to milk has seen no symptoms at all since a few short treatments with her naturopath. We will be looking into this further, even if it can improve his trigger levels. If you want to investigate it as well, check out some of my earlier posts on this (here and here) or go to the website for the Institute for Natural Health Technologies for more information on BioEnergetic Intolerance Elimination.

Camping with Allergies

2009-07-04T14:20:00.001-04:00

After a week of “winter camping” (seriously … 12°C in Central Ontario in July???) I think I’ve finally gotten used to the hot spots in the small BBQ at the trailer. Maybe when it warms up a bit more we can enjoy some time in the lake when we go up.

But major kudos go to the Sobeys family of supermarkets for their Compliments store brand and their clear allergy labelling! Here’s the label on the back of a package of hamburger buns bought recently.

all glare aside, it’s quite clear labelling

The white exclamation point within an orange circle is how allergens are highlighted across the Compliments brand, and they clearly list – in English and French – any allergens that are or may be present in the item. And on the front of the packaging, they draw your attention to allergens by placing the same symbol on the label ….

the exclamation mark is there to remind you
to read the label

We also had the counsellors from the boys’ day camp ask us to check the food they were using for their weekly campfire. The only thing without clear allergy labelling was a package of marshmallows by DOUMAK. A quick Google search brought up this page, which was a declaration from the company that their marshmallows are free from milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans.

I’ve never thought of marshmallows possibly containing nuts, but it was good of this company to have allergen information easily available. Companies like these certainly make shopping for camping much less stressful.

Play Ball!

2009-07-03T08:55:00.001-04:00

If you’re in Chicagoland on July 8th, why not take in a peanut-free ballgame? The Kane County Cougars are hosting their 3rd annual Peanut-Free Night at 6:30pm against the Burlington Bees.

No peanut or peanut-related products will be available at the stadium, which will be be scrubbed in advance of the game. The players on both teams have also agreed to refrain from using food containing peanuts or peanut ingredients.

Call (630) 232-8811 or go online to order tickets.

Hope everyone had a great Canada Day and I wish my American friends a happy Independence Day!

More Nightmares

2009-06-30T16:36:00.001-04:00

There was a tragic story in the news this week that wrenches at the heart of every parent of a food-allergic child.

Our hearts and prayers go out to the family of Nathan Francis, a Scotch College student in Australia, who this week learned that the military has been fined $210,000 (AU) for negligence in the death of their son.

The story can be found here, but a synopsis is that while at an army cadet camp back in March of 2007, Nathan – who was allergic to peanuts – was given a rations pack containing beef satay. After one mouthful he was rushed by a friend back to the camp HQ, but Nathan died en route to the hospital.

According to another paper, parents were told by the school not to provide food for the students but were asked to alert the staff to any food allergies. Nathan’s mother warned the staff that Nathan should avoid all nuts, but apparently “a list of students with food allergies did not reach the staff member who issued the meals”.

This parent’s worst nightmare has prompted many people to call for an inquest into the school’s involvement in Nathan’s death. Again, our hearts and prayers go out to Nathan’s family as the events surrounding his tragic death are again brought to the fore.

In the Summer Time

2009-06-29T15:04:00.001-04:00

This weekend we registered the boys in day camp for the summer. At the same time Krystyne offered to show the counsellors how to use an EpiPen and a Twinject injector, which I also outlined here.

Understandably they felt a little intimidated by the matter, but Krystyne passed out a couple of EpiPen trainers that we carry as well as the new Twinject ejector that we received recently. The counsellors were also shown how to use the pre-programmed cell phone to contact us (as if teenagers need to learn how to use a cell phone – although it is an older model). :)

In the end it went well, and the director for the children’s program was ready to meet with Krystyne before the general staff meeting. We are very thankful for the support that we get from people concerning Liam’s allergies, and it helps our summers be a little less stressful.

Speaking of which, here’s a quick shot from the weekend … summer has finally arrived.

The clouds are rolling in, but we spent 5 hours on the beach :)

How to inject epinephrine

2009-06-24T10:18:00.000-04:00

Last week I ordered a demo kit of the Twinject auto-injector from Paladin Labs (They’ve just been released in Canada). It arrived yesterday afternoon. After trying it out for a while I thought that I would include a demonstration of how to use this and the EpiPen epinephrine auto-injectors for the curious.

Liam carries two EpiPens in his pouch because each dose gives us 10 minutes to get to the nearest hospital. In all cases of anaphylaxis, ensure you seek medical assistance immediately after administering epinephrine (adrenaline).

How to use an EpiPen

Remove the EpiPen from its protective case.

Pop off the safety lock at the top

Jab the EpiPen hard into the outer thigh.
Hold it there for 10 seconds to ensure the dose is administered.

Once you have used the EpiPen, carefully place it back in its case and call 911. Massage the injection site to help disperse the epinephrine into the bloodstream. Be sure to give the used EpiPen to the attending paramedic or triage nurse at the nearest hospital for safe disposal.

How to use a Twinject auto-injector

The Twinject has just been released in Canada. It contains two doses of epinephrine in one container. There is a secondary syringe inside the main injector to be used if the anaphylactic symptoms don’t improve within 10 minutes of the initial dose.

Remove the Twinject from its protective case

Pop off the protective caps at both ends. Keep your hands away from the red tip – that’s where the needle is.

Jab the Twinject hard into the outer thigh.
Hold it there for 10 seconds.

Once the initial dose has been administered, call 911 and massage the injection site to help disperse the epinephrine into the bloodstream. At this point, you should prepare the second dose in case your symptoms don’t improve after 10 minutes.

Unscrew the red cap from the Twinject and carefully remove the syringe – the cap is loosely spring-loaded, so be ready for it.

Pop the yellow collar off of the syringe plunger

If your symptoms do not improve or worsen after 10 minutes, administer the secondary dose.

Inject the syringe into the outer thigh and fully push the plunger.
Hold it there for 10 seconds to ensure a full dose. Massage the injection site to help disperse the epinephrine into the bloodstream.

Whether or not the secondary dose has been used, place the syringe in its protective case and give it to the attending paramedic or triage nurse at the nearest hospital for safe disposal.

If you would like to order your own EpiPen or Twinject demonstrator, you can do so online through these sites:

Twinject Patient Resource Center
EpiPen Resource Center

Home Stretch

2009-06-23T13:12:00.001-04:00

Last Friday was Liam’s graduation from Senior Kindergarten. That means another school year is nearing a close and – thanks to the cooperation of his classmates’ parents – has been incident-free (at least on school property)!

And thanks to a local allergy-aware baker, the cakes for the grad were peanut-free … and sooooo delicious.

And Mr. Liam was extremely proud too!

We want to extend a special “thank you” to the parents of Liam’s friends for helping to ensure that he was able to enjoy the school year as well. But most especially to Ms. Jacobson, who volunteered to give up peanut butter (and Thai food) for the whole school year – that was one of the hardest things for Krystyne and I to give up as well. Have an extra sandwich for us!

Mere Hysteria?

2009-06-22T22:00:00.001-04:00

I read a blog post tonight that pulled from an article published in the British Medical Journal. The original article is by a Harvard professor who argues that the precautions that we – as parents of children with deadly allergies – and our children’s schools put into place are overreactions and only lead to more anxiety. The article was published back in December, but never fails to dredge up dark feelings. Read them for yourselves and ask if you think that this is all mere hysteria ….

Linking anorexia and autism, and peanut butter an overblown danger
http://calorielab.com/news/2009/06/21/anorexia-autism-peanut-allergy-hysteria/

This allergies hysteria is just nuts
http://christakis.med.harvard.edu/pdfs/BMJ_081213_Nuts.pdf

The More You Know ...

2009-06-20T22:02:00.007-04:00

Early on in the life of this blog, I added a post highlighting some TV characters that were depicted as having peanut allergies. Tonight Krystyne and I were watching an episode of The Listener, which is a show that has a paramedic named Toby for the main character.

During this episode - "Some Kind of Love" - Toby and his partner were walking down the street when a lady sitting on a park bench started having an anaphylactic reaction to peanuts in the food she was eating. Toby's partner Oz ran over to help her, and proceeded to administer an Epi-pen into her thigh. The cool part was that they showed both the anaphylactic reaction and the proper administration of an Epi-pen. That's a question that we've been asked by a few people when we've been out as a family and they see Liam's pouch and its allergy warning badge.

And to borrow another phrase from TV, The More You Know....

Allergy information in school

2009-06-18T14:58:00.001-04:00

The other day, the principal at our boys’ school sent Krystyne an information package regarding the school’s peanut policy. She wanted to know if there was anything that needed to be added or changed.

First off, this was amazing that she came to us first. Second, it shows the importance of up-front communication with the teachers, school staff and administration. Liam’s years in Junior and Senior Kindergarten were stressful, yes, but they also ensured a safe environment thanks to very understanding and co-operative parents. His teacher went above and beyond as well, even so much as giving up eating peanuts altogether for the school year. Krystyne recently wrote a letter for all of Liam’s classmates’ parents praising and thanking them for helping to keep him safe this year.

And as for the school’s policy? Krystyne gave the principal a copy of the package that she put together when Liam started Junior Kindergarten, along with an updated copy of her “safe snack list”, which the principal will be using within the package going out to all parents for the start of the next school year. WOW!

If you want a copy of Krystyne’s package that she created for your child’s school, you can download a copy here.

There were two paragraphs from the school’s policy that were worded very well too, so I’ll include them here ….

Is there a cure?

No, the only treatment is avoidance of all products containing peanuts. Individuals that are allergic to peanuts and require an epi-pen must have one at school and/or carry it with them.

How can the school community help?

Peanuts tend to leave residue on utensils, containers and tabletops. It only takes a tiny amount of peanuts particles or residue to cause some people to react. Therefore, it is critical that everyone helps to avoid a life-threatening reaction.

Peanut Free Snacks

2009-06-17T14:01:00.003-04:00

While grocery shopping today, we noticed a larger number of peanut-free products on the shelves. As we passed the familiar brands we started seeing new packages – some were newer labelling, others were new products – smiling back at us. There are many times Krystyne and I have each been on our phones while standing in the aisle; her on hold for a customer service agent, and me surfing to the company’s website (I love my iPhone).

However, this is becoming more and more rare, as more products are coming into line with the proposed legislation on food labelling. On food products manufactured in Canada (bakeries seem to be exempt), companies must declare – in both official languages – any trace amounts of food allergens down to 10ppm. It’s up to them where they place that warning – whether in bold inside the ingredient list, or after the ingredients, or elsewhere on the package – and to the exact wording, but normally we just have to flip a package over and look for the May Contain list. If it says something like “May Contain wheat, milk”, then we can be assured that there are no trace amounts of peanuts in the product.

But it gets even better! More and more packages are coming out with the familiar “NO” symbol covering a peanut, placed on the front of their boxes and bags. Check out some of these displays ….

Thanks to Chapman’s Ice Cream, we can also pick up some of our childhood favourites like fudgicles and revellos (yes, I know they’re brand names, but that’s what we called them). Look at Chapman’s Super Frosty vanilla ice cream treats … see the “nut-free” sign? :)

And Dare has dedicated facilities for nut-free products, not just nut-free lines in a shared facility. Their products proudly state “Baked in a nut free / peanut free facility”

To my friends in the US, If you’re looking for a cheap (your dollar is still worth more than ours) and peanut-friendly getaway for your family, then by all means come to Canada. At least grocery shopping on vacation will be a bit less stressful. :)

Everyday Awareness

2009-06-16T20:20:00.001-04:00

This weekend we took off on a mini-vacation.

Krystyne’s mother booked a condo for the week but due to a conference in Toronto, she wouldn’t be able to arrive in time for check-in. So we drove about two hours northwest up to Georgian Manor Resort in Collingwood to condo-sit for a few days.

While we were there we got to swim … a lot (one time for 3 hours straight), and revisited one of the fossil sites we went to last summer. However this time, the tide was in and even though it was about a month later in the year than our last trip; let me just say that Lake Huron was a little cold.

tide’s in … no fossil-hunting today

Liam wears his Epi-Pens in a pouch wherever we go – unless we’re at home or there’s a possibility he might get them wet; then they’re close by. While we were stopped at the nearest Tim Horton’s so the boys could go to the washroom (hey, I said the water was cold), a woman started asking about the No Peanuts for Me sign on Liam’s pouch strap.

We explained that it contained a cell phone and two Epi-Pens, along with an Epi-Pen trainer. Krystyne then took out the trainer, explained its use to the woman and gave it to her so she could “use” it on her own leg.

We were thankful for this lighter side reaction to Liam’s peanut allergy. With what seems like a more militant aversion to food allergies rearing its head around us (such as the infamous school secretary’s blog), it’s always welcome to be able to discuss Liam’s allergy openly and honestly.

Oh yeah – we also got to help a snapping turtle off the road and back to the nearby pond when we got back to the condo.

the turtle’s saying “bye” to Keeghan

Summer Fun

2009-06-13T21:26:00.002-04:00

With it being sunny and 22 degrees (Celsius) at about 7:00 tonight, we were having some fun at the pool – it also helps tire them out before bed too. :)

Liam and Joseph jumped, but Keeghan decided to wait
… and laugh

Allergy Cure Part II

2009-06-12T17:13:00.002-04:00

So yesterday, Krystyne went to talk with a naturopath that claims she can cure Liam’s peanut allergy.

Obviously this piqued our curiosity when we heard it a few weeks ago. First off, the procedure does not involve feeding him any peanuts unlike the UK study. The naturopath (Donna) buys the allergens in sealed vials – and that’s how they stay. The treatment is called Bioenergetic Intolerance Elimination, which Donna describes on her website here.

A friend of ours recently had her son tested and found that he was allergic to milk. After taking treatments with Donna he shows no more symptoms. During her consultation with Krystyne, Donna explained that some of the people her teachers had treated brought peanuts with them on their last visit and didn’t even wait until they left the waiting room to start munching.

Although I don’t think we’ll be trying that, the treatment sessions with Donna are non-invasive and don’t present the risk to Liam’s life that other feed ‘em and watch ‘em treatments would. Since we already know his allergy levels from our visits to the allergist, Donna says that we can go right to the treatment (“clearing”) and save the testing for the end. It may take up to a year for the protein to fully leave Liam’s system, but we have regular appointments with our allergist each September.

We’ll definitely be updating you on the progress and results from this one!

To read Part One of this stream, click here. For more information on Bioelectric Intolerance Elimination, see the Institute of Natural Health Technologies website here.

Ice Cream!!!

2009-06-10T08:00:00.001-04:00

Although it hasn’t been all that warm up here lately – some places along the 49th parallel had snow last week – there’s nothing that kids love more on a summer day than ice cream.

While we can’t go to either of the local parlours, we can still enjoy peanut-free ice cream at home, thanks to Chapman’s. They are well aware of the joy that could be missed by children not being able to eat a favourite summer treat, so they produce not only peanut-free ice cream, but also lactose-free treats, and all of their original flavours (2L and 4L containers) are gluten-free as well. Check out their nutrition page for more information. They even have individual-sized treats which make it cheaper to pick up on the go than going to an ice cream parlour anyways. :)

MMMmmm, Dutch Chocolate.

Farm Share

2009-06-09T09:00:00.000-04:00

This year we decided to sign up for a farm share. For our first time at it, we’re splitting the share with Krystyne’s sister. Every week we pick up a basket full of fresh produce from Coopers Goat and Veggy Farm, which as a bonus is only 10 minutes up the road.

On Saturday we got to take a tour of the farm. We walked through the fields to see what we can expect in our baskets. There were rows and rows of peppers (5 different varieties), zucchini, lettuce, a full acre of garlic, and so much more.

strawberries – enough to last until October

As well as produce, they have a meat share! Coopers Farm provides all of the goat meat for Greek Town in Toronto, and they offer beef and broiler chickens to their shareholders as well.

big chickens – the butcher is a couple weeks late

The boys had a great time on the tour too! Steve had set out a couple of tractors (without the keys) for the kids to climb on, and that’s exactly what they did!

Keeghan and Liam “sharing” the tractor

And speaking of kids …. there were new baby goats which kept nibbling on the boys’ fingers!

Talk about knowing where your ingredients come from! :)

A Cure for Food Allergies?

2009-06-08T08:00:00.001-04:00

A friend of ours recently took their child to a naturopath for allergy testing and found that among other things, he was allergic to milk. The naturopath then asked if our friend would like her to “fix that”. She then explained the method of treating the allergy with an electromagnetic device, which they did, and her son then tested as negative to the previous food allergens. When the treatment was over our friend told the naturopath about Liam’s allergy and its severity. She was then told that “I can help him too”. Needless to say we were a little curious.

Since then we started looking through the Internet for other similar stories and found this one, in which a sceptic was offered the same treatment and after a few sessions claims to be “cured” from food allergies, to the point that they can now eat food with any of their previous allergens in any combination.

Krystyne and I are familiar with the practice of a doctor or chiropractor pushing down on our outstretched arm to determine which parts of our spine are out of alignment. We had been adjusted this way by our chiropractor before we moved to Uxbridge. However, we had not heard of this process for allergy treatments. Apparently there is the added component of an electromagnetic resonance involved as well.

Either way, Krystyne has a consultation appointment with our friend’s naturopath later this month to look further into this. The naturopath has said that the testing/treatment does not involve actual peanuts so we don’t expect a danger to Liam, whether or not this works – which is a major difference from the “feed them a peanut” trials. If the electromagnetic treatment does work – even the lessening of the allergy so that Liam is no longer airborne allergic – this would be such a change to Liam’s – and our – life.

We’ll keep you updated on what we find out from the naturopath.

Ingredient Changes

2009-06-06T08:00:00.000-04:00

We received a consumer alert from Anaphylaxis Canada stating that Kellogg Canada and Kashi Canada have changed the formula for three of their products.

The products affected are

Kashi Chewy Granola Bars Cherry Dark Chocolate
Kellogg* All-Bran Chewy Bar Dark Chocolate Chip
Kellogg All-Bran Chewy Bar Strawberry Flavour

Here is the information from the alert ….

Kashi Canada has reformulated Kashi Chewy Granola Bars Cherry Dark Chocolate. Starting in June 2009 Kashi Chewy Granola Bars Cherry Dark Chocolate will contain almond and peanut ingredients. The ingredient statement will include this change and will also list almond and peanut ingredients as well as May contain other tree nuts in the allergen contains statement.
All Kashi brand packages are labeled with the nine ingredients recognized by Health Canada as the most frequent cause of allergic reactions. These priority allergens when present will be listed in our ingredient listing directly below our Nutrition Facts panel. We encourage you to ALWAYS check the ingredient listing on EACH package you purchase for the most up-to-date information on the ingredients contained in that particular package.
Consumers with questions regarding this product announcement can contact Kashi Canada Inc. at 1-866-958-7884 Monday through Friday 8:30am 4:30pm ET.

Kellogg Canada has reformulated Kellogg* All-Bran Chewy Bar Dark Chocolate Chip and Kellogg All-Bran Chewy Bar Strawberry Flavour. Starting in June 2009 these Kellogg bars will contain almond and peanut ingredients. The ingredient statement will include this change and will also list almond and peanut ingredients as well as May contain other tree nuts in the allergen contains statement.
All Kellogg brand packages are labeled with the nine ingredients recognized by Health Canada as the most frequent cause of allergic reactions. These priority allergens when present will be listed in our ingredient listing directly below our Nutrition Facts panel. We encourage you to ALWAYS check the ingredient listing on EACH package you purchase for the most up-to-date information on the ingredients contained in that particular package.
Consumers with questions regarding this product announcement can contact Kellogg Canada Inc. at 1-888-876-3750 Monday through Friday 8:30am 4:30pm ET.

To sign up for these alerts from Anaphylaxis Canada, visit their registry site here.

Summertime Cooking

2009-06-05T15:18:00.001-04:00

Who wants to cook indoors on a hot summer day? I thought I’d share a recipe we love to make in our slow cooker overnight. It’s become a family (and co-worker) favourite!

BBQ Pulled Pork
Inspired by Ted Reader's Root beer Ribs

1. In a slow cooker, place a boneless pork loin - cut as necessary to fit (it’s going to get shredded anyways)
2. Rub pork loin with spices ... I've used Montreal Steak Spice, or Ted’s Bayou Bite Cajun seasoning, but my favourite is definitely his Bone Dust BBQ Spice).
3. Cover the meat (fat facing up) with pop (Coke/Pepsi) ... the best is root beer, but apple juice will do in a pinch.
4. Add BBQ sauce, brown sugar, mustard, vinegar, and lots of garlic. :-)
5. Place the cover on the slow cooker, and cook on low overnight, or high for 4-5 hours.
6. Once the meat has cooked (it will fall apart as you try and take it out), remove it from the slow cooker and get rid of most (save 1-2") of the cooking juice.
7. Using two forks, shred the pork by pulling the forks away from each other through the meat.
8. Once it's shredded, put it back in the slow cooker and add your favourite BBQ sauce and other spices to taste.
9. Mix the sauce well through the meat.
10. Heat on high for another hour before serving with buns or biscuits.

Airline Peanuts

2009-06-04T15:42:00.001-04:00

With the summer comes thoughts of vacation travels. Whether you boat, drive or fly to your destination you’ll be taking your allergy with you.

Allergic Living has posted a handy chart on the allergy policies of some of the major carriers. Check it out here.

A Question (or four)

2009-06-03T09:00:00.000-04:00

The other day while discussing Liam’s food allergy and the stresses it brings, the question came up “how do people with food allergies in the States handle things?”

I can honestly say I have no idea. Krystyne and I are thankful for the labelling that exists on food items here, but we have been terrified at taking Liam out of the country because we don’t know what labelling standards exist elsewhere.

So that’s the question I’d like to pose to my readers … how do you deal with food allergies? What are the food labels like in your part of the world? How do you learn which food items are “safe” for you and your family? What support methods have you found or built to help?

Krystyne and I have both enjoyed travelling outside of Canada (and not just to Buffalo for wings), and we’d love to include our family in that experience again.

Label Laws Lagging

2009-06-02T09:00:00.000-04:00

Those of us who deal with food allergies up here in Canada have been waiting for the government to come through with promised legislation that would require manufacturers to clearly list the most common 10 allergens on food packages. At the moment, this is voluntary and comes in many differing iterations (see my Read That Label post for some examples).

We had been expecting it this year, but according to the latest issue of the Allergic Living News Report, the legislation has been delayed yet again until Spring of next year. And although that is when the new rules are due to start, we will probably be waiting much longer, since at that point companies will have at least 12 months of grace to update their packaging.

Health Canada received over 140 comments (suggestions) on just what the labels should contain, and how allergens should be stated. You can read the list from the Health Canada website here. While these delays are frustrating, I’m sure you can agree that the end product is well worth it and much needed.

Here’s looking forward to 2010!

Live it Out

2009-06-01T15:15:00.001-04:00

This has been a rather busy few days!

This weekend, Krystyne and I volunteered with a youth-oriented challenge called Live It Out at our church. We were among 60 mentors working on almost 30 community-focused projects with teenagers from the Uxbridge area.

Our project was called “Hospitality”. We provided lunch for some of the volunteers working on two other projects – planting a community garden and running a sports camp for some younger kids in the area – and had a great time doing it!

The garden and sports camp took place on Saturday at St. Paul’s Presbyterian church in Leaskdale. Krystyne and I, along with Craig and Lissa – two teenaged volunteers – hosted a BBQ out of the church kitchen. It was nice to see a “peanut-free” warning on both the front door of the church and on the cupboards.

The night before, Craig and Lissa helped bake 150 chocolate chip cookies to go along with the burgers and hot dogs. Everyone loved it!

Once we had cleaned up from the BBQ, it was back to our house to make freezer meals for a local mom and her family. Craig and Lissa flew through the recipes we had planned out and were hungry for more!

By the end of it, we had boxed up:

2 9-inch shepherds pies
2 meals of chicken with white BBQ sauce
18 mini-quiche
2 meals of pulled pork with homemade buns
3 8” spaghetti pies
3 8” turkey pot pies
and 18 tea biscuits

What a great time! We’re both exhausted today, but it was more than worth it. :)

Just Don’t Get It

2009-05-27T14:59:00.001-04:00

If you haven’t already, please take some time to read this post from the Allergy Moms online newsletter. It’s in regards to a middle school secretary from somewhere in Northern California who posted a rather disturbing article on her own blog.

The referred post has since been removed due to threats against her, but it has been posted in its entirety in the Allergy Moms’ comments section. Here is a little taste of what was originally posted.

That wacky fad, the death peanut, has arrived at my school. We have been informed that an incoming student is so allergic to peanuts that they can kill him in an instant and we, a school of 900 thirteen year olds, have to make accommodations to ensure his continued survival.

I read his medical file. As a baby, the child was allergic to milk. As a toddler, the child ingested peanuts and got hives! And, he coughed! He was rushed to the hospital where he was observed with a rash an hour later! At age six, he had a reaction on an airplane, presumably Southwest before they caved to the Peanut Paranoia and started serving pretzels. That situation was so dangerous, they finished the flight, landed home, and took their child to the doctor, where Dr. Feelgood gave a blood test which determined the kid, having not died from peanuts in the past, might die next time, handed the parents an epi-pen and wrote a document that schools have had to comply with ever since.

This middle school secretary later claimed that the post was entirely fictional, and simply in response to the ProBlogger 31 Days to Build a Better Blog assignment from Day 19 – writing an opinion post – but as someone who is also participating in the same challenge, I can tell you that this type of trash was not what was intended.

Yes, it may generate traffic to your site (which is why I’m not linking to the original blog) as opinions will do, but this definitely crosses the line; although I agree that the resulting death threats lobbed at her are just as – if not more so – out of line.

But blog posts like hers do help illustrate the militant attitudes that we as parents run up against on a continued basis. There are still some members of our own church that see it as an extreme inconvenience to keep the shared kitchen peanut-free. Krystyne and I have actually scaled back our volunteer involvement this year because Liam has reacted when we’ve staffed the kitchen at past church-sponsored events (simply by him being in there with us).

Sadly, unless and until they have to deal with a food allergy in their own family, there are too many people who just don’t get it.

School Snacks

2009-05-25T11:15:00.001-04:00

If you’re looking for a place to get good, peanut-free snacks for school or church and you’re in the Toronto area, might I suggest the Kraft/Peek Freans factory outlet. They are located on O’Connor Drive at Bermondsey (south of Eglinton Ave.), and they sell Nabisco, Peek Freans, and Christie products at a fraction of the cost. For example, a 5-pound bag of individual Nabisco’s Barnum’s Animals Crackers 100-Calorie packs (regular or chocolate) costs $5.

kid-sized packaging

parent-sized value

Everything in the outlet store is clearly labelled – even the 7-pound bags of loose Chips Ahoy! cookies – and almost everything in there is peanut-free!

Note: I say almost everything because from time to time, they will sell Dad’s cookies, which are not peanut-free.

Reaction Watch

2009-05-24T16:40:00.001-04:00

“Can you check on Liam? And make sure you get a response from him.”

“I kept tickling him until he batted me away.”

“Ok. That’s good.”

This is what happened last night at our house, about every 15 minutes, all night long. Liam was having a secondary reaction.

Most people are aware of what a mild allergic reaction looks like – swelling, hives, itchy skin – and then there are the more extreme symptoms of anaphylaxis, with a drop in blood pressure and difficulty in breathing that can lead to death. Liam’s reactions, like his allergy, are multiple.

If Liam eats something with nuts, we have the EpiPens – they’re always on him unless we’re at home. Thankfully we haven’t needed to use them yet. He is also allergic to trace amounts of nuts (as little as 10 parts per million (ppm) can send him into a reaction) and airborne allergic to nuts – which means he can react to peanut protein on your breath. The source of the allergy dictates how severe his reaction will be.

Yesterday our boys were in the city for their cousin’s birthday party. Since our parents and sisters are very diligent in keeping possible allergens away from Liam – all the food was “safe” – we started to look elsewhere as to what may have happened as a cause. One of their cousin’s friends had a toy whistle that our boys decided to “share” as kids will do, even after warnings from Mommy and Daddy.

Shortly after playing with the whistle, Liam’s temples started to show the blue veins underneath and his eyelids started to look as if they had blue eye shadow. That’s our first warning that he’s reacting to something. So out came the Benadryl and Liam went back out to play. The party carried on without any other incidents and when supper was over we drove back home.

Liam fell asleep almost right away in the van – which in hindsight was probably from his lowered blood pressure. He and his brothers went to bed and off to sleep, until around 9:45 pm when Liam woke up and started power-puking (another one of his reactions). Once his stomach settled and he had finished a quick bath we gave him another couple of Benadryl (since the first one had so violently worn off) and sent him back to a clean bed.

The rest of the night involved waking Liam up every 15 minutes or so to make sure that he wasn’t slipping into a coma-like sleep. I went to bed around 2 am, Krystyne battled it out until 4.

Needless to say, we’re all a little tired today.

Read That Label – Part Two

2009-05-22T12:52:00.001-04:00

On a recent shopping trip we picked up some pre-packed kits of Dole’s Asian Crunch salad, which are now called Asian Island Crunch. We have often bought these in the past and since they were on sale, we bought a few of them. It wasn’t until we got them home and started to get them ready for a quick lunch that we noticed they are now packaged with almonds – which was only listed on the front of the package in small print under the product name. We quickly cleaned up the counters and later gave the unopened kits to a friend of ours.

There’s more proof – even to us – that you need to read the label every single time. What was “safe” before may become “unsafe”, and the reverse is true as well. Last Christmas we started to see “safe” batches of After Eight chocolates – Nestle confirmed that they had sent peanut-free batches out, but read the label to make sure.

But back to the salad kits … A customer service agent at Dole confirmed that the Asian Island Crunch salad kits are made in a different plant than the other non-nut kits in the Dole product line to avoid cross-contamination. So we may have lost our favourite of those kits, but at least we can still enjoy others!

Places to Go

2009-05-21T17:13:00.001-04:00

If you’re in the Toronto area this weekend, you might want to take advantage of Doors Open Toronto. Historical, architectural, and cultural places like Allan Gardens, Black Creek Pioneer Village, areas of the Distillery District, and even the old Don Jail are opening their doors to the public for free!

Check out the full list of buildings to visit (175 in total) or check out some of the scheduled events. We’re already planning our picnic lunch.

Restaurant List

2009-05-20T12:28:00.001-04:00

Krystyne enjoys baking, so we often have a supply of goodies to help feed our sweet tooth cravings. We (yes, me too) also enjoy baking bread from scratch. Since bakery foods are off-limits to us (and even more so to other people with gluten allergies), we often make our own specialty breads – multigrain, sourdough, oat and honey, as well as the standard white and whole wheat. The joy of baking at home is that you can control the ingredients, but what about when we choose to eat out as a family? For that reason, I would like to post the allergy information from some of the restaurants we visit to help you in making safe choices for your own family.

Please Note: The materials provided are current at the time of posting and are for informational purposes only. Restaurant management, food-handling procedures, and ingredients are subject to change, so please confirm the information with restaurant management and inform your server of any allergies before ordering. We do not accept responsibility for any allergic reactions to products served at these restaurants.

Unless otherwise noted, all information listed is for restaurants in Canada.

Restaurants for the boys

McDonalds Allergy statement; Full ingredient list.
Wendy’s Allergy information; Gluten-free menu options.
Swiss Chalet Allergy guide.

Restaurants for Mommy and Daddy
When the boys aren’t with us, we are able – but not necessarily willing – to eat products with trace amounts of peanuts, so we stick to a short list of restaurants where we avoid menu items with nuts.

Burger King ingredient list.
Montana’s nutrition and allergy guide.
Outback Steakhouse allergy guidelines.

Local Shout-Outs
There are a few places in our area that we have frequented in which we have had enjoyable experiences with peanut-safe food items. I’d like to list them here as well.

East Side Mario’s, Stouffville
After the manager informed us that his location does not serve some of the items that other franchises serve in order to maintain a peanut-safe restaurant, we have gone many times – even for a birthday party. For other locations, all of the franchises have an Ingredients Listing Manual which lists all of the ingredients in their core menu items.
Wild Wing, Uxbridge
A house with 4 men in it has to have chicken wings. We often get take-out from here. We haven’t gone past the wings, onion rings and fries on the menu yet, but when the local one opened, they told us that the only nuts on the premises were the people that worked there and pre-packaged desserts for the kids. Their corporate menu changes often, so make sure to keep the communication open!
Canadian Pizza House, Uxbridge
A great place for pizza-by-the-slice when you’re in a hurry. Great prices, too!
Jade’s Finest Chinese Food, Stouffville
Our favourite Chinese food place! They take extra care to make sure of no cross-contamination when we order. Excellent food and unbelievable prices!
Cutie Pies & Cakes, Sandford
If you’re looking for a cake or other baked goods for a birthday, wedding, shower, or conference you can’t go wrong here! Suzie’s a good friend who also ensures no cross-contamination when you ask for peanut-free goods.

Allergy Awareness

2009-05-19T14:28:00.001-04:00

This blog was launched at the start of Allergy Awareness Week here in Canada. Last week the same was marked south of the border, and this week (May 17th – 23rd) is Food Allergy Awareness Week in Australia. Welcome to my friends at the other end of the world – I’ve noticed visits from Perth last week. :)

As the father of three boys who are allergic to peanuts, I understand the struggle in helping others understand the fears, stresses and alienation that a food allergy can cause, but I’m also thankful for the work that organizations like Anaphylaxis Canada and Anaphylaxis Australia – as well as individuals like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in the States – are doing to bring food allergies forward into the public forum.

As you journey through this week, I urge you to find creative – yet gentle – ways to help friends, family and neighbours learn something of what it’s like to live with a food allergy. Encourage them to take up the 24-hour allergen-free challenge, where they must strive to live one day avoiding a potentially fatal allergen in everything they eat.

While we wait for a cause and cure for these allergies we need to bond together for support, encouragement, and understanding. Isn’t that what we all want?

May Two-Four

2009-05-18T18:56:00.001-04:00

This weekend was Victoria Day in Canada – the unofficial start to summer – celebrated in honour of Queen Victoria’s and the reigning monarch’s birthday. Celebrated the Monday before May 24th (hence the name), it’s traditionally the weekend that everyone disappears from the cities and opens their summer cottages.

When living with food allergies, rest and relaxation is more than needed … without it, we would lose our minds! While there are getaway destinations that cater to food allergies, it’s much more relaxing to have a place where you know that your child will be safe.

Our extended family has a trailer near Huntsville, 2 hours north of our house in Uxbridge. In the summer Krystyne and the boys practically live there. We share weeks with her sister and parents to allow everyone a chance to get away from it all in the quiet woods – well, quiet until we arrive. :)

The trailer – home away from home

The campground has a central restaurant – called the hub – where everyone is welcome to come and eat, but they’re not peanut-free. However, our trailer has a little kitchenette and we have a barbeque just outside the door, so we can still enjoy the holiday.

One of the funny parts of driving to the trailer is watching for the sign welcoming us to Port Sydney – the nearby town. The town council was certainly creative …

Home of 800 nice families & 1 old grouch – HA!

So welcome to summer, everyone! Stay safe!

Baseball, anyone?

2009-05-15T10:18:00.001-04:00

Take me out to the ball game,
Take me out with the crowd.
Buy me some peanuts and cracker jack …

One thing we can’t do as a family is take the boys to a baseball game. Not because of cost, but because of the peanuts served in the stands.

The management of the Rogers Centre (formerly SkyDome), the home of the Toronto Blue Jays, periodically offer “peanut free” games where one section is cordoned off and cleaned out. The vendors in the stands are not allowed to bring peanuts into that section, which allows kids to come watch the game in person. We haven’t taken them up on the offer – we’re not sure how Liam would react – but the management are trying.

However, major kudos go to the management of Campbell’s Field in New Jersey – home of the Camden Riversharks. They have permanently made Suite 319 peanut-free, and the cost is low for families as well – starting at $5 for kids and $12 for adults. The full story can be found here as well as on the Riversharks’ website.

So if you’re in the area of Camden, New Jersey go out and catch a Riversharks game … and make sure to thank the staff for opening a great game to kids with allergies!

It’ll drive you nuts

2009-05-14T16:34:00.001-04:00

The other day, my sister Sharon posted a comment on the Allergies on TV article saying that peanuts are a base ingredient of dynamite. Her and I have what I like to call Jeopardy brains – full of trivia useful for playing Jeopardy – which prompted me to think about other non-food items that contain peanuts. Since Liam is airborne-allergic to peanuts, he can react to things in the room without having touched them, and there are a few things that we’ve used before that we can’t use anymore:

ant traps – Since ants like peanut butter, it makes good bait.
bird food – Remember making suet and peanut butter bird feeders in grade school?
pet food – apart from the nuts in bird seed, we noticed nuts were being used in the hamster/guinea pig food and bedding – did I mention Sharon likes animals?
grass seed? – this one I’m not sure about, but the last bag of grass seed that I used said that it did not contain crushed peanut shells. Things that make you go “Hmmmm”.

lip gloss – we bought some lip gloss at the store the other day that apparently contains almonds. The part of the tube with the ingredient list was against the cardboard package so we didn’t notice it until Krystyne felt her lips tingle.

Interesting Note: ever since we stopped eating nuts, Krystyne and I have developed a sensitivity to them – kind of like our own little early warning system.

Since peanuts are a good, cheap source of protein, it can be crushed up and added to a lot of things. And for us, it means that we need to read the label of more than just food items.

For those of you interested in the peanut = dynamite thing, here is the link to the article Sharon found.

Food Allergy Education

2009-05-13T17:10:00.001-04:00

Last week was Allergy Awareness Week here in Canada, which spurred us to start this blog. This week (May 10-16) has been deemed “Food Allergy Awareness Week” by the governor of Pennsylvania.

I encourage my American readers to take up the 24-hour Allergen Free Challenge that I presented on Day One of my blog. It won’t be easy, but it is possible.

Sweet Treats

2009-05-12T10:58:00.001-04:00

When you’re constantly checking food labels and ingredient lists, it can be discouraging to see chocolates and candies that can no longer be considered “safe” because they either contain or are potentially cross-contaminated with peanuts. The opposite is true as well – when you do find peanut-free treats you buy way too many since you’ve been “deprived”.

Here’s the recipe for a sweet snack that Joseph brought home from school the other day – the taste of butterscotch and chocolate with a crunch – and it’s peanut-free!

Note: make sure that you don’t get your ingredients from a bulk store, as there is a strong possibility of cross-contamination with other food items. Also ensure that you read the label for the chocolate chips – we use PC brand Decadent chocolate chips or Chipits plain chocolate chips (the yellow bag).

10-15	soda crackers (we like salted best)
1 cup	butter (real butter, not margarine)
1 cup	brown sugar
1/2 cup	chocolate chips

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Line a metal cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Place the soda crackers on the foil in a single layer.
In a saucepan, bring butter and brown sugar to a boil. Continue at a rolling boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
When it starts to thicken, immediately pour over crackers. Smooth mixture over crackers with a spatula.
Place in oven for 5 minutes. Turn oven off.
Remove from oven and sprinkle with chocolate chips.
Place back in cooling oven for 5 more minutes.
Remove from oven and spread evenly with a spatula.
Place in fridge or freezer until hard.
Cut or break off pieces to serve. Store any remaining pieces in an airtight container in fridge.

Allergies and Asthma

2009-05-11T09:25:00.001-04:00

The Toronto Star had a special health section in its paper last Thursday packed full of articles on allergies and asthma. The online version of the section can be found here.

In it is an article about TV star Lauren Collins, who plays Paige Michalchuk on Degrassi: The Next Generation. Along with the warnings to the co-stars whom her character is scripted to kiss, she shares how it feels to have a life-threatening food allergy.

She also talks to children and teenagers about living with severe food allergies and the increased stress of being noticeably different at an age when you’re fighting to fit in. Lauren encourages, “It’s just about not being embarrassed … You need to thing about your health and you need to think about your well-being, so don’t be afraid to put it out there.”

We’ve been fortunate that Liam’s class is so understanding. He has special permission to carry his EpiPens with him, which we put into a little pouch that he wears on his hip.

The card attached to his pouch lists Liam’s allergies and carries Krystyne’s cell phone and home numbers (blacked out above) for emergency contact. We printed it on cardstock and laminated the card, then used a heavy string to sew it onto the strap. The pouch also contains a pre-programmed cell phone.

“Allergy Moms” Newsletter

2009-05-09T12:09:00.001-04:00

Here is a link to the latest issue of the Allergy Moms online newsletter. In it is the heart-wrenching story of a family that lost one of their sons due to a severe anaphylactic reaction while on holiday.

One of the most difficult things in dealing with a food allergy is explaining just how severe the allergy can be. Sadly, it’s not really driven home until we see it first-hand. I’ve even had family members whine that they couldn’t have a peanut butter sandwich while we were visiting – the worst part was that the person whining is older than me.

So please take time to read the article entitled A Parent’s Worst Nightmare. Maybe it can help to explain the fear and worry without having to witness a life-threatening reaction for yourself.

Safe Snack List

2009-05-08T11:08:00.001-04:00

When Liam started kindergarten Krystyne wrote a letter to the parents informing them of his allergy and how to recognize the symptoms of anaphylaxis. Included with that letter was a list of “Safe Snacks” that could be sent to school, rather than a list of “DON’T EAT THAT”. This might be one of the reasons that the parents are so supportive – instead of yelling at them we gave them a list of options.

Here’s the Safe Snack List for reference, and in honour of the new Star Trek movie, Live long and prosper.

Have you taken the 24-hour allergen-free challenge yet? Feel free to comment on your experience.

Allergies on TV

2009-05-07T09:00:00.002-04:00

A number of shows have included characters with food (and other) allergies. Even as far back as Happy Days and The Honeymooners, characters were allergic to “spices” (Marion Cunningham) and pickles (Alice Kramden).

Out of some of the shows that have been on TV at our house, here’s a list of some popular characters with their various food allergies …

Stan Smith (American Dad) - allergic to shellfish, gave his epi-pen to Roger so he could be “The Decider” of his fate.

Meg Griffin (Family Guy) - allergic to peanuts. She threatened to go to her room and eat a full bowl of them because her family didn’t care about her – they were oblivious.

Howard Wolowitz (The Big Bang Theory) – allergic to peanuts

Lt. Malcolm Reed (Star Trek: Enterprise) – allergic to bromelain (found in pineapple, which is also his favourite food)

Dr. Rodney McKay (StarGate: Atlantis) – claims to be allergic to citrus fruit but this may or may not be true, as he is also a hypochondriac.

Ross Geller (Friends) – allergic to kiwi, lobster and peanuts

Woody Boyd (Cheers) – allergic to black cardamom spice

Lily Lebowski & Dr. Mahesh (Crossing Jordan) – chocolate

Chief M.E. Dr. Garret Macy (Crossing Jordan) – peanuts

Carlos Solis (Desperate Housewives) – eggs

Lewis Kiniski (The Drew Carey Show) – strawberries & fish

Jill Taylor (Home Improvement) – lobster

Nina van Horne (Just Shoot Me) – peanut dip (her lips swell), and bananas

Colonel Potter (M*A*S*H) – tomato juice

Adrian Monk (Monk) – tomatoes

Trudy Monk (Monk’s deceased wife) – fish

Bart Simpson (The Simpsons) – butterscotch, imitation butterscotch (“and glow-in-the-dark makeup”)

Kenny Becket (South Park) – peanuts

Nikki Faber (Spin City) – shrimp

Michael Kelso (That 70s Show) – eggs

And some characters’ allergies from kids’ shows …

Binky Barnes (Arthur) – allergic to peanuts. An entire episode – Binky Goes Nuts – was dedicated to this.

Timmy (Fairly OddParents) – allergic to oranges

Dr. Jagu (the movie Space Chimps) – allergic to peanuts, briefly mentioned when his co-worker offers a Snickers bar.

What other ones do you know of?

Sticks and Stones aside …

2009-05-06T12:34:00.001-04:00

One of the most hurtful parts of having children with food allergies is the attitudes that some people choose to offer the world. Most of the negative comments we get are innocently ignorant as to just what a food allergy is.

Let’s face it – when we were growing up, we hardly ever heard of a person with a food allergy. We had friends that would get sick to their stomachs if they drank milk, but that was about it. CBC’s health news site claims an estimate of more than 150,000 people in Canada have peanut allergies (2006 statistic) – not to mention the other food-related ones – and cases have been on the rise in the US as well (from 1 child of 29 in 1997 to 1 of 26 ten years later).

However, there are also idiots that are more militant in their ignorance. They find extreme joy in putting others down to build themselves up. We have heard many things, like being called “Food Nazis”, or told that “We take care of our children – you take care of yours and leave mine alone”, or “How dare you tell me what to feed my child”. We’ve even had one child in another kindergarten class chase Liam, taunting that he had peanut butter on his finger.

Thankfully most people at our boys’ school are very understanding, and the parents always ask what they can do to help. We’ve even had some parents go to extra lengths to ensure that they include Liam and invite him to their child’s peanut-safe birthday party. Liam carries a pouch containing his epi-pens, Benadryl, and a cell-phone with our numbers pre-programmed into it, and the teacher has held a practice drill a few times.

There are more studies being done into food allergies and possible treatments. In 2006, the US Department of Agriculture began investigating the possible breeding of peanuts without the offensive protein, and there have been medical studies involving building a resistance. We live in the interim between intolerance and hopeful prevention or cure. The rest is waiting in faith.

Read That Label!

2009-05-05T12:15:00.001-04:00

With practice, you get better at reading product labels for ingredients. My wife Krystyne has often gone to the local supermarket with other parents to help them find “safe” foods for their family. We can now be in and out of the store in about the same time as it takes anyone buying groceries with three lively kids in tow. :)

Over the last three years we’ve learned which brands are usually safe and can pick them up relatively quickly. However, we still check the labels every time, because many manufacturers are still adjusting to listing food allergies on their packaging. We live in Canada, where the labelling laws are pretty good for highlighting ingredients – imported foods, not so much – but there is still no standard for labelling food allergens. Here are a few samples from our shopping today. Notice that there are a number of different ways that companies list the allergen information.

The first is from totally nutfree’s “FreeNut Butter” – the item that has replaced peanut butter in Mommy and Daddy’s diet. They proudly advertise that their facility is nut-free but it’s only Mommy and Daddy that are allowed to eat it, since a peanut allergy can also trigger a soy allergy. Also it’s hard for a 5-year old to differentiate between peanut and soy butter by look or smell (taste is pretty close too), so the freenut butter becomes a “Mommy and Daddy treat” like Coke and coffee.

The second is the method most manufacturers are using – listing the allergens in bold type after the regulated ingredients list. We’ve seen others that bold the allergens within the main ingredients as well.

The third is from a package of hot dog buns, which lists the allergens after their main ingredients, but not in any special type face.

The final picture is from a package of Old El Paso taco shells. They don’t list their allergens on the package, but you can’t assume that means there are none. We had to call the company and confirm their manufacturing plant was free from other nut-related products. We’ve found a few companies in the US in this way that have fully nut-free facilities, which has allowed us to add those to our shelves as well.

But you still need to read the labels every time, as manufacturing practices and product lines can change. For example, Quaker’s Large Rice Cakes and Crispy Minis are no longer on the “safe snacking list” for Liam’s school, as the product line has been moved to a different facility that also processes nuts.

We receive a number of food alerts from Health Canada, emailed to us whenever there is a warning or announcement on food quality or regulations surrounding allergens. You can sign up for their Food Allergies e-Notice here.

** UPDATE – 21 May 2009 **

DOLE’s “Asian Crunch” salad kit has been renamed to “Asian Island Crunch”, and now contains almonds! Read that label carefully!

** ** ** ** ** ** ** **

Here is the warning we got regarding the change at Quaker …

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From: "info@anaphylaxis.ca" <info@anaphylaxis.ca>
To: <undisclosed recipients>
Sent: Friday, February 13, 2009 5:20:01 PM
Subject: Product Change Notification: Quaker Large Rice Cakes & Quaker Crispy Minis

Dear Registrant,

PepsiCo Foods Canada has recently made changes to the production of it Quaker Large Rice Cakes and Quaker Crispy Minis. Both products are now being made in a different production facility and as such there have been formula changes to some of their products as well as the introduction of allergens that were not previously found in their products in Canada.

Please read the notice below for all the products that have been impacted by this change.

If you have any questions/concerns, please contact PepsiCo Foods Canada directly through their customer relations department at 1-800-267-6287.

For your information,

Anaphylaxis Canada

NOTICE FROM: PepsiCo Foods Canada

February 2009

IMPORTANT NOTICE: CHANGE TO QUAKER RICE CAKES FORMULAS AND INTRODUCTION OF ALLERGENS

Quaker rice cakes (Quaker Large Rice Cakes and Quaker Crispy Minis) available in Canada are now being made in a different production facility. As a result, there will be formula changes to some of the flavours and the introduction of allergens that were previously not found in Quaker rice cakes products in Canada. The affected products are beginning to appear on store shelves in Canada.

Quaker Large Rice Cakes and Quaker Crispy Minis are now being produced in facilities that contain allergens, including peanut, wheat, barley, sulphite, milk, soy and egg. Accordingly, ingredients listings will be changing, and precautionary labeling will be added to affected products, as follows:

QUAKER LARGE RICE CAKES

FLAVOUR	CURRENT FORMULA	NEW FORMULA
Plain		May Contain Peanut.
Caramel	Contains Milk, Soy and Sulphite Ingredients.	Contains Milk and Soy Ingredients. May Contain Peanut.
Butter Toffee Cracker Jack	Contains Soy, Milk and Sulphite Ingredients.	Contains Soy, Milk, Barley and Sulphite Ingredients. May Contain Peanut.
White Cheddar	Contains Milk and Soy Ingredients.	Contains Milk, Soy and Egg Ingredients. May Contain Peanut.
Butter	Contains Milk and Soy Ingredients.	Contains Milk and Egg Ingredients. May Contain Peanut.
Caramel Chocolate Chip	Contains Milk, Soy and Sulphite Ingredients.	Contains Milk, Soy and Sulphite Ingredients. May Contain Peanut.
Tomato Basil	Contains Milk & Soy Ingredients.	Contains Milk and Soy Ingredients. May Contain Peanut.

QUAKER CRISPY MINIS

FLAVOUR	CURRENT FORMULA	NEW FORMULA
Ketchup	Contains Milk and Soy Ingredients.	Contains Milk and Soy Ingredients. May Contain Wheat, Egg and Peanut.
Sea Salt & Lime	Contains Milk and Soy Ingredients.	Contains Milk and Soy Ingredients. May Contain Wheat, Egg and Peanut.
BBQ	Contains Milk and Soy Ingredients.	Contains Milk and Barley Ingredients. May Contain Soy, Egg, Wheat and Peanut.
Salt & Vinegar	Contains Milk and Soy Ingredients.	Contains Milk and Soy Ingredients. May Contain Wheat, Egg and Peanut.
Cheddar Cheese	Contains Milk and Soy Ingredients.	Contains Milk and Soy Ingredients. May Contain Wheat, Egg and Peanut.
Caramel Kettle Corn	Contains Milk and Soy Ingredients.	Contains Sulphites. May Contain Wheat, Milk, Soy, Egg and Peanut.
Dill	Contains Milk and Soy Ingredients.	Contains Milk and Soy Ingredients. May Contain Wheat, Egg and Peanut.
Sour Cream & Onion (formerly Sour Cream & Chives)	Contains Milk and Soy Ingredients.	Contains Milk Ingredients. May Contain Soy, Wheat, Egg and Peanut.
Butter	Contains Milk and Soy Ingredients.	Contains Milk and Soy Ingredients. May Contain Wheat, Egg and Peanut.

Quaker Foods Canada reminds consumers of these important tips regarding the importance of carefully reading food ingredient labels:

Food-allergic individuals and those buying for them are encouraged to read food ingredient labels at least three times: once when purchasing the item; a second time when putting the item away; and a third time just prior to serving the item.

Take steps to improve your understanding of labeling regulations and their limitations. It should never be assumed that all sizes and flavours have identical allergen profiles, so check the label every time.

Products with a may contain warning could be problematic for individuals with life-threatening food allergies. If there is a precautionary warning, it is possible that the product contains traces of the allergen.

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It may feel like you’re alone in all of this, but there are others that have gone, are going, and will go through this around you. Reach out for help. That’s the hope of this blog – that we can help you as you learn to adapt to this life-changing allergy for the safety of those you love.

What it’s Like

2009-05-04T18:30:00.001-04:00

As an answer to my last post, here’s an entry penned by our oldest son, Joseph, on what it’s like to have a peanut allergy.

For me to have a food allergy really sucks. My allergy is peanuts. Peanuts could be in just about anything, examples: peanuts are in milk from the United States, in some body oils, cooking oils and even in some cereals. My brothers are also allergic to nuts. Liam, my youngest brother, is anaphylactic. For those of you who don’t know what anaphylactic means, it means you could die from having a little amount of what you’re allergic to. Liam is also airborne allergic. So you could eat peanut butter for breakfast, but if you go near him he could react. I hope you’ve learned a little about peanut allergens.

But how do they feel?

2009-05-04T14:41:00.001-04:00

In our continued struggle to keep our sons safe, we are often called overprotective by others that do not have to deal with anything like this.

Most people will think of an allergic reaction as getting itchy hives or a runny nose and sneezing – not a drastic drop in blood pressure like Liam’s reaction. There have been times when we’ve stayed up most of the night to wake Liam up every 15 minutes or so to make sure that he’s responsive (Liam tends to react multiple times after the initial attack). Thankfully there’s been no need to use the epi-pens that he carries with him anytime that he’s out of the house (although he did jab one into his leg accidentally once while playing).

Sometimes in all of our efforts to keep our children safe, we can lose ourselves. We think that we are making things better for them while giving quick answers to questions like, “Why can’t I sleep over at John’s house?” or “Can I go to Greg’s house for supper?” Hopefully you’ve talked honestly and openly with your child about their allergy and not tried to protect them from that too.

One thing that we found to help keep our focus in this came from AllergyMoms.com – 10 Things Children with Food Allergies Want You to Know. It’s humbling the first few times through.

To what lengths have you gone to keep your child safe? Have you lost sight of how they feel about their allergy?

The 24-hour Allergen-Free Challenge

2009-05-03T20:36:00.001-04:00

Could you do it? Could you live allergen-free for 24 hours?

This week (May 4th-8th) is “National Food Allergy Awareness Week”. Anaphylaxis Canada is challenging everyone in the country to take a 24-hour period and be allergen free. Can you do it?

In order to do this, you would need to do what we go through every time we go to the store, or a restaurant, or eat out at friends’ and family’s houses. You will need to know every ingredient that went into everything that goes into your mouth. Are the allergens listed on the label? Does it contain trace amounts of allergens? Has it come into contact with any allergen and been cross-contaminated? What do you know about the facility in which the food was made? Was it baked in a allergen-free environment? Did it come from the bulk section of the supermarket? Was it made in-house?

When checking for allergens we are advised to read the label three times – once when purchasing the item, once when putting the food away at home, and once again before using it. Can you do it?

Our family lives a completely peanut-free life – we have to. Our three children have been diagnosed as allergic to peanuts, including trace amounts of 10 parts per million (ppm). Our youngest son – Liam – is airborne-allergic as well, which means that if you’ve eaten a peanut (or other tree nut) within the last 48 hours he could react to you.

When eating peanut-free, you have to be fully committed; you can’t cheat like you do on a diet. One wayward ingredient and you could be spending the night in the emergency room. With the severity of Liam’s allergy we can’t guess that something is “safe” – it’s his life at stake.

So I encourage you to take up this challenge – this will help you understand the stress that this adds to the life of someone who deals with this every day. Take one day this week and give up an allergen – peanuts/nuts, soy, wheat, eggs, fish, or others. As this blog is about peanut allergies, I can give you a short (non-inclusive) list of things to avoid that may contain peanuts.

What Contains Peanuts
(items marked with * have caused deaths )

peanut* / peanut butter* / peanut meal	arachide / cacahuete / cacahuate
peanut soup / peanut punch / peanut drink	ground nuts / beer nuts
peanut popcorn / peanut shells / peanut flour	goober nuts / goober peas
peanut sauce / satay sauce*	Mandelona nuts / Nu-Nuts
peanut-scented fishing lure (Mann’s Vworm)	peanut butter flavour lip gloss (Bonne Bell)
Roy Rogers’ butterfinger milkshake	Rocky Road ice cream

What May Contain Peanuts
(items marked with * have caused deaths )

chocolate / candies / cookies	European chocolates*
Desserts* / sweets* / almond paste*	chili* / egg rolls* / salsa / barbeque sauce
designer jelly beans / donuts / muesli	pesto sauce / curry sauce / marinade
ice cream / sundaes / cereal / milkshakes	plum sauce / mooshu sauce
granola bars / rice squares	vegetable burgers / dried salad dressing
pet food (ie: gerbil. birdseed)	some European cow’s milk formula
animal food (ie: pellets at petting farms)	some Lean Cuisine meals / Arachis oil
homemade playdough	bean bags with peanut shell filling
peanut butter suet cakes	milk sold in the USA – may sometimes have peanut oil or fish oil to carry added vitamins

Note: European chocolate often has nut pieces which are not declared on the label. Some zinc and Castol oil creams, vitamin syrups and Nutella, Pears soap may have peanut oil. Many ant traps use peanut in them.

As an idea of some restaurants that our family have given up due to possible peanut cross-contamination:

Boston Pizza
Pizza Hut
Pizza Pizza
McDonalds – we only order at the drive thru, never eat-in, and not all menu items (chiabatta buns and cookies are out)
Burger King
Montana’s
Kelsey’s
Jack Aster’s
Tim Hortons / Country Style – coffee/tea only, at the drive thru, no food items

And for even more fun, we re-seeded our lawn this week and noticed that the bag of grass seed said “No peanut shells”.

So try the challenge. Read the ingredients label every time you pick something up. And remember, just because it doesn’t list “peanuts” on the label doesn’t mean it’s safe. Call the company and find out.

For you it’s only 24 hours.