Soy Free Vitamins

I have had a lot of trouble finding a children's daily vitamin that includes iron and is soy free. For L the challenge was Gelatin Free and Dye Free. The answer has been: L takes

A special thank you to all the Vegans who have made a market for "gelatin free" vitamins and other health foods. We found these vitamins at a locally owned health food store. You can buy them on the internet cheaper. I may do that next time, assuming I plan ahead in time. For B the challenge is he is allergic to SOY. He could eat the very popular Flintstones Complete:

But, I am trying to avoid the Red Dye for him as well, to avoid a future allergy (my own concocted method, not one I have reviewed with the allergist yet) Currently I spend a lot of time on the elementary school grounds. I have met many great people. I recently met a neat lady who works at Whole Food Market. She has become a great resource for me on healthy foods and vitamins. She recently informed me that most vitamins were wheat based until recently when the price of wheat went up....then they mainly became soy-based because soy is cheaper. I have not been able to discover for sure if the above mentioned vitamin, that L takes, only contains soybean oil and/or soy lechitin or if it contains the soy protein, flour, etc that B has to avoid. This post is motivating me to write Bluebonnet and ask if there vitamin just contains soybean oil....or actual soy protein and/or soy flour. I will get back to you if I receive a response. Do you have a favorite Soy-free, dye free-vitamin that contains iron??? Please share!!!

Birthday Party with Coconut Ice Cream

We had L's friend party this week. L is 5 years old! I can't believe it. His food allergies seem to be sticking around (no outgrowing them yet!) I served water(little ones still spill and oh! they did), chocolate cupcakess (egg free, dairy free, nut free, soy free ones) with coconut ice cream----chocolate or vanilla. No child noticed the difference in the ice cream. One child, who has a milk intolerance, took some convincing that he was allowed to eat ice cream. I took him in the kitched and showed him the containers with the coconuts on them (not cows!:) He liked the chocolate....evidence: it was all gone!

The cupcakes and ice cream were not sugar free. This was well noted when the kiddos went crazy after "cake and ice cream". It was so nice, as the mama, to see B and L sitting at their little picnic table (spilling water everywhere) and enjoying "cake and ice cream" with their friends. No special orders, no digging out their different "safe" cupcakes because they were all safe. Next week we will dig out our safe treats at a friend party, but for this week all the kids were the same and it was a happy day. Happy Birthday, L!

Coconut Milk

My boys love, love, love Coconut Milk Yogurt and Ice Cream by So Delicious! If you have not yet tried it...go get some! Don't delay! It is delicious and sweet! We will be eating some at this weekends birthday festivities:)

Basics

So I did a lot of reading of other mom blogs and I have read a lot of books about food allergies and this is what I determined was needed for L's situation: 1. ONLY eat food from home 2. Be in a Peanut/Tree Nut free classroom 3. Everyone washes there hands when entering the room 4. L always washes his hands with soap and water before eating 5. L always eats on a clean surface 6. L washes his hands with soap and water in the cafeteria (hand sanitizer will not do the trick) 7. L eats at the Peanut/ Tree Nut free table This has been working well for 3 weeks, but L has had hives the past two days. The possible culprit a sore in his mouth (probably where he bit his lip) and he cannot keep his hands off of it....despite my threats and redirections, I find his little hand in his mouth : (

School-IHP

L has begun Kindergarten! I can't believe he is old enough! Don't all mothers say that! I spent a lot of time doing paperwork, arranging medications and talking to his teacher to get ready. We decided to do an Individual Health Plan instead of a 504B. I feel this is the best decision this year. I really might change my mind! The District cut the school Nurses and replaced them with Health Aides. Our Health Aide is so sweet and kind, but she is a former Art Teacher, not a medical background:( The Health Aide is organized and even gave me her cell number. L's teacher is super nice and is providing (to her best ability) a peanut-free room. L is doing the "snack box" provided from home and lunches packed at home. He only eats his food! I really feel super strong about this! L knows the rules...only eat food from home. It seems to be working and we are almost a month into school. I really wanted to shelter him and keep him in a nice peanut free bubble....But he wants to SOCIALIZE and learn with great teachers and fun peers! I know in my heart him being at school is what he needs and what is best for him. I only hope God has the patience to listen to my lengthy prayers about keeping my little boy safe!

peanut butter cups

I was in a room with L and B and a bunch of other kids and a bunch of pb cups! The smell was foriegn and awful (because at this point I really hate peanuts and peanut butter). We left soon after this. We were not expecting peanuts/peanut butter. When we got home it was bath and bedtime. L had hives all over his trunk when I bathed him. Hard to say if they were because we were in a room with so much pb being eaten by young (messy) children. But, it made me feel sad and worry about the future and future social events It made me upset that food is such a BIG part of socializing. But, I know that we just take one day at a time and that God will lead the way if we let him.

HAND SOAP

So the first week of school for L has come and gone. It was thankfully uneventful. I was really proud of L for coming home and telling me that there was no handsoap in the cafeteria, only hand sanitizer. Hand sanitizer will not do the trick. It took some investigating to discover the dispensers in the cafeteria do not hold the foam soap supplied by the district. It just leaks out as soon as you put it in. I bought some thicker soap and it still does not work that well. For now the solution is to have a regular store bought dispenser, which Bob the Janitor fills on a regular basis and to keep soap in the not-working-so-well dispenser until who knows when. L tells me each day that he is washing his hands....this is the important part that his hands are cleaned before he eats:) And now I am friends with Bob the janitor and Bob the janitor now understands why hand sanitizer is not enough for my son:)

Red Dye #40

We have finally figured out one of the reasons for L's hives. Red Dye #40! It's everywhere...in toothpaste, juice (or I should say "juice"), hand soap, shampoo, vitamins, candy, everywhere! Avoiding it for a child with peanut, tree nut, milk, and egg allergies is hard because ....that means no skittles, starbursts and other go to treats. Halloween is shaping up to be an all out trade if for a Rice Milk Chocolate Bar. The Candy Bar is good....but we shall see how it goes:) I read somewhere technically you can't be "allergic" to Red Dye #40 (which is made from Coal Tar, yuck!). It is technically an "intolerance". But, you can have hives, breathing trouble and possibly anaphylaxis. This is serious business. So we were planning to skip our annual trip to the allergist. But, in light of this and also the gelatin allergy. As well as possible seasonal allergies and reactive airway business, which means nightly breathing treatments.....I think we will take Luke back to the Allergist for a little follow up, some testing and a good plan to keep L safe, happy and healthy!