Sally Flanagan wrote:
>
> Hi all!  I am new to the group.  I have a two year old son who is fatally
> allergic to milk protien (along with peanuts and eggs).

Hi Sally,

One of the things we really concentrated on with our allergic boys was
verbalizing their needs.  They need to be able to say to grandma or Aunt
Sally "No, I don't want that piece of chocolate unless Mommy says it's
okay".  They need to be able to say "I am special, I have allergies".
They also need to be able to tell you when they don't feel right and
have the words to express how they feel.  We spent many times playing
doctor and using the words we hoped they would catch onto.  It worked.

My boys, even at 2 and 3 could tell someone 'no thank you' and why.
They learned that for every sweet treat they turned down I had several
stashed away they would get extras of for being so good.  They were
empowered, no longer the victim.

I have, on many occasions, had long battles with food.  It becomes
impossible to know what you can cook, eat or even do sometimes.  I found
that by making lists of foods we CAN eat and trying to forget about the
foods we can't somehow makes it easier to deal with.  I think a healthy
attitude toward food needs to be taught to children with multiple
allergies.

Try to spend time with other people who have physical problems.  Share
with him that others have no use of their legs, or eyes.  He will begin
to see that many of us are different, but in many different ways.

Another thing I have been doing for my guys is keeping a special recipe
book for them.  Their favorite 'okay' foods go in it.  Whenever I make
one copy - I make several.  One for my records and one for their books.
Although their tastes change frequently, I am hoping that a favorite at
4 might return as a favorite at 24, despite intervening years of
disgust.  :-D

Stash away lots of foods you can eat.  Follow his diet closely when he
is around and don't let him see you 'cheat'.  He will become empowered
very quickly when you show him different is okay too.

--
Kathy Wentz                   Childhood should be a journey-
[log in to unmask]                 not a race.  Homeschool