For the Goldberg family of Potomac, going to the park or a birthday party with their two young sons often means worrying that their children will come into contact with a dairy product. For many children, this is an everyday occurrence, but for 3-year-old Ari and 20-month-old Julian, it could mean death.
Both of the boys suffer from life-threatening food allergies that require the family to take special precautions. Both are allergic to milk and dairy, and Julian is also allergic to sesame and peanuts. While many parents may be aware that a peanut allergy can be life-threatening, fewer are aware that the same is true for cow's milk allergy, according to the boys' mother, Victoria.
Food allergies in children are becoming more common, according to the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network. The prevalence of food allergy among those under 18 increased 18 percent from 1997 to 2007, and they affect about 6 percent of children under the age of 3, according to the group. The FAAN hopes to raise awareness about the issue during the 12th annual Food Allergy Awareness Week, coming up May 10-16. May is also National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month.
Symptoms of a cow's milk allergy can run the gamut from itchy skin, rash and redness to bad acid reflux to blood in the stool, according to Heidi Isenberg-Feig, a clinical allergist and pediatrician at Shady Grove Adventist Hospital.
Since milk is one of the first foods children encounter, Isenberg-Feig said she often sees the allergy in very young children. Children often grow out of milk allergies by age 5, but not always, she said.
Getting diagnosed can be tricky, the Goldbergs say. Ari's case was fairly typical — he started experiencing rashes when dairy was first introduced into his diet when he was around eight months old. For Julian, however, it was a more complicated — even though he was being fed a hypoallergenic baby formula, he began experiencing rashes, respiratory and gastrointestinal problems soon after birth. When he was diagnosed with cow's milk allergy when he was several months old, the family discovered he had been reacting to his formula.
At his pre-school, Ari's teachers know about his allergy, but he wears an allergy alert bracelet to be safe. At lunch, he has his own space at the end of the table to ensure that he feels included but that he won't come into contact with anyone else's food. "Ari knows at school, not to touch anyone else's lunch. And if he sees anything to eat, to check with mom first," Victoria Goldberg said.
With food allergies becoming more prevalent, parents must learn to effectively communicate with teachers about how their child will be cared for at school. At Chevy Chase Elementary School, parents are informed not to bring in snacks made with nuts. Students with allergies can also sit at a peanut-free table in the lunchroom.
"At lot of the [children with food allergies]sit at that table and invite a friend to eat with them, but they know they can't have a peanut butter and jelly that day," said principal Jody Smith.
Potomac Elementary School principal Linda Goldberg, who is not related to Victoria Goldberg's family, said that the school doesn't have a peanut-free table, but "we talk to the kids about making sure that they move away from a friend with a peanut allergy if they have a peanut in their food." Staff is also made aware of dairy and other allergies, and parents and teachers often discuss the concern together.
Parents should be constantly communicate with teachers and remain vigilant by reading food labels, Isenberg-Feig said. They should also understand what to do in case of emergency and how to use an EpiPen —an emergency treatment for an allergic reaction. "The more education there is and the more understanding of the food allergy, the better able people are to deal with it," Isenberg-Feig said.
