Team Erika and PALs ~ Gayle
Kids with food allergies need everyone's help to stay safe!
My daughter Erika has a severe peanut allergy. We learned about it by allergy testing when she was 2 1/2 years old (after being warned at 2 months by her dermatologist to be careful because of her eczema). Unfortunately several of her classmates found out about their food allergies the hard way, with a scary trip to the ER!
Erika's peanut allergy changed our lives. It requires constant vigilance, and it's tough! Strict avoidance is the only way to prevent a reaction. Even trace amounts of peanuts can cause a reaction, so we have to read food labels extremely carefully (see below). When in doubt, Erika doesn't eat it.
Erika has had a few miserable reactions to trace amounts of peanuts, but so far she has avoided the ER, and we'd like to keep it that way! Now that she is older we aren’t always with her, and that means we need the help of other people to continue keeping her safe. She and other kids with food allergies know to be careful, but adults have to help them. Kids can help too, by knowing what their friends are allergic to, and letting an adult know if they see an allergic reaction.
Food allergies are a growing health problem in the U.S. Each year there are more than 30,000 visits to the ER from severe food allergy reactions, and 150-200 people die. Nationwide there are more than 12 million Americans with food allergies (3.1 million children and 9 million adults), or 4% of the population. That's 1 in 25 Americans, and 1 in 17 under age three. At Erika's school alone last year, there were 20 kids with severe food allergies (the number of children with EpiPens officially kept at school). There is no cure for food allergy, but quick treatment with injectable epinephrine (EpiPen) saves lives.
Staying safe = completely avoiding peanuts
Even trace amounts of peanuts causes a reaction for Erika. Strict avoidance of peanuts is the only way to prevent a reaction.
Understanding food labels is essential. Erika is NOT ALLOWED to eat foods with:
* peanuts
* tree nuts
* "may contain peanuts"
* "shared equipment with peanuts"
* "facility with peanuts" (avoid when possible)
(Erika's dermatologist warned us when she was 2 months old that her eczema made it highly likely she had food allergies. She told us to avoid feeding Erika highly allergenic foods like peanuts and tree nuts until she was 2-3 years old. Her peanut allergy was diagnosed by allergy testing at 2 1/2 years old. Her eczema persisted to a certain extent until she was no longer exposed to even trace amounts of peanuts, and then her skin became beautifully clear. Since the Kindergarten cupcake mishap we have been ultra-careful, and she has been reaction-free.)
The book “Understanding and Managing Your Child’s Food Allergies” by Scott H. Sicherer (2006) is a must read. Our allergist recommends it to all of her patients, and it is a fantastic all-around resource.
Donations to support education and research
My family and I will be at the Walk on Saturday, September 6, 2008 at Point Defiance Park in Tacoma.
Please consider making a donation of $5, $15, even $25 or more. Your donation is tax-deductible. Any amount, large or small, helps fund research to make the world a safer place for people with food allergies. My hope is that by the time Erika is in high school that they will have perfected the peanut "allergy shots" that they are working on, so that she doesn't have to worry about a big reaction if she has trace amounts of peanuts.
You can donate by credit card by selecting the “Support Me” button under the picture ($15 minimum). Alternatively, you can make a donation by check or cash (any amount). Send or give your cash or check (made payable to “FAAN”) to me, and I’ll turn it on to FAAN on the Walk day.
Also, many companies have matching programs (e.g. Microsoft), so please remember to apply if you are eligible.
My family and I truly appreciate your support. Please contact me with any questions you have about the fundraising, FAAN, or food allergies.
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