After discovering a potentially fatal peanut allergy in our youngest son we had a hard time finding information and felt alone. As Liam continues through Primary School, we've decided to post the information we gather to help other parents of children with peanut allergies.
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?
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.
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 …
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 15th. 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.
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.
http://notedandblogged.blogspot.com/2010/03/nut-free-oh-we-should-be-so-lucky.html
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 …
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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:
