Hidden allergic foods
The 5 worst mistakes I've made
As moms, we all make mistakes. Not a day goes by that I don’t wish I could take back the one I’m about to tell you. When my son was 15 months old, I gave him a bite of my pistachios. He got red marks on his face and body, and then he started to swell. He kept swelling all the way to the ER. He was so swollen his diaper was pinching is body and his eyes and mouth couldn’t open. Thankfully we made it in time before his airway closed and the Cook Children’s Emergency Department staff saved his life. I was told he had an anaphylactic reaction to tree nuts. Our entire life changed.
A few days later we went to an allergist who had to prick his back 100 times to tell me he is deathly allergic to tree nuts, peanuts, fish, shellfish and eggs. I learned this information almost 10 years ago and despite my best efforts to educate my son and everyone in my family, I still make mistakes. These *#!@ foods can be hidden.
Here’s my top 5 list of the strangest places to find deadly allergic foods:
- Hamburger patties and meatballs. Eggs can be used as a binder in these.
- Kids multivitamins. Check these for fish oil.
- Frying oil. Ask every restaurant every time if they use peanut oil. Someone different could order the oil from the last time you ate there.
- My own mouth. I stopped eating all nuts in case he drank after me or I gave him a bite from my fork.
- Read all food labels. I have found egg in bubble gum.
Where have you found allergic foods? Please share.
