Monday, September 19, 2011

Indie Candy

Nathan tried some new candies called Indie Candy, he really liked the candy and better yet it was all natural and safe for him. Indie Candy is gourmet candies that are naturally allergen free. They make seasonal/holiday candy, Nathan likes the chocolate lollipops (seen eating here), Watermelon Zoo Animals and their Pineapple Flower Lollipops, I don't think there is much sweet stuff he doesn't like.


Visit Indie Candy at www.indiecandy.com.

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Allergy Hot Lunch and Peanut Free Table

A few nights ago, I got a call from Nathan’s new teacher. We discussed the hot lunch plan available to children with gluten or food allergies at school. I told her I wanted to try the allergy-free hot lunch choice with Nathan. I also discussed this earlier with the district nurse at our meeting. The lunch is prepared at another location and then brought to the school. We would start the hot lunch today. I know many allergy parents would probably not trust a hot lunch and feel safer with making a child’s lunch but with Nathan he is very picky. If I sent cold lunch everyday he would eat the same thing…..everyday. I want him to have a variety of foods to eat.

Then we discussed the peanut free table. Nathan has an Allergy Care Plan for School. One question on the plan is:

Does child need to sit at an allergy free table? I left this field blank.

Nathan sat at a regular lunch table at daycare with the teacher and kids. I feel I needed more information on this topic before I answered the question. The table at school is only peanut free, Nathan is allergic to more then just peanuts, what about a milk free table, or an egg free table?? I can’t have him sit by himself. Nathan’s teacher told me that Nathan does sit with a teacher - just him and a teacher - I told his teacher that I don’t want that arrangement; I can’t believe he is the only allergy child in this elementary school? I would like other kids to sit with Nathan, how lonely it would be to just be with a teacher. She suggested that they could maybe sit one friend with him if that friends’ lunch is peanut free. She said they checked and it hasn’t been. She then said she was going to talk to the nurse and try to make other arrangements.

Today the district nurse called and we talked about the seating arrangements for lunch. She couldn’t believe that Nathan was the only allergy child and there is more but maybe not sitting at the table. I told her that I would fine with Nathan sitting at the end of a table and a teacher also at that table. She is going to look into it and let me know.

What do you do? Does your child sit at an allergy table? Does your child sit alone? Please leave a comment.

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Why me? Why do I have Food Allergies?

I knew this question would be coming....

 
Last week I asked Nathan about lunch time in kindergarten, I asked him how he likes it, is everything going good? He replied “its fine, I sit at the allergy table with a teacher.” I asked if there were other children at the table and he replied “no, just me.” This really hurt me.

Then Nathan told me that he wanted to eat chicken nuggets like the rest of the hot lunch kids? And then came more questions, why do I have food allergies, when am I going to grow out of these allergies, why can’t I eat all foods other kids eat? Why, why, why? My heart was broke and I was in tears. I wasn’t ready to answer these questions - I didn’t know how to answer them - I didn’t know what to say – I only had tears.

Thursday, September 1, 2011

First Day of Kindergarten

Today is the first day of kindergarten for Nathan. He is excited to go, I am nervous. His backpack is full of allergy free snacks, juice boxes, birthday treats and his lunch. All of his stuff is labeled and his has a new red band for his allergy bracelet.