Children and Allergies…a problem that persists

Let’s face it. If your child doesn’t have a food allergy, you may have sighed that long sigh when you realized you were in the “wheat-free, egg-free, dairy-free and nut-free” room in preschool.

You may have heard or even made statements like:

“These allergies NEVER existed when I was a kid.”

“I think some of these parents are jumping the gun a little here, don’t you?”

“It is unreasonable to expect everyone not to eat ANYTHING…what am I going to pack for lunch?”

And I knew that food allergies were prevalent, but imagine my surprise when my research showed thatfood allergies are the number one reported “special need” by parents (closely followed by ADD/ADHD).

A little poking around, and I found these shocking numbers from the FAAN (The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network):

• Nearly 6 million or 8 percent of children have food allergies with young children affected most.
• Boys appear to develop food allergies more than girls.
• Food allergies may be a trigger for or associated with other allergic conditions, such as atopic dermatitis and eosinophilic gastrointestinal diseases.
• Although childhood allergies to milk, egg, wheat and soy generally resolve in childhood, they appear to be resolving more slowly than in previous decades, with many children still allergic beyond age five. Allergies to peanuts, tree nuts, fish or shellfish are generally lifelong allergies.

And a quick trip around the interwebs gives us many theories, but few concrete reasons for this huge spike in food allergies in children. The main theories seem to be:

• Our environments are now too sterile, thus not allowing our children to develop the “gut flora” our immune system is used to having (as seen in other parts of the world where the rates of food allergies in children are much, much lower)
• There have been some studies that correlate our increased C-Section rate to the rate of food allergies in children.
• And there is some thinking that we are not treating food allergies correctly. Scientists are working on introducing the “Dangerous Eight Foods” (peanuts, egg, wheat, milk, shellfish, fish, soy, and tree nuts) to children earlier rather than later, with the thinking that many children will develop healthy resistances to these foods. In keeping children away from the allergic foods, some scientists think that we are prolonging the severity and likelihood of the allergy.

Graph Source: Meghan Leahy

Whatever we may think of food allergies, and however annoyed we may feel that our child cannot eat her peanut butter and jelly everyday, food allergies are clearly here to stay.

So, to get a better sense of what people are going through, I asked some Facebook followers of mine to tell me about their experiences. People started writing immediately, with the predominant message of “THANK YOU.”  Their experiences range from the food allergy being an annoyance to multiple ER trips!

Serena K. says of her seven-year-old and her food allergies (milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, flax, lentils and mustard): “Our children grow up a little faster than the average kid because they have to learn to take on responsibilities and manage a potentially life-threatening disability. This disability is invisible, so people rarely can tell who has food allergies. On the flip side, our children are more resilient, mature and articulate because they have to communicate VERY important information to everyone around them.”

Then there is the idea of intolerance and high levels of sensitivities to artificial ingredients and colors in foods, setting off asthma attacks and chronic diarrhea. Joyce S. encourages parents to, “Trust your gut as a parent.”  She sought medical advice from multiple doctors, in different specialties until they found the right diet for their son, now 10. Joyce S. also strongly suggests helping the child to self-advocate in school and always includes snacks so that he can join in and feel part of the school parties.

Finding the right doctor is a common theme amongst parents of allergic children. Christine P., whose three-year-old son has a milk allergy says, “We are very careful about exposure, but at the same time, doubt the severity of the allergy. He had no reaction to his accidental exposures, and there is some conflicting research (for some dairy allergies) about no exposure versus limited exposure. We’re in the process of finding a doctor who we think is more up to date on the research to get a second opinion.”

As a parent coach, there is much empathy to be found in these stories. All you have to do is imagine sending your sweet three-year-old, so excited and ready to play, off to school. Trusting and praying that others will help you in keeping him safe and healthy cannot be an easy leap of faith, but it is a leap these parents must make in order for their children to learn and grow.

Photo Source: Thinkstock/iStockphoto

We can all help these families by, yes, adhering to the dietary restrictions placed by the schools, but more importantly, include these families into your circle.

More Tips:

• Invite them to play dates at your home, and make the environment safe for them.  Ask the parents what is required, and do it!
• Let the other family know you are happy to drop your kid off at their home, too!
• Find environments that are safe for everyone (the more natural, the better), and invite bigger groups of children. Have the party centered on playing games and cooperation, not food.

Above all:

• BELIEVE the parents when they tell you about the food allergy. LISTEN to their stories. APPRECIATE what they need to do to live a normal life. There is no need for pity. An open heart and a listening ear are all that is needed.

Photo Source (upper right): Thinkstock/iStockphoto