Note: This article was originally written for Health Central: My AllergyNetwork.com. To view the article there, click here.

Although there is a lot of attention on peanut-free tables and banning peanut butter from school cafeterias, studies show that most food allergic reactions at school happen outside the cafeteria. Classroom parties and other situations out of the ordinary can put food allergic children at increased risk.

With Halloween parties around the corner, I thought I’d share my TREAT sheet (some tips) that has helped keep my son and other allergic children safe and included in classroom parties.

Start with your child’s teacher. In my experience, having the teacher communicate the “rules” for the party is the way to go. You and other parents of children with special dietary needs can provide the teacher with a list of safe treats and activities. Hopefully by this point, your child’s teacher understands how dangerous food allergies can be. If not, now would be a great time to share this important information.

Set realistic expectations. Even today there are many parents who are not aware of the dangers of food allergies. It is likely there will be mistakes. Sometimes the teacher may “catch” these, other times he or she may not. Remember that others are not as immersed in the food-allergy world as we are. Even with reminders sent home, there will always be a parent who “didn’t get the memo.” Take these oversights with a grain of salt and assume honest intent.

Eat only food with labels that have been double checked. Your child will be tempted but it’s important to remember that ingredients change. Different sizes of the same candy or cookies can have different ingredients as well. Homemade treats are likely to be on the scene and these can contain any number of questionable ingredients and may have been cross-contaminated by an innocent parent who is not accustomed to baking for a food allergic child. Also, don’t use common sense (or common assumptions) to determine if a food is safe. Jelly beans can contain peanut flour. Taffy, chewy candies and lollipops can contain milk or egg. Cherries can contain almonds! This is not the time for you to let your guard down.

Attend the party. You will be amazed at what you will find. My son attended a “peanut-free” preschool and received a full-sized Snickers bar in his treat bag! (I confiscated it and enjoyed it later that evening!)

Even when you think you have the party food covered, other parents may use food in their party games or for prizes, not thinking of food allergies. Parties are hectic so it is always helpful to have an extra set of eyes on your child to make sure that he does not consume an unsafe treat.

Treats served should be safe for all of the students in the classroom. This is not only more inclusive but it keeps the learning environment safe. Even with multiple food allergies, there are a wide variety of snacks and treats that can be served safely. Offer to bring safe foods to share. Prepare a specific list of safe snack ideas to keep other parents involved. This will give other parents an opportunity to bring food to share as well. Be there to double check what shows up because there are always surprises. I thought all lemonade was safe for my son until one parent brought kiwi-flavored lemonade to a party!

So always have safe treats and a drink for your child as back up.

Remember the power of “Thank you.” And last but not least, remember to thank those who have helped kept keep your child safe and included. People may not realize how hard it is for us to ask for accommodations for our child or how scared we are when we have to depend on others to prepare or serve food for our kids. Those who “get it” make our lives so much easier, so each and every time you come across one of these angels, let them know how much it means to you and your child.

- Gina Clowes

Turkey, Mistle Toe, and Food Allergies? Well, it doesnt necessarily go in that order. Often, holidays can be tough for families that have a child with a food allergy. However, if you fall into that category, the holidays dont have to be a wash! Even though the holidays often revolve around food, you can still make them enjoyable for your allergy prone little one. You just have to prepare! Here are some tips to help all families have fun without focusing on food: - Turn the focus from foods to holiday songs, crafts and activities. - Try using substitutions for the egg, nuts, milk and/or wheat in your favorite holiday recipes (depending upon your childs allergy). - Make new holiday traditions that everyone in your family can enjoy, such as taking a walk together or playing a game. For your little one, a new tradition is just as special as an old one! And, if your child is on a specialized formula, like Neocate, bring it to all holiday functions, even if its supposed to only be a short get-together. When family and friends get together, you never know how long the holiday festivities will last! Recently, I read a great article from Todays Diet & Nutrition titled EUR ]]> http://babyhealthadvice.com/turkey-mistle-toe-and-food-allergies/826/feed/ http://babyhealthadvice.com/why-is-my-child-being-bullied/825/ http://babyhealthadvice.com/why-is-my-child-being-bullied/825/#comments Tue, 06 Jan 2009 00:34:02 +0000 admin

A Fresh Look At Schooling: The Role of Grades (Part 3 of 3) The purpose of schooling is to teach our children to learn and produce quality work. In order to accomplish this goal, our schools must re-think the ways in which they view the educational process.

Why Is My Child Being Bullied? It is extremely stressful to find that your child is being bullied. Our role as a parent is to protect, nourish and ultimately to release our children as young adults into society where they make a positive impact. Bullying has no part to play in this scenario.

Black Friday Cyber Monday Cloth Diaper Sale Black Friday, Cyber Monday Cloth Diaper Sale

This is How Schools Handle Food Allergies? I came across an enlightening article the other day from Reuters Health on food allergy action plans in schools. Food allergies and specifically allergic reactions in schools have been all over the news lately and I assumed most schools would already have, or be working to create, a food allergy action plan for their students. However, according to this article, I thought wrong. A survey was taken of 43 elementary and middle schools in the largest public school system in South Carolina on how they handled food allergies. Over half (56 percent) of these schools did not have did not have their food allergy kids on action plans. And even more surprising is that this school system is at or above the national average of food allergy action plans in schools, which is 16-64 percent. To read the entire article, click here. Overall, the article is encouraging parents to be proactive about your little ones health! Many adults, even those at your childs school, may not be aware of the severity of food allergies. For tips on how to ease your mind while your food allergy child is in school, read our previous blog entry on the topic. - Nita

The Post Kindergarten Blues: What To Know To Help Your Little One Start First Grade Now that we are close to the end of our first six weeks as a first grade family, I feel confident in sharing with you some of the shocks and secrets of entering what I now consider to be “real school”: first grade.

Happy Holidays! Thank you for a wonderful year of blogging! We will be back with new and exciting blog entries after the holidays. Have a safe, healthy and happy holiday season. - Nita, Christine, Sarah, Steven and Ulrike

]]> http://babyhealthadvice.com/black-friday-cyber-monday-cloth-diaper-sale/824/feed/ http://babyhealthadvice.com/what-i-wish-i-knew-food-allergy-lessons-ive-learned/823/ http://babyhealthadvice.com/what-i-wish-i-knew-food-allergy-lessons-ive-learned/823/#comments Mon, 05 Jan 2009 12:23:02 +0000 admin The Recruiting Process: How to Protect and Help Your Athlete
Highly visible sought-after recruits receive heavy attention from college coaches, the media, boosters, and others that can make the recruiting process very straining on the recruit, their family, and even the high school coach.

Whats For Lunch? Lets face it, kids are picky. This fact alone makes packing five lunches a week a tough task! And if your little one has food allergies, youve got it a little harder. But dont fret. With a little planning, you can whip up a great bagged lunch in no time. Relying on the school to provide an allergy-free lunch for your child can often be stressful. Many food allergy parents feel better packing their childs lunch. Its an easy way to remain worry-free about what your child is eating at school as well as to ensure that he is getting the proper nutrients. Here are a few tips on how to pack an allergy-free, nutritionally complete lunch for your school-age kids: - Plan ahead! It is much easier to make a lunch menu and take a trip to the grocery store when you arent on a time crunch. - Add variety to your little ones lunch so they arent tempted to eat off someone elses plate. - For the proper nutrients, you can pack a nutritionally complete, hypoallergenic drink, like EO28 Splash. It comes in a drink box and lots of fun flavors, making it easier for the kids to take to school. - Sneak in an exciting treat. Food allergies can be hard for kids, especially when they are surrounded with foods they cant have. Throw in a note to say hi or a fun sticker to brighten your childs day. And for more great lunch ideas, check out this blog entry from Allergy Moms. What are you packing for your little one this week? - Christine

Nut Bans In Schools May Be Spurring Hysteria? I think this is a little much. The other day, I came across an article from U.S. News & World Report called EUR ]]> http://babyhealthadvice.com/whats-for-lunch/822/feed/ http://babyhealthadvice.com/how-to-talk-with-your-kids/821/ http://babyhealthadvice.com/how-to-talk-with-your-kids/821/#comments Mon, 05 Jan 2009 00:33:02 +0000 admin

Real Moms Discussing Real Food Allergies Abc.com recently held a great roundtable for the EUR ]]> http://babyhealthadvice.com/how-to-talk-with-your-kids/821/feed/