For a parent of a child with food allergies, the last thing we want to hear is our child eating a food that aggregates eczema. I’m one of those parents that makes a list of what she cannot eat, explains why she cannot eat it, show how the foods look, and why she needs to avoid them. And she’s EXTREMELY precautious about anaphylactic foods. And yet, we still have a dilemma.
We found out about her food allergies, mostly through trial and error, then through allergy tests. Which means our daughter has “tasted” her “no-no” foods before they were banned. One of those foods is the beloved “Goldfish”.
Her love for goldfish has been close to her heart. From the shape of this cheese cracker to the salty, crisp…… Who am I kidding, she’s a kid that loves cheese crackers! Marketing makes them even more lovable by shaping them into fish. As parents, we let her teachers, sunday school staff, babysitters, grandparents and everyone know that these are a No-No. Luckily, she doesn’t have any anaphylactic reactions to dairy. Fortunately, yet unfortunately, she also knows this and LOVES to sneak them when she can. While goldfish make her a little itchy, probiotics or occasional Benedryl will calm a flare up. It’s minor in her eczema world. I know, and she knows it. What’s a mom to do?
I already have days when I feel terrible from the “can’t have” syndrome. She rarely shows any anger about foods she can’t have. Matter of fact, sometimes she’s proud she knows she can’t have it. But a handful of goldfish puts a crazy BIG smile on her face…it’s hard to say no, again.
I’m sure one day, another event will come and she’ll say, “Mom, guess what I had today…. Goldfish!” (with a huge grin). I smile and say “Now you know, you shouldn’t be eating those.”
Do you struggle with this? How do you handle the foods that’s don’t cause mayhem, but mischief.