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!

Vitmain without Gelatin

We have recently discovered L is allergic to Gelatin. This explains his hives after he got his chicken pox vaccine, his coughing while eating certain cereals (Lucky Charms, Frosted Mini Wheats (All Varaties), and his more recent stomach upset and general hives when taking a daily vitamin. Almost all daily vitamins contain gelatin, as well as some fruit snacks, soft drinks, and canned meats. Make-up also contains gelatin, luckily as a boy this should not be an issue. Gelatin is made from animals. So we have had some luck in finding Gelatin-free vitamins. Vegans don't want Gelatin in there diet, and either does L. This is a blessing. I don't think L needs a daily vitamin, but B does need one. L wants to be included in the morning vitamin fun and thanks to Lil Critters he can be. I found the vitamins at Target. Random place, but I am grateful to find them there and not make a special trip to the health food store.

GELATIN

It took me a long time to figure this out. But, L is allergic to gelatin. I began to suspect this after little things added up. First, he had a terrible reaction to his Chicken Pox Vaccine. Second, every time he ate Frosted Mini Wheats he would cough and cough. Then, it happened again with Lucky Charms. Finally everyday he and B take a daily vitamin. L began to complain about his tummy hurting and refused to eat much of the time. After label reading, I cut out gelatin and life is much better. L has not had official (expensive) allergy testing. But when you know you know. He can be tested in his next annual allergy doctor visit. L has been very involved in this discovery and feels more confident eating when he knows the ingredients of his food and plays in active part with me in making sure his food is safe.

I would have a harder time with this discovery, except when I told the doctor I though there must have been egg in his chicken pox vaccine because he had hives for two weeks following. She said "it may have been gelatin." sort of thinking out loud. I am so glad she did. I have since read that there is more likely to be a reaction to gelatin than eggs when vaccinations are given.

SOY

Somehow B's allergy to SOY was overlooked and not tested in his first round of testing at 13 months old. Now at 2 we know he is allergic to soy. He was not experiencing hives when he drank soy and I was missing it. He instead sounded like a made case of bronchitis all the time. I worried about him so much. It was a huge answer to prayer when we discovered his SOY allergy. Since eliminating soy he is much better, happier, and more energetic. L continues to drink and eat soy as a main part of his diet. It gets a little more complicated as what they are allergic to changes and goes in different directions. But, with extra planning and label reading we are doing just fine.