Hi, I have been reading this list for several months and I appreciate all of
the information I have read here.  I have an 8 year old son who is severely
allergic to milk.

We did have a similar hospital experience when my son was much younger.  We
provided all of his food while he was in the hospital.  The nurses were a bit
unkind about this decision, but there was casein containing non-dairy creamer
on almost all the food.  One tray even had a grilled cheese sandwich.  The
response I got was you said he was allergic to milk, not cheese.  I try to
remember how long it took me to completely understand what was safe for him
and what wasn't.  I am constantly learning new things that could be dangerous
or safe.  Over time I have stopped expecting people to completely understand
after a single or even multiple conversations.  We have all learned to read
labels very well, but the general population just isn't used to it.  Perhaps
I am too cautious, but my son just doesn't eat anything unless I have read
the label, prepared the food, or watched the food being prepared.

But what broke my silence on this list was something I heard at a local food
allergy support group meeting.  This group has different speakers that come
in to talk to us.  At one meeting the head dietitian from one of the larger
local hospitals came to talk to us about meeting the nutritional needs of our
children.  The topic changed quickly when we got to the question and answer
portion of the evening and it was this very topic that was addressed.  After
all the questions and what ifs, the dietitians recommendation was to provide
all food while our children are in the hospital.  She said it would be
impossible to get all of the individual workers in the kitchen to completely
understand.  With the shear volume of meals being prepared, she said there
was absolutely no way she or any other hospital kitchen could guarantee that
the food was not cross contaminated during the cooking process.  I though I
should let you all know this.

E.J.