patty56 on HubPages

                           ALLERGY AWARENESS

 Hi, my name is Patty and I am the mother of six beautiful children, from 23 years old and in Grad school, down to my littlest one who is 11 years old.

I have been raising children with food allergies for a long time now. (go visit the site www.cookingallergyfree.com for more allergen-free recipes and other site links to help you and your family friends out with food allergies!).  My son who is 18, is my third oldest child, and the first to have food allergies. He was also the first in our school district to be so severely allergic to peanuts, that I knew that if a peer touched him after eating peanutbutter, he would be covered in hives. I was very scared and frustrated, as the administration at that time had never heard of such a thing. Through the help of the Department of Nursing and Education, and the help of our local legislator, my administration was told that not only was it okay for me to ask that his classmates wash their hands after eating peanutbutter to keep my child safe, but that the entire cafeteria should!

My oldest daughter, working for her university and set to get her masters of arts this year, came home freshman year at Thanksgiving time, having lost 30 pounds. She looked like walking sticks. At first, I thought that she had become anorexic, but through testing, we discovered that she was no longer able to process and eat gluten. So, the allergies to food in our family include: My teen-aged son, from 14 months: peanuts/tree nuts/legumes and during his tween / puberty years added in soy and fish and shellfish to the mix. My youngest, now 9, was allergic to eggs/nuts/tree nuts/legumes from birth. In the past couple of years, I developed a nut/tree nut/fish/apples/oranges allergy. My husband, is diabetic.

Since my teen son started kindergarten, eleven years ago, a lot of changes have happened. A sharp rise in kids with serious and life-threatening food allergies is now common-place, and so what once was strange, is now the 'norm'. However, not enough education or consideration is being given to our food allergic kids, who just want to 'fit in' and be like everybody else. On April 8th, 2008, FAAMA (Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Management Act ) of 2008 was passed by the House of Representatives. It will now be reviewed by a sub-committee of the Senate, and if approved, will go to the full Senate for approval. If passed, it will then go to the President for final approval. With 2.2 million school-age children affected by asthma and food allergies, this bill protects their rights and provide allergy education to schools and restaurants so that unified standards can be met to keep our kids safe. One day, they will want to eat safely at restaurants as they grow up and go out into the world. Visit FAAN on the web and click on legislation for more info. Additionally, FAAN is now in the middle of conducting a study of the effects of being a young child with food allergies. I feel that one day it will be viewed as 'barberic' that elementary aged kids are forced to sit back- to- back with kids eating a pb&j, which makes them sick from the smell, and very nervous when they are little. Also, allowing school celebrations to involve food treats, which leave these kids out? Terrible. Unkind. Period!

On the brighter side, i never used to like to cook, but now, it has been a lot of fun coming up with interesting and tasty recipes to suit the needs of myself and my family.

So, in my blogs i share my different recipes and some tips to encourage and hopefully help those with any kids themselves with food allergies. I also write about the tolls and joys of raising six children,and my hubby, that cute guy. I share little slice-of-daily life stories, because? It's fun to write about my family, but the important passion for me? Getting the word out that food allergies are serious, and for now, incurable and here to stay. So be a friend to an allergic kid, and don't judge them because they didn't ask to have this, just like any other health issue. Trust me, they'd rather be able to eat at will, just like any one else!

My son just went off to college, Fall '09 with food allergies, and guess what?  He is living in the dorms and eating at the cafeteria and several of the other eateries on campus!  What I never imagined possible, is, thanks to the wonderful Food Service at his University!  For more information on this, please read my latest hub, off to college with food allergies!

Be strong in the Lord and in his great power

-Ephesians :30

God Bless You All

Patty