Date: Monday, August 30th 2010 vs. the Pirates

Time: 7:05 pm

Place: The Batter’s Eye Skybox (In center field, go to www.cubs.com for more information)

Price: $50.00 per ticket (There are a limited number of seats in the designated suite so call asap to reserve your tickets)

Contact: Samantha, Cubs Ambassador who is in charge of this event. Phone: 773-388-8273 or email: fanserviceassistant@cubs.com

I urge any Chicago-area families to PLEASE call Samantha and reserve your tickets this week. This is something that, if successful, they will try to implement on a more regular basis next season. But it’s up to us to make it a MUST ATTEND event for families who struggle with peanut allergies.

We have two tickets reserved and I am beyond excited to take John. His 8th birthday is the next day, and can’t imagine a more perfect birthday present for him.

Finally, a huge thank you to Cubs Owner Tom Ricketts, a fellow resident of my neighborhood and whose son played baseball with John last spring. He’s an incredibly nice and down-to-earth guy, and it was his idea to implement an Ambassador Program responsible for listening to fans’ needs, and wish lists. How cool is that? Thanks Tom, Samantha and to the Cubs organization for truly making a difference in our food allergic children’s lives.

“When I was in journalism school I lived and breathed all things Edward R. Murrow. In case some of you don’t know who Murrow was, he was the pioneer in broadcast journalism who set the highest standard for other journalists. Two of my favorite Murrow quotes came to mind when reading Mr. Stein’s piece:

“Everyone is a prisoner of his own experiences. No one can eliminate prejudices – just recognize them.”

“To be persuasive we must be believable, to be believable we must be credible, to be credible we must be truthful”.

Truthful Mr. Stein was not. Instead, he was outrageous, uneducated and quite frankly an embarrassment to the code of ethics set forth by journalists. Check your facts, be truthful, put your own agenda aside and respect the power that has been granted to you. The freedom of the press is so important we protect it in the constitution, but when wannabe journalists like Mr. Stein abuse their platforms to write stupid articles it is an abuse to all journalists. Viewers and readers across the country are losing their trust in the media. We expect more. And as Newton Minnow once predicted that TV would become “a vast wasteland”, the print media is just as guilty.”

Fast forward to a column written by Mr. Stein in the August 9, 2010 edition of Time Magazine titled “Aw Nuts! I had an airtight, zero-tolerance stance on nut allergies. Then my son developed them”. Yes, you read that right, Joel Stein, the same person who ridiculed every food allergic parent in America just over a year ago recently discovered his 1-year-old son is allergic to nuts. He writes “Sitting up at 3 in the morning, I found myself totally believing in the nut-allergy epidemic.” Yes, Mr. Stein, many of us know precisely what that feels like, lying wide awake in the middle of the night thinking about all the ways our seemingly normal lives have changed in that moment our children got their diagnosis of a food allergy. It’s earth shattering and life changing.

I am not going to go down the road of “Karma’s a bitch” with this one. Having a child with a life threatening food allergy is something I would never wish on anyone, even my worst enemy. I honestly feel terrible for Mr. Stein and his wife. But the food allergic children are the innocent victims of this disease with no cure, and they are the ones who have to endure a lifetime of exclusion, anxiety and living with a special set of needs than other children. Of course, these food allergic children NEVER say “woe is me”. These kids are the real heroes, because they never complain about their food allergies.

Instead, I would love to see Mr. Stein use his journalistic platform to raise awareness about food allergies, about what it is like to send your child to preschool, birthday parties, field trips, camps, plane rides, the list goes on. It is in this moment that I think of Edward R. Murrow again, and how he took his platform as a journalist VERY seriously, and demanded everyone else around him do the same. And in the meantime, the rest of us will keep doing what we do, raise our children to be aware and raise money for a cure.

While I am not a fan of the media’s play on words with these food-ban type stories (“It’s not nutty to allergics”) I do appreciate that this issue is getting some serious attention from the USDOT and mainstream media. It’s always amazing to me that food ban stories get non FA people so riled up. They think their rights are violated, and respond accordingly with verbal fights for the right to eat nutty trail mix and peanut snacks. People are so afraid of banning peanuts because they think other food bans will follow suit, and soon everything and anything will be banned.

I don’t advocate food bans in general environments (exception is my son’s classroom, which isn’t a lunchroom and shouldn’t be. It’s a learning environment, but that’s another story). Food bans provide a false sense of security that there are no allergens present. One cannot know if someone just wolfed down a PB and J and failed to wash their hands before stepping into the “banned room”. Also there are so many types of allergies (milk, soy, legumes, eggs, etc. ) that if you start eliminating one food, there will be arguments wanting to eliminate others. I understand this and have always made sure my FA son knows how to keep himself safe when eating at school, camp, play dates and even restaurants.

But I feel very differently about peanuts on planes. Peanuts and peanut products should be eliminated from the snack choices on commercial flights. Peanut particles in reciruculated cabin air can cause reactions, and a severe reaction 30,000 feet is a much different story than a severe reaction at a baseball park. Seriously, there is no comparison. Martin Kanan, CEO of King Nut Companies (a major supplier of peanut products on U.S. airlines) commented “What’s next? Is it banning peanuts in ballparks?”. It’s an ignorant comment that has no relevance to banning peanuts on airplanes. It’s clear he’s worried about his company’s profitability, and I completely understand that. But if he happened to have  a child with a life-threatening allergy to peanuts and nuts, I’m sure he’d think differently.

All the major airlines have cut  back on food service in general, and if they do offer an in-flight snack, why not just swap it for a less hazardous one, like fresh fruit, or carrot sticks, etc.? Is it really that big of a deal to make this simple change, that could potentially keep millions of food allergic people safe, and possibly bring more families back on planes who have been avoiding them?

It seems so simple, yet it is so controversial. What are your thoughts?

*Rudnicki, Kelly. The Food Allergy Mama’s Baking Book: Great Dairy, Egg, and Nut-Free Treats for the Whole Family. Surrey. 2009. 112p. ISBN 978-1-57284-102-4. pap. $19.95.

This hot-off-the-presses gem is a baking basic for moms raising kids with food allergies. The whole family will enjoy the recipes, though there’s a focus on dealing with birthday parties and allergy-free treats for school.

I’m so glad that this book is available in many local libraries, and hope that other food allergy mama’s will enjoy the recipes as much as I have. I ‘m also thankful for you, all the amazing moms and dads, who often write me, sharing your family’s experiences with my recipes. I probably won’t be able to post as many recipes in the next several weeks as it looks like I’ll be having baby #5 in a week or two, but I promise I will do my best. After all, I can’t go very long without baking something.

Happy Baking everyone and thank you again for all your amazing support!!

Some highlights of the meeting:

• Update on HB281: The Illinois School Code was amended to require that the State Board of Education and the Department of Public Health will develop guidelines for the management of children with Food Allergies. These guidelines will be provided to each school board no later than July 1, 2010, and they will be required to implement a policy based on those guidelines by January 1, 2011. This is a huge step forward in protecting our children at school.
• Food Allergy Study: The Children’s Memorial Food Allergy Study needs 400 more families to participate in the next year. They already have 600, but need the extra push of families ASAP. The study recently received an important grant from the National Institutes of Health to conduct genetic analysis of families living with food allergies. This information is critical in someday finding a cure. The study is looking for families from all over the United States, not just the Chicago area. Families eligible to participate should have at least one allergic family member under 21-years-old and have both biological parents’ participation. What’s involved? A one-time visit to Children’s Memorial Hospital, with OPTIONAL follow-up visits every one to two years. What are the perks? Other than Target gift cards, validated parking, goody bags for the kids and a super cool food allergy key chain, you can feel good about the fact that your participation may someday change all our lives for the better. Please consider it, and tell your food allergy friends too. Contact Deanna Caruso at 312-573-7755 or visit www.childrensmrc.org/allergy/study.

Finally, I wanted to update you on the recent changes in our lunchroom. The pilot program for the newly introduced soy milk has been a success! Kids are buying it, and there have been several reorders. This is great news, especially since the soy milk is more expensive than the cow’s milk. Also, our head chef lady recently shared a great story. Every time I visit the cafeteria to tell her John is buying lunch that day, I remind her to put aside the veggies for John so they can be served butter-free. She decided a couple of days ago NOT to butter any of the vegetables. Much to her surprise, the kids didn’t even notice and ate them up anyway. At a time when we are dealing with high levels of childhood obesity in our schools, this is a great testament to the fact that if our children are just given the chance…they usually will embrace the change.

Enjoy the week everyone!

1. Set up a meeting with the Preschool Director or School Principal first. I have found that the fastest route to get getting the most accurate information on school procedures and policies is to have a face to face meeting with the preschool director or school principal. Keep the meeting brief, but be sure to educate them about the severity of your child’s allergies, and ask for specific information in how the school handles snack time, birthday parties, class parties and food allergy reactions/emergencies. Discuss what modifications can be made to the individual classroom your child will be in, i.e. designating a Peanut Free Room, or only allow certain snacks to be brought into the classroom that are allergen safe.
2. Schedule a meeting to determine your child’s eligibility for a Section 504 Plan. This document is CRITICAL in managing your rights as a parent and for keeping your FA child safe at school. Children with food allergies can be considered “disabled” under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). It requires schools to provide “free, appropriate education” regardless of any condition, physical, mental or emotional. A FA child’s personal safety is compromised if dangerous food allergens are present in a classroom, and therefore could fall into this category. Young children cannot be their own advocates, therefore it is essential to have this legal document on file at their school. It protects them, and holds the school accountable for safe practices in dealing with snack time, etc.
3. Discuss a Snack Time Policy with the staff NOW, so there is no confusion later. When my son John first started preschool at age 2, I admit I was still naive to the whole snack time process, and how it would eventually be difficult to police everything that came into the classroom. I gave a list of approved snack items that parents were able to send in, but learned the hard way that ingredients change in a moment’s notice, and non-FA parents aren’t going to read the labels as closely as you or I would. If you’re dealing with multiple food allergies, the best policy is fresh fruit, dried fruit and veggies at snack time. Arrange for the teacher to send this letter out at the beginning of the school year, so everyone is on the same page from day one.
4. Write a Food Allergy Action Plan with your child’s school. This document can be downloaded at www.foodallergy.org (FAAN). It includes a step by step process on how to handle a food allergic reaction should one occur at school. This document, along with a 504 Plan is critical in keeping your child safe at school.
5. Talk with you child about their food allergies and eating at school. Your child may have some fears about eating away from the safety of their home. This is especially true for children who have gone through the terrifying experience of an anaphylactic reaction. Ease their fears, tell them you are working with their school to set up rules to keep them safe and remind them that school is a fun, safe place to be.

Most of what I learned about navigating through the process of sending a FA child to school was through trial and error. Like many of you, I’ve faced parents and teachers who were willing to help, and others who never understood the seriousness of food allergies. I think the more I tried to educate about food allergies in general the better. It’s hard to keep your emotions in check when discussing the life and death issue of keeping your child safe. But it is best to keep all discussions with school personnel neutral and on a matter-of-fact level. I’ve found school administrators are more responsive this way. Good luck and let me know what tips have worked for you!

Here’s the Lunchbreak segment I did today on the WGN Midday News.

]]> http://www.foodallergymama.com/2009/11/23/watch-kelly-today-on-wgn-tvs-midday-news/feed/ 14 http://www.foodallergymama.com/2009/09/29/the-food-allergy-mamas-baking-book-is-finally-out/ http://www.foodallergymama.com/2009/09/29/the-food-allergy-mamas-baking-book-is-finally-out/#comments Wed, 30 Sep 2009 02:46:37 +0000 kellyrudnicki http://www.foodallergymama.com/?p=842 Somebody once said to me that writing a book is like giving birth, and while I am not sure about that, I will say it has been a long and wonderful process. And as of tomorrow,  The Food Allergy Mama’s Baking Book will finally be available everywhere. I saw a copy of the book for the first time today, and it brought back so many memories of the last year; the baking, the taste testing, the mess in my kitchen on a daily basis, the photo shoot and so much more. It was a true joy for me to work on this project and share it with all of you. I am also so grateful for the amazing amount of support I have received from not only my close friends and family, but from all of YOU, my virtual friends.

So many of you have written in with your heartfelt testimonials about how much your families have enjoyed the recipes, and it always made my day to read your comments and emails. Now that the book is officially available at the major booksellers, such as Amazon, please take a moment to share your experiences and write a review on their site. So many of you have also shared awesome variations, tips and tricks; share those too. We’re all in this food allergy baking circle together, so the more we can help each other out in the kitchen, the better! Also, remember that if you order directly from my site, a larger portion of proceeds from every book sold will go to directly to Food Allergy Initiative Chicago, a not-for-profit that provides funding for food allergy research and education. I personally sign every book that is purchased through www.foodallergymama.com .

Thanks again for always supporting me and this book. I am truly grateful, and you can be sure I will keep developing and making more yummy recipes for all of our families to enjoy!

]]> http://www.foodallergymama.com/2009/09/29/the-food-allergy-mamas-baking-book-is-finally-out/feed/ 21 http://www.foodallergymama.com/2009/09/22/a-new-study-proves-the-public-is-misinformed-about-food-allergies/ http://www.foodallergymama.com/2009/09/22/a-new-study-proves-the-public-is-misinformed-about-food-allergies/#comments Tue, 22 Sep 2009 16:14:23 +0000 kellyrudnicki http://www.foodallergymama.com/?p=825 Knowledge about food allergies and its dangers is lacking, according to a new study by Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago. Based on a survey, 65 percent of respondents answered knowledge based questions accurately. In addition, 46 percent thought there is a cure for food allergies. Dr. Rachel Story, attending physician, Allergy & Immunology at Children’s Memorial Hospital spoke at the Illinois MOCHA (Mothers of Children Having Allergies) meeting and shared the recent findings with attendees. She shared some fascinating information about new research methods, and the results look promising in the long term. But for now, I am still astounded by the lack of awareness about the real dangers of food allergy by the public.

Another key point Dr. Story discussed was that 2/3 of respondents thought that daily medication taken by the food allergic individual prevented life threatening reactions. In addition, 2/3 of parents surveyed thought it would be unfair for their non food allergic child to bring a peanut butter sandwich or other peanut product to school. Of course, like many of you, I have heard this “unfair” situation firsthand, along with that other taboo subject; celebrating birthday parties at school with food.

These findings indicate what we, as parents of food allergic children have known all along. The public reaction to food allergies is largely due to a general lack of awareness and understanding of how life threatening food allergic reactions can be. I’ve heard from parents who are are unfamiliar with food allergies compare my son’s dairy allergy to a lactose intolerance, and asked if I could just have John take something like Lactaid. I’ve heard from parents who think people can only suffer anaphylactic reaction from peanuts. I’ve also heard from parents asking if John could have cheese pizza, even thought they knew he had a milk allergy (apparently thinking he was only allergic to milk, and not all dairy products). Finally, I’ve heard from parents who still had the look of shock and awe in their faces when I told them it would only take minutes for my son to die if he didn’t have the right rescue medication on him at all times. Even then, a food allergic person can continue to suffer anaphylactic shock after being given a dose of epinephrine (hence the reason to always carry two on you at all times, and immediately call 911 after administering medication).

You’ve all heard it too, I am sure. This is why we need to step up our efforts and raise awareness in our own communities wherever, and whenever possible. Attend a local FAAN walk with your family and friends, donate money to the various food allergy organizations listed on my homepage, have frequent dialogues with your school’s principal and nurse about policies and procedures, use play dates and parties as a opportunity to educate about food allergy issues and write letters to your local papers, magazine and news shows asking them to do more stories on food allergies. As a former producer, I can tell you first hand, the people in the news business DO listen to their readers and viewers, and are always looking for interesting story ideas.

Finally, if you live in the Chicago area and want to participate in the groundbreaking food allergy study at Children’s Memorial Hospital, please contact me for more information or go to the MOCHA website. The study still needs a few hundred case families, and the time commitment is only two hours, once a year. It’s a small chunk of time but could prove enormously helpful in finding a cure for food allergies. Also, tickets are now available for the very cool FAI Chicago benefit, to be held October 24th at the River East Art Center in Chicago. This will be THE food allergy event to attend as it attracts the Who’s Who of Chicago donors. FAI Chicago will also hail the accomplishments of Chef Charlie Trotter for dedicating excellence in health and well being of his restaurant’s patrons. If you wish to receive an invite, please email me. If you live out of state, please consider donating the cost of a $300 ticket.

We CAN make a difference, and I believe we will.

]]> http://www.foodallergymama.com/2009/09/22/a-new-study-proves-the-public-is-misinformed-about-food-allergies/feed/ 16 http://www.foodallergymama.com/2009/04/28/ian-and-margery/ http://www.foodallergymama.com/2009/04/28/ian-and-margery/#comments Wed, 29 Apr 2009 00:43:42 +0000 kellyrudnicki http://www.foodallergymama.com/?p=339

I was Ian & Margery’s guest this morning on FM107.1 Minneapolis/St. Paul.

You can listen to the segment here:

Here’s a link to the MP3 file: Interview by Ian & Margery on FM107.1

]]> http://www.foodallergymama.com/2009/04/28/ian-and-margery/feed/ 12 ian-and-margery http://www.foodallergymama.com/2009/03/25/a-food-allergy-awareness-weekend/ http://www.foodallergymama.com/2009/03/25/a-food-allergy-awareness-weekend/#comments Thu, 26 Mar 2009 02:45:49 +0000 kellyrudnicki http://www.foodallergymama.com/?p=275 The weekend of April 18th-19th will be a busy one here in Chicago. The THRIVE Allergy Expo is coming to McCormick Place as well as the FAAN conference April 18th. I plan on attending both and am really looking forward to it. I’ve been to FAAN conferences in the past and the day is filled with tons of information and  research presentations. This will be my first THRIVE expo and given the days’ schedule I am really excited to attend a conference that is dedicated to raising awareness about food allergies and asthma.

Here’s a sampling from the event schedule for THRIVE; “Free From Cooking Stage”, Free Asthma Screenings, Information about Medic Alert bracelets, live epinephrine demos, and cookie decorating for kids. Tickets are $10 and Food Allergy Mama readers get a Buy One Get One Free discount by using the promo code foodallergymama. The code expires April 20th, 2009. Visit www.thriveallergyexpo.com for more information and to buy tickets.

The FAAN conference has another great lineup this year including: information about the latest food allergy research, strategies for avoiding reactions, tips for dining out with food allergies and a lot more.  I always learn something new at these conferences. And I hope to bump into some of you at both events that weekend!

]]> http://www.foodallergymama.com/2009/03/25/a-food-allergy-awareness-weekend/feed/ 10 http://www.foodallergymama.com/2009/03/19/the-food-allergy-mamas-baking-book-is-almost-ready/ http://www.foodallergymama.com/2009/03/19/the-food-allergy-mamas-baking-book-is-almost-ready/#comments Thu, 19 Mar 2009 14:21:38 +0000 kellyrudnicki http://www.foodallergymama.com/?p=261 Some of you may or may not know that I have been busy the past several months finalizing a project very close to my heart; The Food Allergy Mama’s Baking Book: Great Dairy, Egg and Nut Free Treats for the Whole Family. It will be officially released October 1st of this year but is available through pre order online at  http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Kelly+Rudnicki.

Many of the recipes I have shared on this blog are included in the baking book. I’ve also included Tips for Classroom and Birthday Parties as well as my favorite ingredient substitutions, baking tools and food allergy resources. Advocacy and food allergy awareness are very important to me, so I am giving a portion of my proceeds to the Food Allergy Initiative Chicago. FAI is an incredible organization that is fully committed to raising funding for food allergy research and awareness, something that is still lacking despite the recent spike in media coverage. Last November FAI Chicago raised $1.2 million dollars for food allergy research, an astounding amount of money. I am so proud to be working on this year’s benefit and am confident we’ll raise even more money this year.

I believe one day we will find a cure for food allergies, and am hopeful that someday our children will live freely and without fear of potentially life threatening reactions. Until that day comes I am happy to share this book with all of you. Because I think our kids should be able to have their cake and eat it too. Thanks for your support!

]]> http://www.foodallergymama.com/2009/03/19/the-food-allergy-mamas-baking-book-is-almost-ready/feed/ 11 http://www.foodallergymama.com/2009/03/06/food-allergy-initiative-chicagos-2009-benefit/ http://www.foodallergymama.com/2009/03/06/food-allergy-initiative-chicagos-2009-benefit/#comments Fri, 06 Mar 2009 16:28:00 +0000 kellyrudnicki http://www.foodallergymama.com/?p=223 Many of you may already be familiar with the Food Allergy Initiative. It is a wonderful organization dedicated to raising funds for food allergy research and awareness. FAI has outlets in New York, Seattle (Northwest) and here in my hometown Chicago (Midwest). Last November FAI Chicago raised an unprecedented $1.2 million dollars in its very first annual benefit. The group also honored David and Denise Bunning for all their hard work and advocacy toward finding a cure for food allergies. $1.2 million dollars is an outstanding amount of money for any benefit, let alone for an organization’s first crack at it. Where did the money go? Toward fully funding four groundbreaking food allergy studies.  Given the fact that the National Institutes of Health has earmarked only about a few million dollars toward food allergy research, this is an amazing accomplishment. The studies are: 

1. Peri-Pregnancy Diet and Nut Allergy in the Growing Up Today Studies
2. Impact of PAF Action blockade on experimental peanut-induced anaphylaxis
3. Tolerance to Peanut in High Risk Children (LEAP Study)
4. Therapeutic Effect of Chinese Herbal Medicine on Food Allergy

If FAI Chicago decided not to host the 2008 benefit, there’s a good chance these four studies by leading scientists would not have occurred. Three incredible and talented Food Allergy Mamas poured their heart and worked around the clock to pull together an amazing committee of volunteers, corporate sponsors and donors. Hats off to Suzanne Freidland, Eun Lee and Susie Hultquist; parents of food allergic children everywhere are deeply indepted to your hard work.

Now it’s time to roll up our sleeves and get back to work for the Second Annual FAI Chicago Benefit. It is still in the early planning stages but we have a date: October 24, 2009. Even though our economy is facing its worst crisis in decades, it is now even more important to rally together to fight for food allergy research. I believe a cure for our children is in our foreseeable future. With your help we can all make a difference, big or small.

There are several ways to help FAI Chicago:

• If you live in the midwest/Chicago area please join our committee and help where you can. This is a fabulous event that attracted a lot of big name corporate sponsors as well as local media. There are so many ways to contribute your time and talent. We’re all busy mamas, I know firsthand, but together we can pull together another amazing event.
• Get on our mailing list so we can send you updates and/or an invitation. We also would love to know any other food allergy families that would like to receive an invititation. The event sold out early last year, but we hope to have a facility large enough to accommodate everyone who wants to be a part of this exciting evening.
• If you have something to donate to our dynamic auction please email me on my contact form. Again, no donation is too big or too small. Maybe you could purchase a children’s book, show tickets, time at your vacation homes, or even airline miles. Maybe you have a talent to donate; every little thing counts, believe me. I’ve worked on three benefits (unrelated to FAI) and can tell you it’s easy to get creative and package fun little donations into larger fabulous packages.
• If you live out of state, or know you can’t attend but would still like to contribute something to the cause please email me and I will get you the information you need. I understand this economy has really taken its toll on all of us and it just isn’t in our budgets to give anything extra. Please know that even if you donate $10 to FAI Chicago for the Benefit, it is extrememly valuable and adds up to big dollars. Last year the benefit committee raised a lot of cash just from people who maybe couldn’t afford a ticket or couldn’t attend, but wanted to give a small donation anyway. IT ALL HELPS.

Finally, I just want to thank  all of you, my readers, for always ispiring me with your stories and committment to food allergy awareness. I believe together we can all help each other to make a difference…and someday find a cure so our children can live in a world without deadly food allergies.

]]> http://www.foodallergymama.com/2009/03/06/food-allergy-initiative-chicagos-2009-benefit/feed/ 1 http://www.foodallergymama.com/2009/02/12/peanut-free-schools-the-future/ http://www.foodallergymama.com/2009/02/12/peanut-free-schools-the-future/#comments Fri, 13 Feb 2009 02:25:44 +0000 kellyrudnicki http://www.foodallergymama.com/?p=161 An Illinois school district is considering a ban on peanut butter and peanut products. North Shore District 112 based in Highland Park will discuss this issue with parents at a school board meeting on February 17th.  A pilot program at one of the district’s elementary schools banned all peanut products from its buildings last fall. Many parents were apparently receptive to the change. Reactions among district officials are mixed.

As a mother of a son who is severely allergic to peanuts, a ban on peanut products in the lunchroom and elsewhere in the school would bring great peace of mind. But my son is also severely allergic to milk, legumes and peas as well. These are common, healthy foods that wouldn’t and shouldn’t get banned. I’ve always advocated that food bans aren’t the answer to managing our children’s food allergies, education and awareness is. There are still far too many parents out there who don’t understand the dangers food allergies pose to our kids. Some even resent being asked to forgo food celebrations at school so I would imagine some parents would shudder at the thought of a peanut ban. It’s more important to educate the severity of food allergies to other parents, school officials and kids. I am always suprised at how little some parents know about food allergies. I would rather school officials take the time to educate parents about the severity of food allergies, what causes them, what reactions look like and how to help someone who may be having a life threatening reaction.

I plan on attending the board meeting; I’m curious to see how the parents and board members respond to this initative. Selfishly speaking I’d love to eradicate peanut products at my son’s school. But the logical person in me knows this is unrealistic and probably not a good decision. To ban peanuts from schools would mean you need to look at also banning the other common allergens.  What I really want to know is, what do YOU think?

]]> http://www.foodallergymama.com/2009/02/12/peanut-free-schools-the-future/feed/ 19 http://www.foodallergymama.com/2009/01/13/edward-r-murrow-would-be-rolling-over-in-his-grave/ http://www.foodallergymama.com/2009/01/13/edward-r-murrow-would-be-rolling-over-in-his-grave/#comments Tue, 13 Jan 2009 17:58:20 +0000 kellyrudnicki http://www.foodallergymama.com/?p=127 After reading today’s entry from one of my favorite food allergy bloggers, the Nut-Free Mom (www.nut-freemom.blogspot.com), I was yet again reminded that not every journalist is made equal. Some are fantastic, some are medicore and some are downright awful. The Nut Free Mom writes about Dr. Hugh Sampson’s objection to a journalist in Harpers Magazine stating that all food allergies are pyschosomatic and that kids don’t really die from food allergic reactions. Kudos to Dr. Sampson for setting the record straight.

Another “journalist” professed his own theory in last week’s LA Times OP ED piece. Joel Stein’s “Yuppie Invention” talks about how food allergies aren’t all that big of a deal. Here are his written low lights:

“It is strange how peanut allergies are only an issue in rich, lefty communities”

“Genes certainly don’t cause 25 % (hey Joel, you should have checked your AP stylebook; percent is written out. Remember?) of parents to behave that their kids have food allergies, when 4 % do. Yuppiedom does. 

“Your kid doesn’t have an allergy to nuts. Your kid has a parent who needs to feel special. Your kid also spends recess running and screaming “No! Stop! Don’t rub my head with peanut butter!”

Mr. Stein closes his article with the very scientific observation that he once downed a lot of peanuts at a bar, and his throat became tingly. He chased down some beer and forgot all about it. Brilliant writing.

When I was in journalism school I lived and breathed all things Edward R. Murrow. In case some of you don’t know who Murrow was, he was the pioneer in broadcast journalism who set the highest standard for other journalists. Two of my favorite Murrow quotes came to mind when reading Mr. Stein’s piece:

“Everyone is a prisoner of his own experiences. No one can eliminate prejudices – just recognize them.”

“To be persuasive we must be believable, to be believable we must be credible, to be credible we must be truthful”.

Truthful Mr. Stein was not. Instead, he was outrageous, uneducated and quite frankly an embarrassment to the code of ethics set forth by journalists. Check your facts, be truthful, put your own agenda aside and respect the power that has been granted to you. The freedom of the press is so important we protect it in the contstitution, but when wannabe journalists like Mr. Stein abuse their platforms to write stupid articles it is an abuse to all journalists. Viewers and readers across the country are losing their trust in the media. We expect more. And as Newton Minnow once predicted that TV would become “a vast wasteland”, the print media is just as guilty.

In the meantime, I thought I’d pass on Mr. Stein’s email address. Let’s try to educate him as well as hold him accountable for his careless writing.

Joel Stein: jstein@latimescolumnists.com

]]> http://www.foodallergymama.com/2009/01/13/edward-r-murrow-would-be-rolling-over-in-his-grave/feed/ 7 http://www.foodallergymama.com/2008/12/10/the-things-a-food-allergy-mama-will-do/ http://www.foodallergymama.com/2008/12/10/the-things-a-food-allergy-mama-will-do/#comments Wed, 10 Dec 2008 12:57:40 +0000 kellyrudnicki http://www.foodallergymama.com/?p=93 My son is making Gingerbread Houses at school this Friday. His teacher emailed me to ask if John would be able to participate since it is a food related activity. The protocol is the teacher sends out a mass email to parents asking for ingredients to be sent in. Now, I have to say I’ve been through this scenario several times since John was in preschool. Here’s how it used to go: I’d email his teacher, give a list of safe brands and hope for the best. I also always volunteered that day to make sure everything went OK and John wasn’t left out.

In the past I have tried really hard not to be over the top in my request to have specifc brand names purchased but reiterated it was the only way to make sure John could participate in any food activity. In the early days, he was usually the only one in his class with a severe allergy so oftentimes other parents never understood the importance of my requests, or that it was a safety issue. I used to get snickers and sneers too, but those didn’t bother me as much as the blatant refusal to buy the brand name indicated on the list submitted to them from their child’s teacher. So I’d show up thinking everything would work out and John could participate, only to find out a few key ingredients had allergens in it. This has happened EVERY year.

This year I decided to suck it up and just buy everything and make it my “donation” to the class. John is in first grade now and really gets the fact that at times his allergies exclude him from his peers. I want him to enjoy the activity and not be stressed over whether he can participate. It’s a small price to pay for peace of mind. But I have to say there are times I am still bothered by the fact that this is still the way it has to be.

So nearly $80 later, I am at least comforted by the fact that I know for sure John will make his house on Friday. And none of the other kids will even know the difference.

]]> http://www.foodallergymama.com/2008/12/10/the-things-a-food-allergy-mama-will-do/feed/ 11 http://www.foodallergymama.com/2008/11/21/food-roulette-an-investigation-into-the-threat-of-mislabeling-allergens/ http://www.foodallergymama.com/2008/11/21/food-roulette-an-investigation-into-the-threat-of-mislabeling-allergens/#comments Fri, 21 Nov 2008 13:14:17 +0000 kellyrudnicki http://www.foodallergymama.com/?p=72 http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/lifestyle/health/chi-081120-allergens-tribune-investigation,0,506031.story

The above story is in today’s Chicago Tribune. It is an investigation into the threat our food allergic children face due to mislabeled products or unrecalled food. It also has compiled an unprecedented database of nearly 3,000 recalls related to food allergens: www.chicagotribune.com/allergy .

My own son John suffered two severe reactions in the past 6 years from products that didn’t have milk declared in the label (one reaction was before the food labeling law went into effect). I learned from FAAN months later that the Duncan Hines Cake Mix we used changed their product and now had milk in it. The other reaction was undeclared milk in prepackaged ham lunch meat. I wrote letters, reported the reaction but nothing ever came out of it. Based on the Tribune article, I guess I wasn’t alone in this occurance.

On behalf of anyone who has a child with life threatening food allergies, I am so grateful this story was told. But it also makes me uneasy, because it serves as a reminder we can’t completely trust the food manufacturers to be honest with us. Our children’s lives and safety lay in their hands, and at the hands of the FDA and USDA. As the article notes, the system is flawed, and it leaves all of us vulnerable to the possiblity of a life threatening reaction. 

Prior to today I have let John order two types of food in his school cafeteria, because on those mornings I walk into the kitchen, talk with the chef and check the product’s original packaging. This article proves what I have long suspected, no prepackaged food is completely safe because there can be issues with cross contmination and mislabeled ingredients. Needless to say, I will think twice about letting John eat the cafeteria’s food again.

The whole reason why I started baking and writing my dairy, egg and nut free cookbook is because after the Duncan Hines incident I doubted the reliability of prepackaged products’ labels. Even after the Food Labeling Law went into effect I still had doubts. Making a cake from a mix that could be contaninated with allergens wasn’t worth the risk. 

The time is now to make these giant food manufacturers, as well as our government, accountable for keeping our children safe. If not, I am sure we will see more deaths from food reactions than the 100-200 we see annually now. Even one death as a result from food is one too many.

]]> http://www.foodallergymama.com/2008/11/21/food-roulette-an-investigation-into-the-threat-of-mislabeling-allergens/feed/ 4 http://www.foodallergymama.com/2008/10/31/lousy-treats/ http://www.foodallergymama.com/2008/10/31/lousy-treats/#comments Fri, 31 Oct 2008 11:43:29 +0000 kellyrudnicki http://www.foodallergymama.com/?p=32 An article in today’s Chicago Sun Times reminds us of some of the hits and misses of Trick or Treating on Halloween. The food website www.seriouseats.com compiled a top ten list of the worst treats to give your little costumed visitors. Sadly, three of the “worst treats” are the only treats I give out because they are allergy friendly. I don’t know if he would ever miss getting to eat a Snickers bar (my favorite in a previous life of not living allergen free) or even a Almond Joy. But he thinks Smarties are pretty cool and never minds eating them. Here’s the list:

1. Toothbrushes: Yuck.

2. Raisins: I once tried to swap all John’s unsafe candy with raisins…bad idea.

3. Candy Corn: John’s actually lucky he is allergic to these.

4. Smarties and Necco Wafers: One of my kids’ favorite candies, Smarties made it on this list. I actually thought they were yummy! Necco’s, not so much.

5. Dum Dum lollipops: The good old standby treat at our allergist’s office, my purse, trips to Costco, the grocery store and long road trips. These suckers are what I consider to be “mommy’s little helper”.

6. Apples: I remember the razor blade stuck in apples scare from the 80’s. Never really got over that one.

7. Tootstie Rolls: Again, John isn’t missing anything.

8. Miscellaneous Hard Candies: Remember those weird orange and black wrapped candies?

9. Laffy Taffy: Do kids really eat these?

10: Anything fun sized: I agree, one bite is torture. It just makes you want to overindulge.

Have a safe and happy Halloween!!!

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