MOM OF A FOOD ALLERGY CHILD

“My son has food allergies”, rarely heard it and never thought would say it!

If someone would say, I am allergic to dairy, I’d think, “okay, what’s the big deal? A rash, a cough ..? It will go away eventually.” Little did I know!

When my baby boy picked up the habit of eating, I was so excited to trying healthy homemade recipes. I always felt I needed to do something new so he doesn’t get bored. So one day, I thought, “Uhm let me make hummus for him.” I soaked the organic chickpeas one night before and prepared the hummus the following day. It tasted so good! I was so excited and couldn’t wait for him to try it. I had planned to give it to him at dinnertime.

At the park, hanging out with friends, I take out the hummus and a carrot. I dip the carrot in the hummus and he takes a tiny lick. He gave this “disgusted” look and I felt hurt. I spent a lot of time making this hummus, “c’mon baby you will like it, try it again”; and he kept refusing it. I thought, “okay, it’s a new taste, we can try it again tomorrow.” An hour later, as I was bathing him, I noticed some red spots on his body. I ignored, I thought maybe he felt hot at the park. He will eventually cool down. Bath done, pyjs on and time to nurse him then put him to bed. As I was nursing him, I noticed some red spots on his face; I started taking pictures and watched him closely. I just felt something was wrong. Seconds later, he throws himself on the bed. I carry him, and he throws up. I look at him and his eyes were swollen. Second by second, things were getting worse. Something is NOT right! I get the car keys, my wallet, my phone, his medical file and rush to the hospital. And that’s when food allergy was welcomed to our family.

After doing blood tests, and visiting an immunologist, it turned out my baby boy was allergic to sesame, peanuts, eggs, dairy, oats and chickpeas. He had an anaphylaxis to sesame, a LIFE-THREATENING reaction! YES, ingesting the wrong kind of food can be FATAL. It took me a while to comprehend this.