I was walking my boys into church the other day when my son started the following conversation in a slow, very dramatic voice of deep concern and thought.
“When I don’t have food allergies, I’m going to eggs for breakfast.”
“And, I’m going to eat ice cream at night.”
“And, I might try brand new foods too. Maybe I won’t like them but I’ll bet I will.”
“Mom, when I don’t have food allergies, you can bake my cakes with eggs!”
Then, he thought for a moment and said quietly, “Mom, I know ‘hate’ is a bad word but, I really hate food allergies.”
Well, it wasn’t really a conversation I guess. It was more like short, powerful statements from the mouth of a six year old that stunned me to the point of no response. I just stood there and let him speak. No words of wisdom in reply. I had nothing.
His beautiful blue eyes were looking right at me. They were watery, I could tell if he kept talking about it, he would cry.
I finally said, ‘honey, I hate food allergies too.’
That breaks my heart! I was teary eyed just imagining the conversation. I wish we could take the allergies that plague our children away!!! God bless you and your son!
Oh Sarah! HUGE hugs to you and your precious little man. He is so sweet. I hate food allergies also.
I teared up also, smart boy!!!
You *really* should get him in for NAET acupuncture treatments. It’s a CURE for food allergies. Non-invasive, painless, fast-acting, and inexpensive (though probably not covered by your private health insurance plan) compared to the cost of allergy medications and the time/frustration of having the food allergies. My daughter had chronic ear infections (on antibiotics 3-4/5 weeks every month for YEARS. Three doctors/specialists said she needed tubes in her ears and that MIGHT fix it; they ALL said she’d need to be on three different medications for the rest of her life to fight allergies. We had no idea it stemmed from basic food allergies (beginning with EGG), but I took her in for NAET testing/treatment, and she has been antibiotic-free, med-free, and ear-infection-free for over a year since the very first treatment. I have a half-dozen friends, all with different types of reactions to these basic food allergies, who have had the same positive result with Tulsa Acupuncture and Allergy Clinic. I still don’t fully understand how it works, but it does work and that’s what matters.
As a Celiac mom of 3 (2 of them celiacs as well), I can feel the pain, but mine are 2 & 4 and are oblivious right now. I am dreading the day that they aren’t. Raising a child with food restrictions takes a very strong mother so good job to you for raising a child who speaks his mind candidly 🙂
Thank you so much. Food allergies for the most part are our ‘normal’ so I feel like he’s done very well with it but every now and again, we have these real moments. It breaks my heart.
Unfortunately I know this feeling all too well. My 8 yo is allergic to everything. (Seriously, everything.) Most of the time he handles it like a champ but every so often he just wants to talk about how much it hurts him to see everyone around him eating things he can’t or talking about foods he can’t have. It is awful.
I have a 9 year old that has some of the same allergies also along with others…We’ve been dealing with his allergies since he was almost a year old. Fortunately or…unfortunately, I have a number of these allergies as well and know how to deal with them. The statement that your little guy summoned up was, and is still heard often. It’s so hard on them and coming from experience, it does get easier with age. The understanding of the unknown is a powerful tool. We still deal with the “why me” statements occasionally, and I have always told him that God gave us these (allergies) because he knew that we were strong enough we could handle it…Maybe not the best response, but it instills some sort of control for him…and that seems to help. It’s a hard road, but it sounds like you’ve got a handle on it and as long as he has good support, he’ll do fine. :o)
That is sweet. My son has said similar things. He also likes to “smell” our food when we make something he can’t eat. I feel so bad for him, but again we are like you and we focus on all the good yummy stuff he can eat. He gets lots of good treats!
Kim
http://www.myheartandyours.org
Hi. I just found your website! You have a lot of useful information on here and I appreciate that! My son was diagnosed with life threatening food allergies 5 years ago when he was 1. He is allergic to peanuts, tree nuts, egg, soy, mustard, legumes and tomato. It’s challenging at times! He has recently began to have these kinds of conversations with me like “why was I born with food allergies? Why did God make me this way. I don’t want to have food allergies anymore”. It breaks my heart but also provides a wonderful opportunity to discuss our religious beliefs. I often point out that just about everyone has “something”. I have asthma. He has a peer who is autistic, another who has sight in only one eye etc. I tell him I don’t understand everything, but I do know he will be stronger and learn much from our experience with food allergies. Anyway, thought I’d share that. Looking forward to following you!