Allergy Awareness time
Ria from Check my tag left a comment pointing out that next week in the USA it is Allergy Awareness Week. In Australia this week is Anaphylaxis Awareness Week. We've been very lucky in not having first hand knowledge of an Anaphylaxis reaction, but under the advice of Hannah's allergy doctor we always have an Epipen at hand.
Hannah's allergies were diagnosed when she was a breast-feeding baby (she reacted to the eggs and nut proteins in my breast milk from what I was eating), and so far we have been able been able to avoid her ingesting either allergan. I have a sense of what we're up against by her reaction to sesame seeds, which according to the prick tests and the advice of the doctor are not a serious reaction. If Hannah ends up eating a one or two seeds her face almost instantly goes a blotchy itchy red for the rest of the day.
Now that Hannah's nearly four I feel that I can say we are managing really well. Cooking for her has stopped being a problem. She goes to a childcare centre a couple of days a week. The centre has a nut-free policy, and are committed to making sure it is a safe environment (Hannah is one of a number of kids in this small centre with allergy issues). Eating out is never going to be stress free but I'm good at always carrying safe snacks with me and am ever appreciative with the friends and family who take the issue seriously and cater for her. However in February 2009 my girl will start primary school and I must say that the thought fills me with a certain amount of terror. But we will face that when we need to.
Hannah's allergies were diagnosed when she was a breast-feeding baby (she reacted to the eggs and nut proteins in my breast milk from what I was eating), and so far we have been able been able to avoid her ingesting either allergan. I have a sense of what we're up against by her reaction to sesame seeds, which according to the prick tests and the advice of the doctor are not a serious reaction. If Hannah ends up eating a one or two seeds her face almost instantly goes a blotchy itchy red for the rest of the day.
Now that Hannah's nearly four I feel that I can say we are managing really well. Cooking for her has stopped being a problem. She goes to a childcare centre a couple of days a week. The centre has a nut-free policy, and are committed to making sure it is a safe environment (Hannah is one of a number of kids in this small centre with allergy issues). Eating out is never going to be stress free but I'm good at always carrying safe snacks with me and am ever appreciative with the friends and family who take the issue seriously and cater for her. However in February 2009 my girl will start primary school and I must say that the thought fills me with a certain amount of terror. But we will face that when we need to.
posted by din at 9:29 pm
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