Happy and Safe Holidays

Hope you are all having a very enjoyable and safe holiday season!  I know all too well the toll being diligent about food allergies can be when you are off routine and at other people's house or have other people potentially feeding your child with allergies.  I've been doing some research about how allergens can be present in the air!  We've probably all heard about nut-free tables at school and the extreme cases of airlines fighting with passengers about serving peanuts.  I can understand the nuts in the air but I'm surprised that particles of milk can also cause a reaction.  I saw it on Christmas Eve.  My son was helping set the table for dinner and asked that his 4 year old cousin sit next to him (how sweet!). His cousin was drinking milk and like kids do the milk spilled on the table. I was rushing around trying to not let my son touch it but without it ever touching him he started gagging like he was going to throw up. Whatever little particles might have been in the air and landed around him or that he breathed in were enough to start causing him issues. Luckily we washed him down and cleaned everything up and got him new food and he was fine. We, of course, watched him carefully over the next few hours but nothing more came of it. I almost couldn't believe that this very small exposure could cause him symptoms so of course I googled it and found that it can indeed.  The classic example was to be careful at coffee shops where they are frothing milk as that can also send particles in the air and cause trouble for those with severe allergies.

Wow! Not only do I have to worry about him consuming something with milk, egg, etc., touching something, but now also being exposed to it in the air.  I think we're going to pick a preschool based on how allergy aware they are first and foremost!! With more celebrations to come I'll take this lesson learned and try to be even more diligent. I'll make our own allergen free bubble around my son. For those of you who spend time with us and accommodate us and our allergies I thank you!  I know it's not easy and we are grateful that you wash up before you touch us and go without your milk and have lived through some of my awful attempts at pumpkin pie and mock mac and cheese! I hope the cooking has gotten better and that the washing up and other precautions seem more routine.

Enjoy your holidays and your families! And try not to spill your milk:)