By Linda Marienhoff Coss; 208 pages. Subtitle: Practical Tips for Everyday Life
Doctors and other professionals are good for a lot of things, but experienced parents are the real experts when it comes to getting you through the nitty-gritty of your days with a food-allergic child. That practical wisdom fills this book, offering perspectives that can only be gained by living with caution 24/7. It may be overwhelming to realize how protective you really have to be, but Coss and the parents she quotes have been there, and do a lot to light the way.
- True to the subtitle, these are absolutely "practical tips for everyday life"
- Presents a friendly, down-to-earth parent's point of view
- Draws in wisdom from other parents, who share their experiences
- Includes appendix of useful forms and letters
- Boxes offer an international perspective on certain issues
- All the things to be thought of can be overwhelming
- Much of the material is available for free on the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network site
- Some of these precautions, while essential, sound easier said than done
- My Story
Introduction - Chapter 1: Preparing For and Treating Severe Allergic Reaction
- Chapter 2: Teaching Others About Your Child's Food Allergies
Chapter 3: Grocery Shopping - Chapter 4: Food in Your Home
Chapter 5: Cooking - Chapter 6: Parenting
Chapter 7: Socializing - Chapter 8: Outings
Chapter 9: Restaurants - Chapter 10: Travel
Chapter 11: Preschool - Chapter 12: School and Day Care
Chapter 13: Extracurricular Activities - Chapter 14: Miscellaneous Medical Issues
Chapter 15: Food Allergy Support Groups - Appendices
Index
"Your child has special needs. You cannot force your family into the same mode of living that other families (who are not dealing with the challenge of life-threatening food allergies) enjoy. What you can do is to create a new life for you and your family that is both joyous and as 'normal' as possible. Accept the fact that you can no longer take a carefree approach to life and just do your best to maintain a positive and upbeat attitude."
That paragraph comes about halfway through How to Manage Your Child's Life-Threatening Food Allergies, but it perfectly encapsulates the book's approach. Without that acknowledgment that severe food allergies are special needs that change your lifestyle, like it or not, the requirements for keeping a child safe can be overwhelming. Do you really have to make sure other people clean their house before you come over? Send your teen off to formal events with a lunchbox of food from home? Skip family gatherings if you can't be sure everybody will take your child's allergies seriously? Yes. Of course. Your only choice is whether to be upbeat about it or miserable.
This is a parent's guide in the truest sense, by parents for parents. Coss shares her experiences and those of other parents to guide the reader through every practical aspect of ensuring the safety of a food-allergic child. She covers things only a parent who's made mistakes would think of -- like whether the pet food your toddler might accidentally touch is allergy-safe, or how many times you need to run things over with the babysitter.
The writing is quick-reading, straightforward, and no-nonsense, the kind of text you'll need when you're ready to abandon the carefree life and do what needs to be done. It's not pretty, but it's about saving lives.
Have you read this book? Click on the blue button below to write your own review.
