When my Z-man was a little over a year old, we learned that he was allergic to shrimp. I fed him ceviche at a family party and immediately noticed red bumps racing up his stomach. Since then, I have soaked up as much information as I can about food allergies. One of my favorite resources is
http://www.foodallergy.org/resources/parents. I found this the perfect starting place when I really had little information on how to make sure Z-man stayed safe and I stayed informed.
One thing I've learned from all my article browsing is that really young children with food allergies may know what they are allergic to by name ("skrimp" if you ask Z-man), but often don't know what it actually looks like. This has really stood out to me. Because shrimp isn't as prevalent in our diets as nuts, milk, or wheat, Z-man might really not recognize it if he were offered it, like at a church coffee hour or at a family party. At this point in his life, there are few times when he is exposed to food I did not pack for him when I am not with him, but I know this will change as he grows. I want him to be prepared. When talking about food, Z often says "I don't eat skrimp and crab. I'm allergic." (A recommendation from the doc was to tell Z-man that he is allergic to seafood in general until he is able to differentiate between types of seafood and until he is tested for other allergies.)
I purchased a
play food set that has pretend shrimp included. Z-man and I play with all the parts of the kabob set, but I point out the shrimp intentionally as we play. I say things like "On my skewer I'll put some steak, some peppers, and some shrimp.". In the grocery store, I often avoid the seafood section because it
tends to smell ocean-y. But today, we passed by a restaurant that had seafood in
the window. Perfect. I pointed out the shrimp to Z. He knows what shrimp looks like and even offered me some wooden shrimp to eat at a children's museum this weekend! I'm really proud of his awareness.
I still feel fearful sometimes, especially in restaurants that serve lots of seafood or when I notice that something I've been feeding him says "may contain traces of shellfish" (like every brand of Snapea Crisps I can find-BUMMER!). Although, I check ingredient labels, don't serve shrimp in our house, and always carry his Epi Pen, I feel so much more confident knowing that Z is becoming equipped with the knowledge to be appropriately careful, too.
