Parenting

By Ashini J. Desai

Accommodating Allergies

These days, there are so many children with allergies to peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, milk, eggs, shellfish and even sesame seeds. You name it, someone’s child very well might be allergic to it! Because of the prevalence of food allergies, schools are stepping up rules about foods and snacks that children are permitted to bring. Notes are even sent home requesting that birthday and party treats do not contain certain ingredients.

For parents, it is critical to our children’s health to be extra alert. Unfortunately, South Asian food relies on many allergen-inducing foods as its core ingredients. Wheat flour is a dietary staple. Peanuts and almonds accent rice dishes, daals and salads. Desserts are milk-based or made of nuts. In Asian and some American cuisine, peanut oil is often used for frying. And, of course, there are ingredients that are not common in America, such as charoli or chironji, which is a smaller almond variety used to garnish desserts. Who knows what might make another child have an allergic reaction?

This article is not the voice of a medical professional but of a parent of a child with food allergies. If your child has food allergies, please consult your pediatrician or allergist for advice. Here are some tips that I use for accommodating my child’s allergies and watching out for the allergies of others’ children.

Bring It From Home
When going to a party or cultural event that will be serving food, have additional food ready for your child. It may seem awkward when visiting a temple to refuse the nutty prasadam, when it is a religious obligation. But remember that your child’s health is paramount. Offer her an apple or banana instead.

Read! Read! Read! Ask! Ask! Ask! Ask!
Thanks to FDA guidelines, there are dietary and allergy statements on food packaging. Some foods from other countries, however, do not have such warnings. Although you might worry about being rude, it’s better to refuse it than second-guess.

Some restaurants will list the ingredients in their dishes on their menus. While some might have special menus to accommodate specific allergies, others, particularly South Asian restaurants, might not. Do not hesitate to ask the server or the chef about the ingredients in a dish. If you are uncomfortable with the response that you receive, choose the safest option even if it isn’t the most exciting or exotic entrée on the menu.

Buffets can present problems if serving utensils are interchanged or may have residue from other dishes. Ask for disposable utensils for dishing out food from the buffet.

Teach Your Children Well
While we want to protect our children every second of their lives, we will not always be there. Your child will need to be alert to his health concerns as well. Most children will understand that they will get sick if they eat certain foods. Some might have memories of their last allergy attacks and that will motivate them to avoid their triggers. While they are young, however, teach your children some tricks that will help them navigate snacktime and mealtime!

- Rule number one is not to eat candy or snacks unless an adult inspects them first.

- Before they learn to read, teach your children to identify off-limit candy by the wrapper colors. Because of her peanut allergy, Reese’s and Peanut M&M’s are banned foods for my daughter. She knows to avoid bright orange and yellow candy wrappers!

- Remember how much fun sharing or trading food was when you were young? Children still love to share and trade food. Because of the wide variety of allergies that are out there, I’m sad to say that the days of sharing and trading food are numbered. Teach your child that she should not engage in this without adult supervision.

Hosting Children with Allergies
If you have a guest with food allergies, here are some recommendations:

- Talk to other parents so you can understand their children’s allergy threshold. Some children with allergies even cannot be in the same room as someone who is eating nuts, while other children may be perfectly fine. If a child is susceptible to airborne allergens, be sensitive and simply avoid serving nuts or peanut butter.

- Avoid making the allergic child feel different from the others. If a child with a milk allergy can’t have ice cream at a party, have juice popsicles ready. Have corn tortillas or rice available as a chappati substitute for children with wheat allergies.

- If it is impossible for you to prepare appropriate food for a child with allergies, alert the parents in advance so they can send food along with their children. Most parents will gladly take responsibility for this task.

- If the child’s parent will not be present, ask how you can identify an allergic reaction and what steps you should take to treat the reaction. Some children will carry treatments such as an EpiPen with them in case of emergencies. Others might need a trip to the nearest emergency room. Be prepared and know what you need to do in advance.

- Be sensitive to the seriousness of the situation. Casual comments such as “Oh, he’ll grow out of it” trivialize the serious nature of children’s allergies.

Have you heard one of your parents say, “No one has ever had allergies in this family”? The American community is quite aware of the importance of allergy awareness, but it’s taking the South Asian community some time to understand. For your own children, having food allergies is not a tragic situation on a day-to-day basis. But it can become a tragic situation if it is overlooked.

Ashini J. Desai is a software professional, full-time mother and wife, and a creative writer for various websites, including her own blogsite, www.ashinid.blogspot.com.

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