10 minute read
family wellness
Allergy Parents Consider Totally Normal
By Pam Moore
Advertisement
Before we found out our younger child had severe, life-threatening food allergies, we kept the kids’ emergency information on a crumpled piece of paper, shoved in a drawer between the vegetable peeler and the wine opener.
But when our daughter was 8 months old, we went to the allergist, hoping to figure out why she was chronically congested and why nothing we tried could touch her eczema. Going into the appointment, I was hopeful. Leaving the appointment, I was deflated. We learned our baby was allergic to eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, dairy, and wheat. We had strict instructions to keep the EpiPen with her at all times, to avoid letting someone who had so much as eaten a peanut kiss her, and to schedule a follow-up appointment.
In the weeks following the diagnosis, I cried overwhelmed tears whenever I thought about it. Could I protect my baby from the danger of a rogue cashew? Would I be able to trust anyone else to keep her safe? Would she miss the chance to be a normal kid? Fear consumed me.
It has been a year since we got the diagnosis and I still worry. I plan ahead for everything when food is involved. But just as friends and family assured me it would, living with allergies has become our new normal. If any of the below feel normal to you, welcome to the world of parenting an allergic kid, where a random piece of food at the playground is just as scary as a rattlesnake sighting.
1You don’t think twice about telling anyone, whether it’s a babysitter, a friend, or an overly friendly grandma-type in line at the bank, “Don’t feed my kid.” You’d hang a “Do Not Feed Me” sign around her neck, like they have at the zoo if it were socially acceptable.
2When the gluten-free, casein-free, dairyfree, soy-free chicken nuggets are on sale you buy 10 packages.
3Your kids’ baby doll is prone to bouts of “anaphylactic.”
4You read food labels compulsively. You know all the 18-syllable words that dairy, wheat, nuts, and eggs hide in.
5You think nothing of digging through the trash to retrieve food packaging at a friend’s house in order to see the ingredient list.
6Your toddler brags to babysitters that she knows how to work the EpiPen. And though you’ve never verified whether or not this is actually true, she’s seen you show enough sitters how to do it that you’re pretty sure it is.
7When you arrive at any park/library/indoor play area/friend’s living room, you scan the floor for potential allergens. You do it again whenever a new child arrives. You do it again even if no one new has arrived, just to be on the safe side. You know people probably assume you’re a helicopter parent. You are too busy looking for rogue peanuts to care, though.
8When you are invited to a social gathering, you consider a number of factors including: the time of the event, your relationship with the host, how long you plan to stay, whether or not young children will be eating (and dropping) allergens, and the host’s personal experience with allergies. You use this matrix to determine whether 1) you will attend, 2) you will interrogate the host about the menu in advance, 3) you will casually inquire about the menu when you arrive, or 4) just bring your own safe meal—although you know you will bring your own food in the end, regardless.
9Your three-year-old bakes “birthday cakes” (piles of blocks heaped atop the lid of a shoebox) that she boasts are “dairyfree, gluten-free and vegan.”
10You are used to putting the fear of God in everyone who watches your kid, and you prefer it that way. Well, not everyone. You wish your mom would be more scared.
11You have the local gluten-free, dairy-free bakery’s number stored in your contacts, and you have memorized their hours. You keep a few of their cupcakes in the freezer so you can bring your kid a safe treat to any birthday party or social gathering at a moment’s notice, and you don’t gorge on them until after the kids go to bed. Well, sometimes you do, but you always replace them ASAP.
12 Your baby’s first taste of ice cream is not actually ice cream, but vegan, gluten-free lemon basil gelato, and it’s not because you’re crunchy hippies (even though that is exactly what you are, by most people’s standards)
13 Your sister blows up your phone with photos not of your nephew, but of ingredient lists on the foods she’s considering buying when you visit, to make sure they’re safe. You are beside yourself with gratitude. You feel extra bad for being such a shit to her when you were kids.
14 The best birthday party you ever went to was the one where the host reached out to you in advance to find out exactly what your baby was allergic to and went out of her way to make special, allergen-free pancakes for her.
15When you fly, your diaper bag is stuffed with multiple days’ worth of safe snacks because although air travel with a toddler is unpredictable, you can depend on one thing: None of the free, processed, delicious snacks they give out on the plane are safe for your child.
16You keep your kids’ emergency information up-to-date in a special plastic folder that is always stored in the same place. You’ve stuck a neon yellow piece of duct tape across the front, where you’ve listed all the allergies and your address because 911 doesn’t know where you’re calling from when you use a cell phone. In said folder, five pieces of paper are devoted to the child with allergies. The child without allergies gets one measly page.
17You can’t wait for your allergic child to start talking—not because you want to hear all the sweet, funny things she will say (although you do), but because you will sleep better when she can say, “I have food allergies.”
But, who are you kidding? You’re a mom. Better sleep is a fantasy.
Expert Offers Tips on Managing Migraine and News On Latest Treatment
Nearly 40 million Americans have migraine and it is one of the ten most disabling medical illnesses, according to the World Health Organization. However, because it is an “invisible” disease, it’s often overlooked and misunderstood.
For National Migraine and Headache Awareness Month, and to help the millions who have migraine, Merle L. Diamond, MD, headache neurologist and president, managing director, Diamond Headache Clinic in Chicago, has advice to share.
What is migraine?
Migraine is more than just a headache; it is a disabling neurological disease with different symptoms and different treatment approaches compared to other headache disorders. People with migraine can experience severe head pain, sometimes throbbing, pounding or pulsating, several times a month, lasting from four hours to several days. Additional symptoms of migraine may also include sensitivity to light and sound and/or feeling nauseous.
Worse still, many of my patients tell me they frequently can’t continue with their day because of their migraine, and in the past before current pandemic times, they had often missed important events like weddings, parties and school graduations. They also lose out on employment opportunities. It’s a very disabling disease.
What causes migraine?
The exact cause isn’t really clear, but genetics and environment do play a role. In fact, migraine often runs in families. There are certain “triggers” that can cause migraine, which affect people differently. Some triggers include stress, certain foods, dehydration, too much or too little sleep, changes in weather, seasonal allergies, hormonal changes in women, and head injury.
What can you tell us about treatment?
Because migraine affects people differently, I work with each individual to come up with a plan. One approach I use with my patients for when a migraine strikes is to prescribe an acute treatment for migraine in adults called Nurtec® ODT (rimegepant). Nurtec ODT is not indicated for the preventive treatment of migraine. It is important not to take Nurtec ODT if you are allergic to it or any of its ingredients. For most people, Nurtec ODT can start to work within an hour and last up to 48 hours. It melts on or under the tongue, eliminating the need for water, making it a convenient option. In clinical trials a small number of patients, about 2 percent, experienced nausea.
What do you recommend for people who suspect migraine?
I recommend that if people are experiencing multiple days of painful headaches, along with the other symptoms mentioned above, to see their doctors. If a physician’s response doesn’t properly address concerns, then people should seek a second opinion. There are many ways to manage migraine pain. And an expert in migraine and headache medicine is a good place to start.
Please visit Nurtec.com for full Prescribing Information and Patient Information. US-RIMODT-2100172 4/02/2021
HOW TO COMBAT SOCIAL ISOLATION
Even before COVID-19 limited social contact with friends, family and colleagues, many adults experienced loneliness and depression due to limited contact with others. Now, a year after the pandemic forced many people into even greater levels of isolation, the issue of social isolation is especially prevalent in Americans over the age of 50.
Despite the physical implications of a global pandemic, research shows the mental health stakes are high, too. A nationwide survey, commissioned by Barclays, found that half of Americans over the age of 50 said the isolation from their friends and family has been more challenging than concerns over health risks they may face.
Social isolation has provided plenty of time for Americans to reflect on their priorities. The majority of Americans surveyed (90%) have re-evaluated their post age-50 goals and put spending more time with family at the top of their lists. In fact, the most common first thing 50-plus Americans will do once COVID-19 is over is to see and spend time with their families (41%).
“While restrictions are beginning to ease, many older adults are still isolated from friends and family, and that takes a toll on their mental well-being” said Lisa Marsh Ryerson, president of the AARP Foundation. “We must do all we can to help older adults, who have suffered greatly during COVID-19, strengthen the social connections that are so essential to their ability to lead longer, healthier lives.” For example, AARP Foundation’s Connect2Affect platform equips older adults with the tools they need to stay physically and mentally healthy and connected to their communities. The AARP Essential Rewards Mastercard from Barclays is helping fund the foundation’s work to increase social connection with donations based on new accounts and eligible purchases, up to $1 million annually.
Photo courtesy of Getty Images
A little creativity and a commitment to filling time productively can help reduce the strain of being alone until it’s safer to resume social activities.
Use technology to connect with loved
ones. Video chats and traditional phone calls can help you feel connected even when you can’t be together in person. While a dropin call can be fun, consider arranging regular visits with kids and grandkids. If you schedule calls throughout the week, you’ll have something regular to look forward to and can benefit from a check-in that affirms everyone is healthy and safe.
Make time for physical activity. Staying closer to home may mean you’re not getting the exercise you once did, but it’s important for your health to stay active. Regularly using your muscles helps keep your body strong, and even light physical activity a few times each week can help keep your cardiovascular system fit for better heart health. Regular exercise can also provide a range of positive mental health outcomes, including reduced stress, anxiety and depression, and improved memory.
Volunteer in your community or con-
sider virtual volunteering. Helping others is a way to release feel-good endorphins for yourself. While your limited social calendar may afford you some extra time, inquire with local nonprofits about how you can contribute to their causes. Especially as funding for charitable organizations has dropped, volunteers are still essential to most nonprofit organizations, whether the help comes in person or virtually. Even from a distance, you may be able to help with tasks like making calls to donors, assisting with mailings or planning fundraising campaigns.
Learn a new hobby or skill. Another way to fill your free time, and reap some positive energy, is to explore a new hobby or skill. The personal satisfaction of learning and focusing your mental energy on something that interests you can help offset the disappointment of being away from those you love.
(Family Features) Find more resources that support older adults at connect2affect.org.
