Hi, my name is Jo. I am a nice person, not at all unreasonable. If you met me you’d like me. We’d have coffee and get along. But you hate me, because I’m the reason you can’t pack peanut butter, Nutella or trail mix in your child’s lunch.
My son Philip was born with food allergies to egg and nuts. Anaphylaxis is not like a gluten ‘allergy’. When he eats egg or nuts his body mistakes the protein in these foods for poison and tries to close all his airways to prevent the poison coming in….resulting in asphyxiation. Philip is eight this year and some of his nut allergies are getting better but if he has any of the foods he is allergic to, he starts to cry. He feels dread and panic. His face swells, his tongue swells, he becomes flushed, distressed and he needs a shot of adrenalin in his thigh to prevent death.
When I fell pregnant with my first child I planned to be a cool, calm and collected career mum. I planned to keep working, hire help and raise a relaxed and loving child. From day one he vomited my breast milk. We thought it was reflux. I persevered for weeks but he vomited so much I became worried, so I switched to thickened formula and he started to thrive. It wasn’t until we were on a holiday in Tweed Heads that I first suspected food allergies.
We were having lunch in a shopping centre food court. Philip was five months old and loved sucking on my fingers due to teething. I’d just eaten some chicken schnitzel. He sucked on my finger, began to cry and broke out in hives. We rushed him to hospital and they said they couldn’t confirm a food allergy but said it was definitely an allergy to something.
Back in Sydney he was tested at Sydney Children’s Hospital. He came back as allergic to egg, nuts, dog hair and dust mites. I was told to keep him away from these foods until he turned two. Then we’d re-test him and see if he’s improved.
I was devastated. How could my son be allergic to food? I’m Italian. I ate everything while I was pregnant. I had a healthy pregnancy and there were no food allergies in my family. He was the first and we all had trouble dealing with it.