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Fromtheterribletwostothetryingteenageyears,mostparentswouldagreethatraisingchildrenisahugechallenge.Butparentswhosechil-drenlivewithsevereoodallergiesareacedwithanaddedando-tenlie-threateningresponsibil-ity.Everyaspectothesechildrenslivestakesonanadditional,com-plicateddimension.

I still get nervous, especiallyat timeslikeValentinesDayandHalloween,whenkidsotenbringtreats containingnutsto school,saysWendyRadzinski,whose14-year-old daughter, Deborah, hasan anaphylactic nut allergy. For

some reason, the radar o other-wise cautious and well-meaningparents is down. Although pub-licelementaryschoolsinorontohave a no nuts policy when itcomestocaeteriaoodsorhome-madelunches,Radzinskisaystheplanisarromoolproo.Tingsslipup,orsure.Lastyear,onechildbroughtapeanutbuttersandwichtoschoolbecauseaparentwasor-

getul.Forchildrenwithoodallergies,seeminglyminorslip-upslikeapeanutbuttersandwichcanbeatal.SabrinaShannon,a13-year-oldromPembroke,Ontario,diedinSeptember2003atereatingFrenchriesinherhighschoolcaeteria.Tetongsusedtoservetherieshadcomeintocontactwithcheesecurdsused tomakepoutine, causing Sabrina (who hada numberosevereallergies,includingonetodairyproducts)togointoanaphylacticshock.TetragedypromptedtheOntariogovern-menttoinstituteSabrinasLawinanattempttotakearmerstanceonallergymanagementinschools.

BeatricePovolo,chairpersontheorontoAnaphylaxisEducatGroup(afliatedwithAnaphylaCanada), says that Sabrinas Lwhich took eect on January2006, has made a big diereninhowOntarioschoolboardsdwithsevereallergies.Aterthelcameintoeect,thepublicschoboardsinstitutedwidespreadtraingorteachers,tomakesurethcould recognize reactions adeal with them appropriateTe training covers rst-aidsponse that includes recognizthe symptoms o severe allerreactionsandhandlingEpiPen

jections. Tese lie-saving neepens,usuallycarriedatalltimespeoplewhohaveanaphylacticallgies, contain enough epinephrto temporarily reverse the eeo an anaphylactic reaction unhospitaltreatmentcanbeadmintered.TeOntariolegislationarequiresthatschoolboardsimpmentguidelinesaimedatreducexposure to allergens, as well

provide inormation sessions aliteratureorallparentsandstudents.Still,Povolohearsmixedreviewsromtheparentsoove

hundredamiliesregisteredwithherorontogroup,whicherssupportandresourcesor thosecopingwithanaphylacallergies,themostcommontriggersowhichnuts,eggs,soodanddairyproductscancauselie-threateningreactioResultsaroundthecityarestillscattered,anditsnot ideshe remarks.Some parents are stillgoinginto schools costantlytospeaktoadministratorswhojustdontcomprehentheseverityotheissue.

KIDDLI-WINKS

WHENFOODCANBEDEADLYSKIPPING THE PEANUT BUTTER AND SPREADING THE WORD

BYKAIEDRUMMOND

LisaBordenandherdaughter,Joey.JoeysEpiPeniskeptinthepouchthatisalwaysaroundherwaist.

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Radzinski, a registered nurse, takesmatters into her ownhandsbyaskingDeborahsteacherstopracticeEpiPeninjec-tionsonanorangeatthestartoeachschoolyear.Otherpar-entsagreeontheimportanceogettinginvolvedtoimproveallergymanagementatschool.

Mychildspendsvedaysaweekinthisenvironment,soitneedsto bea saeone,saysLisaBorden,whosedaughterJoey,5,alsostruggleswithanallergytonuts.Lastyear,BordendesignedthecalendarorJoeyselementaryschoolandaddedaNutSaeinormationpagetoprovideactsandtipsaboutnut

allergiestoeveryparentandstudent.Communicatingtheactswithinthecommunityatlargeis

vital,aswell.Bordenrelatesthat,Itsimportanttotaketheini-tiativeandworktoinormpeople.Temoreeveryoneknows,themorewereallonthesamepagewhenitcomestothehealthandsaetyoourkids.SheaddsthatherworriesaboutJoeyssaety will increase as her daughter gets older and wants tospendmoretimeoutsidetheamilyhome.Ourhouseisanallergy-reeenvironmentorJoey,butwhenyougointothepublic,sheisimmediatelyatgreaterriskoreaction.

Withmanyanaphylacticallergies,eventraceamountsoallergencanhaveseriousconsequences.Teseconcernscaoverintoeveryplaydateandbirthdaypartyachildwithsevallergiesattends.Joeycantjustbedroppedo,becauseIcantrustaparentIvenevermetwhentherearethirtyotherkrunning around.Tey need toknowhow touse anEpiPandbeabletorecognizethesignsoanallergicreaction,sa

Borden.BothRadzinskiandBordenhavedevelopedstrategiestode

withsocialsituationsthatmightmaketheirdaughterseelseconscious.TetwosuggestbakingcupcakesorschooleveandprovidingsaetreatstoparentshostingbirthdaypartieStill,helpingkidst inisntalwayseasy,asBordenrelates.wouldsendJoeytobirthdaypartieswithbiggerandbettercakthananyoneelsehad,butshealwayswantedwhatotherkwereeating.ShehasalsostartedmakingNoNuts,Pleat-shirtsandhandingthemouttoriendsandamily,aswellsellingthemonline.Shesaidthatbeingpartoaashiontre

has boosted Joeys condence. When she sees other peowearingthem,sheeelslikemaybesheisnttheonlyone,anlikesheisntsodierent.

alkingranklywithDeborahhashelpedherdaughterunderstandtheseverityoherallergy,relatesRadzinski,andshsuggeststhatamiliestakestepstomakethenecessaryprecationspartodailyroutines.Whenwetravel,Ialwaysbrina suitcaseo sae oodsshe can eat, andwepick restauraweknowarehappytoinormusaboutthemenu.Youcanletitrunyourlie,youjustneedtotakeitinstrideandplahead.

Parents ochildrenwith severe ood allergiesotenesta

lisharapportwithchesandrestaurateurstoensurethedishtheirchildrenorderintheirestablishmentsarereeoallergeManyindependentrestaurantsaremorethanhappytoaccomodatetheircustomersdietaryrequirementsandarewillinglearnhowtodoso.Whenit comes to niche restau-rants that cater speci-callytoahealth-conscious andotenvegetarian orveganclientele,however,the menu options avail-

ableotenderivemuchotheirproteincontentromnuts.

Itisanunortunatere-alitythatitiseasiertondjunk ood that is labeledree o nuts than it is tond healthul, nutritiousoods that are nut ree.Somanypackaged,pro-

TisisanEpiPenbeinghelditheproperpositionorinjectio

DeborahRadzinski,age14

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RESOURCES

Anaphylaxis CanadaOers support or parents and kids coping with ana-phylactic allergies.Tegroupswebsiteprovidesonlineresourcesandtips.

(416)785-5666www.anaphylaxis.org

Foralistosupportgroupsinyourregion,goto:www.anaphylaxis.org/content/programs/services_support_list.asp

Sick Kids Specialty Food Shop(Te Hospital for Sick Children)

Providesadviceandinormationonnutritiontopeoplelivingwithallergiesoroodintolerances.Over400spe-cialtyoodscanbeorderedonline.

(416)813-5294www.specialtyoodshop.com

cessedoodsarestartingtobelabelednutree,butIwontbuythem,becauseIwonteedthattomykids,saysBorden.

Radzinskiaddsthatshe sets the barextremelyhighwhenitcomestoDeborahssaety.Shelimitstraveltoamilytripswheremedicalcareisincloseproximity,andemphasizeshomecookinginsteadotrustingpackagedproductsthatdonotspe-cicallymentionpeanutsornuts.Troughherdiligence,Deb-

orahhasneverneededtouseherEpiPen,althoughRadzinksiworriesaboutDeborahssaetyasshegetsolder.Tisyearshestartedmiddleschoolwithourhundredkids,andthenut-reeenvironmentisalothardertocontrolinthatsetting.Asshegoesoutintotheworld,IjusthavetohopeshestayssaeandthatIvedonemypartinmakingheraware.

Povolosaidthatallparentswhosechildrenarediagnosedwithallergiesstillaceanuphillbattlewhenitcomestocommunityawareness.Weveadvancedquitealot,butsocietydoeshavemoreworktodo,shesays.Ocourse,Idontexpectcertainoodstobebannedromstoresandrestaurants,butstrategies

needtoexisttokeepeveryonesaeinpublicplaces.AnaphylaxisCanada,alongwithitsmembersupportgroups,isoneoseveralorganizationsoeringhands-onstrategiesandinormationorparentshopingtonotonlyprotecttheirkids,buttochangehowourcommunitydealswithallergies.TeHospitalorSickChildren,withoneothelargestallergyre-sourcenetworksinCanada,hasanentirestoresellingallergy-

riendlyproducts,aswellassupportgroupsthatenableamiltoconnect.

Addressingallergiesinschoolsisaveryimportantstep,aonethathasseenalotoprogress,butthereismoretoliethaschool,andkidswillgrowupandneedtoliveinworkplacorneighborhoodsthatmaynotbesowellinormed,Povsays.Onasimilarnote,Bordenexpressesthat,Somanythin

likecross-contaminationwouldntoccurtopeopleunlessyspreadtheknowledgeyouhave.ImakesureJoeyisawarewhatshecanandcantdoandIwanttospreadthattotcommunity,aswell.

Fornow,Povoloassertsthatthebestamiliescandoisstaydiligentwhenitcomestoensuringsaetyandpromotiawareness.Precautionsneedtobetaken,andchecksandbancesneedtobeinplace,butkidsandtheiramiliescanhavanormalliewithallergies,shesays.Justkeepinmindththemoreweinormthosearoundus,themorenormalthatcanbe.G

KatieDrummondisafreelancer,poet,andveganfoodloverwiscurrentlypursuingaphilosophydegreeatQueensUniversityKingston.Shehasworkedas aneditorforseveralcampuspubcations,andrecentworkcanbeseenintheAntigonishRevieDiatribeMagazineandHerActiveLife.Onagoodday,sheenjrunning,picnicsandcrosswordpuzzles.