A reader wrote to me to share the link for a Facebook Campaign for Peanut Allergy Friendly Chicago Cubs games. Please take a look at the page and click LIKE to support the campaign. Here is the link: Chicago Fans for Peanut Free Baseball.
21 June 2010
Your School's Food Allergy Report Card
School is out now here in small town Massachusetts and we are enjoying some summer weather. It was a good year for the kids and we made it to the end with no allergy problems at school. There is certainly room for improvement in the area of food allergy management at our school, but I believe the nurse strives to do the best she can and I know that she takes action when she learns of things that need improvement. As a parent of a child with life threatening food allergies, I don't think I can ask for much more.
How do you think your child's school did this year in food allergy management? Are you satisfied? Are improvements needed? A couple changes or a laundry list? Is the school open to making changes or are you encountering resistance? If you don't mind, please tell us what state or province you're in too. Thanks!
16 June 2010
School is almost over
The school is abuzz with end-of-the-school-year celebrations and festivities, and almost all somehow include food, so I have been busy trying to find out:
- Is food involved?
- What food is it?
- Is it safe for my child?
- What similar alternative food can I bring in for my child?
- How to make sure the powers that be remember to give it to him?
Sound familiar? Yah, I thought so. You all know the drill!
For now, I am grateful the school has been very agreeable about permitting me to bring in alternative snacks. I remain hopeful that food will get out of the classroom celebrations and curriculum someday. Now, to get the kidlings up and ready for school. Only 3 more days!
14 June 2010
When Food Allergies Get You Down...
Living with food allergies or caring for someone with food allergies can be stressful and overwhelming. Just look at any food allergy blog and you'll surely find a post about the ups and downs. I am a fan of a somewhat new blog, Morgan Day Cecil, and I really enjoyed one of her most recent posts: 4 Videos to Change What You Feel is Possible in the World Today. At least one of those videos should bring a smile to your face. I liked the one with this guy Matt dancing in locations all around the world. And being a fan of Train, I also enjoyed another with Spanish University students singing Hey Soul Sister. Check out Morgan's post and blogs!
11 June 2010
Allergy Friendly Slush
A hot topic of discussion in our neighborhood has been slush! We should always be so fortunate as to have such light topics for conversation. The "enquiring minds" here want to know what allergy friendly slushs are out there and to which allergies they are friendly. We looked into Richie's Italian Ice Slush and Ronnie's here for our school's field day. Under allergens, Richie's listed cross contamination for "nondetectable" levels of nut allergen due to nut extracts used for flavoring. They are fat free, gluten free, and cholesterol free. I appreciated the detail available on Richie's website. The school nurse left a message at Ronnie's but did not hear back before field day, so Ronnie's remains a mystery for the moment. We brought dairy free, peanut free, and nut free Philly Swirl pops in to avoid any possible problems.
What brands do you use and which allergens are they free of? Also, don't forget to tell us whereabouts you live; so many brands are regional. Thanks!
03 June 2010
Calling All U.S. Peanut Allergy Families!
I was surprised but pleased to see that the U.S. Department of Transportation is considering peanut allergies on airplanes. A big thanks to fellow Twitterer @SunButter4life for sharing that info this morning:
"DOT asking for comments on the issue of peanut allergies on planes: http://regulationroom.org/airline-passenger-rights/peanut-allergies/"
Word is spreading fast! See the AllergicLiving forum for more info and comments from others.
@AllergicLiving said: "U.S. gov't weighs peanut bans, buffer zones for planes! Where to write to support: http://bit.ly/dpUEnr #foodallergy #allergy #gf " http://twitter.com/AllergicLiving/statuses/15330515598
Maybe it's time for Jenny over at the Nut-Free Mom Blog and I to resurrect the You Don't Need Nuts to Fly Facebook Page...
So, what are you waiting for?! Make your voices heard! Let's try to make some progress here for those with life threatening peanut allergies. Yes, I know what you are thinking...what about almonds, and sunflower seeds, and sesame, and..? I agree, but this sounds like a step in the right direction, so let's make a big push and see how far we get!
02 June 2010
ISO of New England Kids with Disabilities Baseball Teams for Chance to Attend Camp at Fenway Park!
I try to stay on topic but this is a really great non-food allergy related cause worth supporting. CVS Caremark/All Kids Can, a philanthropic arm of CVS Pharmacy, is sponsoring baseball camps at Fenway Park for children with intellectual and physical disabilities. 9 dates for the camp--called All Kids Can Baseball Camp--have been scheduled throughout the summer. What a wonderful opportunity! The lucky teams will attend for free and will be able to enjoy on-field batting practice, a VIP tour of Fenway and much more.
If you know of a New England-based kids' baseball team with players who have physical and/or intellectual disabilities, please consider nominating them for this unforgettable opportunity as soon as possible. Here is the link to nominate a team: http://cvscaremarkallkidscan.com/nominate-a-team
Disclosure: I have not received any compensation for this plug, but may receive a CVS giftcard in the future (which would be handy thing to have) so I must let you know that I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and CVS Caremark blogging program to be eligible to win a $50 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here. (http://www.twittermoms.com/forum/topics/calling-all-new-england-area)
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