-Bob Evans uses a lot of MSG.

-Nitrates/nitrites are part of the cold cut hoagie territory, but sulfites in the steak, Subway? Gross.

-Quiznos, Quiznos, Quiznos. No wonder I was hooked on your mesquite chicken hoagie. It was full of processed crap to make it taste like it was laced with crack.

-Denny’s has MSG, sulfites, and their pancake mix is made on equipment with tree nuts, so that makes them out for us now too.

-Pizza Hut pizza sauce may contain shellfish. WTF?

These are just what I found that I wasn’t aware of. What allergen information have you found about some of the restaurants where your family has eaten? What are some allergy friendly places that you enjoy a family meal out?

Next up, me and the 10yo. The 10yo is still having allergy symptoms despite still being on meds and going through the series of allergy shots. I didn’t spend five years of my time for the poor child to still be doing the “allergy salute.” I’ve been having some issues as well, so I figure since eosinophilic esophagitis (EE) is generally thought to be hereditary, it probably comes from me.

Prior to this, the only family history we had with foods was mine and the 10yo’s lactose intolerance. This has been two years in the making. Later this month, we see GI for our regular three month follow up and to discuss a rescope.

What can you take from this? If you’re going through allergy testing, don’t be discouraged. Patch and blood testing, and biopsies showed nothing except eosinophils. It wasn’t until I pushed for prick testing that we got any results. If you have a hunch something is up, keep at it until you’ve exhausted all of your options.

I don’t call this a victory, but it is progress. Some schools will state they have water for sale. That’s great, but that’s a restriction. Not all students can afford to buy said water. Then you have that one teacher who’s on the rag and bitchy during her turn to supervise the kids at lunch. She now can’t tell a kid, “No,” when they ask to use the drinking fountain, no matter how much she wants to do so. At least it’s not in her best interest.

Oh wait, I forgot about the 100% juice substitution. I was told last year that my lactose intolerant child can get 100% juice to drink instead of one of his fruits on his lunch tray. Yes, that means he can forgo food for a drink. They are teaching our kids to consume liquid calories.

Having drinking water available still doesn’t solve the fact that our kids who are lactose intolerant are forced to buy a milk with their lunch, charged for it, but can’t drink it. They also cannot trade it with a friend since there are so many food allergies now, there is no trading at lunch anymore. This is wasted milk. I find this deplorable when so many of these kids are coming to school hungry. You want to know how to save money in the government? Stop reimbursing schools for thrown away milk. Let them offer rice or almond milks instead. No, DO NOT offer soy. Enough ingested soy can mimic estrogen, and I DO NOT want my son drinking soy milk as an alternative to cow’s milk. I’d rather he drink calcium fortified orange juice before soy milk quite frankly. Do your research, but that’s probably asking too much of a government organization like the USDA with such antiquated practices when it comes to school lunches.

This nonrestricted access to drinking water at lunch is indeed a step in the right direction. I do wonder why it took until 2011 for it to happen. Abdominal cramps, diarrhea, and vomiting are all enough of a reason that a child should be exempt from drinking milk. It’s not like the child is faking these symptoms, and the symptoms will hamper the child’s learning process if milk is ingested. Just because a child doesn’t need an epi pen doesn’t mean their dietary needs aren’t serious. You would also think the schools would take these intolerances more seriously when family doctors and allergists are filling out the paperwork for the cafeteria saying the child cannot drink milk, but it doesn’t seem to matter.

If more people would take the time to educate themselves rather than shove antiquated policy down our throats (policy that can be changed), we could worry more about what our children are learning in school, and less about if that school lunch will make them too ill to learn due to a government agency’s ignorance.

I’ll also be calling the allergist. I know it’s almost time for a check up for Aaron’s asthma, but I think we need to repeat allergy testing. I know five seems to be the magic age with the tests, and he’ll be 5 in just about a month. Given family history, and physical symptoms, the child has to be allergic to more than dust mites. At Aaron’s ENT appointment to check his adenoids, his nose was so swollen inside they couldn’t get a scope in to see the adenoids. We had to go get an x-ray. The adenoids and tonsils are fine. It’s the turbinates that are so swollen and causing Aaron’s breathing problems, and to me indicates an allergy we’re missing.

All of these symptoms have been occurring in him since infancy. I won’t feel as if there is any progress or not towards an answer until we see the allergist again and have the results of that visit.

My son is lactose intolerant.

The dietary forms state “The School/school district does not make milk substitutes available to students with non-disabling special dietary needs. We do however have soy milk, bottled water, and orange juice available for purchase daily.”

So what IS disabling? Unless they’re going to move class to the bathroom, I consider diarrhea and stomach cramps disabling (sorry, son).

It’s not like he asked to not be able to not be able to digest milk well. Just because it’s not a full blown allergy and he can still eat cheese (which most people don’t realize most cheeses are low or lactose free) and yogurt. ice cream is Russian Roulette. Some are OK, and some are not so much. I let him make that call now that he’s older.

But to drink a carton of milk with his lunch IS disabling. It would definitely give him digestive issues.

So now the school wants us to pay extra for that.

What do lactose intolerant kids who are getting reduced or free lunches do?

Oh wait. I was told last year that he can substitute one of his fruits with 100% fruit juice. So they can forgo a food for liquid. Yes, that makes perfect sense. Because our kids are all fat anyway, right? Sure, let’s ply them with liquid calories instead of food.

*eyeroll*

You know it’s a new school year when your brain is ready to explode from ridiculous policies that are attempted to be imposed upon you.

I will be fighting this. It’s the principle of the matter.

It’s not like I’m asking the entire school to use mouthwash before they talk to my kid. Just give him one of those waters or OJs instead of milk.

*Edited to add: Yes, yes, I know there are liquid dye free forms, but they are thick and nasty. They make my kids with texture issues gag. They make me gag giving them to my kids. There was ONE for of store brand ibuprofen I could buy that had red dye free chewables, but I haven’t been able to get those in months. Not to mention, this isn’t something my child will outgrow. Have you seen how many medicines for older children and adults, not to mention prescription medications, that still have red dye in them? There need to be artificially dye free medications across the board.

Waiting for the doctor.

I’ve told the doctors from day one that I’m lactose intolerant, and so is my 9yo. I’ve also read that in some people a lactose issue can make them constipated, not the other way around. My kid has pretty much been constipated since birth. He’s had milk products pretty much since birth because I can tolerate some things, so even while breastfeeding, my diet was not lactose free. He projectile vomited breast milk. It was all chalked up to his reflux and being a preemie.

Why was it ruled out before the stool testing? There was no distinct pattern to his reactions and foods he ate. The biopsies from both endoscopies showed no lactose issues, BUT the thing about these biopsies is they take a piece of tissue the size of an M&M or smaller, and if they don’t happen to grab a piece of tissue affected, then of course the results will be negative. Blood allergy tests showed nada. Patch testing showed nothing either. I think patch testing is a bunch of crap personally. They take the offending foods, and put a piece of it on your child’s skin and leave it under these discs for a few days then measure the reaction at 3 days then 5 days. All that tells them is if your child’s skin is sensitive to that food. It does NOT tell you if your child will have a systemic reaction to the food, in my opinion. My kid has eczema. His skin was more irritated by the tape to keep all those stupid discs on than anything else.

Aaron was OK, until he noticed we were in the butterfly room. He's terrified of them.

So, what’s the plan? We’re going to try some Benefiber to get him “going,” and I’m going to keep a food diary (again) to see if there isn’t a correlation even if it’s days down the road now that we have an idea of what we’re looking for and not just stabbing in the dark.

During the appointment yesterday, I was good. When the doctor mentioned lactose, I simply said, “Well, that’s totally plausible since big brother and I have issues with it.” I refrained from saying, “DUH! NO? Really? You think I could be a possibility?” You would have been proud at my restraint.

OK, so here I am, a parent that is an allergy and asthma sufferer. You’d think that when the general practitioner told me my 3 year old had asthma I’d know what to do, right? Well sort of, but not really. I know asthma is different for kids than for adults. I know he already had the allergy and eczema diagnoses. I was given scripts for a nebulizer, medications, and directions on how to use both, but only while he was sick. I was given no guidance on what to do after he was well again. Did I have to use this nebulizer 2-3 times a day EVERY day? That’s pretty time consuming to spend 40-60 minutes every day with the nebulizer. What about if he has an attack while we’re out and about away from home? What do I do then? Thankfully, I was able to get a referral to an allergist who could help us better with all these complicated questions, but only because my son ended up needing food allergy testing for a mysterious GI issue.

Having been through all that, here’s what I would suggest to parents now: when you get an asthma or allergy diagnosis, request that referral. Sure, a general practitioner could probably take care of your child’s asthma, but no matter how good a doctor they are, think of your GP as a jack of all trades, master of none. An allergist is a master of their trade, and that’s asthma and allergies. Also, get and read Asthma Allergies Children: A Parent’s Guide. I cannot tell you how valuable this book was.

I learned so much great information in Asthma Allergies Children: A Parent’s Guide. I honestly don’t even know where to start. Well, I guess I already did by saying that seeing a specialist is important. They will be on the up and up on all the newest and easiest to use medications, they’ll know what works best for what symptoms, etc. The allergist is a specialist in their field. Utilize them. In my opinion, a good allergist, will measure an asthma patient’s lung function at each visit and adjust medications accordingly. Your general practitioner won’t do this. They will ask you about symptoms, or about symptoms your child is having, and adjust that way. Not all symptoms are noticeable by the person.

Overall, the book, Asthma Allergies Children: A Parent’s Guide takes allergies and asthma, and their treatment, and explains it all in a very easy to understand format for parents. It’s a very easy and fairly non clinical read. There are anecdotal stories to illustrate points to give readers real life examples. Honestly, as the parent of two children who have allergies and asthma I cannot say enough about this book. If you also have children with allergies and asthma, this is definitely one you need for your bookshelf. If you’d like to ask questions of the doctors who wrote the book, visit http://www.asthmaallergieschildren.com/

*I was sent a copy of Asthma Allergies Children: A Parent’s Guide to read for review. All opinions and experiences are my own.

When my oldest son and I went through the allergy testing and were first diagnosed with allergies, we got some pamphlets with products and cleaning tips to help us find some relief at home. Many of them had tips similar to these offered by Laura Dellutri, author of The Overworked Mom’s Stress Free Homekeeping:

Cleaning From Top to Bottom
Tips and Secrets for a Cleaner, Healthier Home

When it comes to the routine of cleaning, homeowners tend to be more concerned with stacks of dirty dishes (66 percent), piles of laundry (58 percent) and dust balls on their carpet (57 percent), according to a survey commissioned by 3M, maker of Filtrete air cleaning filters. But they often forget about other areas of the home – such as bedding, shower doors and even stuffed animals – that can be breeding grounds for bacteria, mildew, dust mites and foul odors.

Healthy Housekeeper Laura Dellutri offers these tips for cleaning your home from top to bottom and making it healthier in the process:

Start at the Top: Ceiling fans, tall mantles and bookshelves, and the tops of door frames tend to subscribe to the “out of sight, out of mind” motto. These areas often harbor dust, so it’s important to wipe them down regularly to help remove dust buildup. Start at the top and work your way down, collecting all of the dust and dirt that falls to the floor while you’re cleaning.

Wipe Down Windows and Walls: Don’t clean windows the old fashioned way – newspaper can cause ink residue and paper towels leave lint behind. Your best bet is to use microfiber cleaning cloths and a professional window squeegee to get a streak-free, spotless shine. To prevent streaks on shower doors and walls, apply lemon oil to the door twice a month. This will help repel soap scum and shampoo, while also adding a nice shine.

Think Horizontally: Dust mites are nearly everywhere. In fact, the American Lung Association estimates that roughly four out of five homes in the United States have detectable levels of dust mite allergen in at least one bed. Reduce dust mites by encasing your mattress and pillows, and wash your bedding in hot water about once a week. Also, since dust mites are microscopic, place strips of duct tape on the mattress case to prevent the dust mites from sneaking through.

Clean the In-between: While cleaning what you can see, don’t forget to clean what you can’t see – the air you breathe. Use a high performance air filter in the home, such as the Filtrete 1” Ultimate Allergen Reduction filter from 3M, to help capture particles such as pollen, smoke, dust mite debris and pet dander from the air that passes through the filter. Be sure to change your filter at the start of every season, or every three months.

Freeze the Fur: Stuffed animals can harbor dust mites so it’s important to pay special attention to them. Place stuffed animals in a large plastic bag and freeze them for four to five hours. Remove them from the freezer and plastic bag, and use a vacuum with a HEPA filter to remove any leftover dust particles.

Finish With Floors: To keep floors in tip-top shape, vacuum and clean them weekly. You can easily make your own floor cleaner by adding a few drops of mild liquid dish detergent to a gallon of water. Hot water can break down floor finishes after time so use water that is barely warm. Finally, don’t forget to clean the floor under large pieces of furniture, which may require you to temporarily move them elsewhere. Corners of rooms and the back of closets often are overlooked, so be sure to clean these areas as well.

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Kitchen Clean-Up

Certain areas of the home, especially the kitchen, can breed and harbor germs that not only cause odors but can spread to family members. These low-cost cleaning tasks, when done regularly and properly, can be effective in making the home healthier for your family:

Trashcans: Trashcans should be cleaned monthly using a chlorine bleach and water solution. Simply combine one cup of non-chlorine bleach for every three gallons of water and pour the solution into the trashcan. Swish the solution around in the trashcan, and wait about five minutes for the chlorine to kick in and kill the germs.

Refrigerators: Cleaning the refrigerator monthly will improve the safety and quality of your food. If you are tired of cleaning spills and food particles from your refrigerator, then cover shelves with washable shelf liners. They will catch most of the food spillage, and will make cleanup quicker and easier. Once a month, throw them in the dishwasher for a good cleaning, and then place them back in the refrigerator once they are dry.

Sinks: Since bacteria can accumulate in cracks and crevices, pay extra attention to these areas when disinfecting. Also, stainless steel sinks can be tough to clean and can look spotty due to water spots and lime build up. To keep the sink shiny, use a soft buffing wheel to restore the luster. Then, use a cloth to generously apply mineral oil to the sink. Water will bead up and roll off the sink, keeping it shiny and helping prevent spots.

*I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Filtrete and received a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate