What every food allergic kid needs

We got Caden one of these in December. I cannot tell you the peace of mind it give me. One of my biggest fears was that we would get in a car accident, and Jason and I would be incapacitated, unable to tell anyone of Caden's food allergies or medical concerns. Medic Alert is the only company I will trust. They print the most pertinent information on the bracelet with and id code. A medical professional can call Medic Alert 24 hours a day any day of the year and receive all pertinent information about Caden, including blood type, allergies, and medical conditions. If you have a child (or adult) with extensive medical conditions, they can even keep a copy of his medical records on file.

I also appreciate that they do not print Caden's name or other identifying information on it. Should he become seperated from us at a mall or airport, a security guard or police officer could call the 800 number and Medic Alert will notify me, or if they are unable to contact me, the remaining people on our contact list.

It's been recommended to me by EMTs to always get the bracelet. That is the first place medical professionals will check. We have the petite emblem on Caden, and it is not too large for a toddler. Large enough to print the pertinent information, small enough to not get in the way. Caden doesn't even notice his anymore.

This has given me such a peace of mind. I don't begrudge the yearly fee (about $30) or the cost of the bracelet ($10), even though we're going to have to replace the bracelet yearly until Caden's growth slows down. If your food allergic child doesn't have one, it's a must buy. And your child doesn't have to have a medical condition to have one. As I said, its a safety precaution even in the event of being separated.

Has it been that long?

I guess December was a whirl wind. I can't believe it was before Thanksgiving since I last blogged.

Thanksgiving and Christmas went off without a hitch. Caden was spoiled as no toddler has been spoiled before by Christmas gifts. We don't even have room in his room, if we decide to move his crib in there anytime soon. And his birthday is coming up in less than a month!

I've taken up sewing and crocheting. I made Caden a scarf for my first crochet project. Not the best handiwork ever, but not to shabby for a first try. I'm also in the process of making some curtains for his room to help keep out the light, should we decide to move him into his own room in the next decade. That project isn't going as well as I had hoped. Its harder than I though to sew a double panel together. Fortunately, the fabric was uber cheap, so if I need to make new ones in a year or two, we aren't out too much money.

I weaned Caden in the middle of December. THAT was hard for me emotionally. He seemed to handle it fairly okay. I think we only had one or two bouts of whining. He did ask every morning for a couple weeks. It is so good to be able to eat what I want now. Of course, now I need to get serious about weight loss.

The weather has taken a turn for the better (temporarily, anyway). Its in the 50's today and tomorrow. While gloomy, its nice to have the windows wide open to get some fresh air. Caden had fun getting muddy this morning.

On the allergy note. Caden went to the doctor in December to be tested for his food allergies. We refused to test for dairy since we know he is still allergic. It was a puzzling test. The doctor didn't test for egg for some reason, which would be nice to have in Caden's diet. Caden did out grow strawberry, but the doctor cautioned us against introducing it. I may intro it in the summer when strawberries are in season. I don't understand why something should be kept out of his diet if it isn't a high risk allergen. We, unfortunately, added peanut, melon, and pea as definite allergies. All of which we were avoiding at any rate. The doctor also encouraged us to avoid fish. We didn't eat it a lot so it wasn't a huge loss, but its always sad to lose a food. Caden is also now allergic to cat, dog, and dust.

An interesting study was released in the New England Journal of medicine last week. It has found some hopeful treatment for anaphylaxis. Apparently those who experience anaphylactic reactions have a lower level of a certain factor in their blood. I think it was called Platelet Activating Factor and they hydro something or other was found to be lower in those who experience anaphylaxis. Perhaps, if they can figure a way to use this in an injection, it will do away with epinephrine, which while life saving, means that those who have it administered must be observed in the ER for a couple hours following.

We also bit the bullet and ordered Caden a medic alert bracelet. We hope its never necessary, but its there if needed. And its also a good way for him to be identified if he is ever lost.

So that in a not so small nut shell has been life the last month and a half. The students came back yesterday enforce. And while I enjoyed the quiet, I do enjoy having the noise. I think I missed everyone more than I though.