Meet Cindy. She has a cozy apartment in Los Angeles, a great job and 35 allergies, ranging from the common (nuts and broccoli) to the exotic (papaya and guar gum.) Cindy was generous to share some of her experiences growing up as a child with allergies, clarify some common misconceptions and provide advice for families dealing with allergies.
Q: So Cindy, you have a lot of allergies. Which ones have you found to be the most challenging?
A: The most challenging allergies are my airborne ones, like horseradish and wasabi. I’m also allergic to a lot of food additives, like guar gum and cottonseed oil, which are less noticeable than avocado and peanuts, since you can’t see them in foods. As a kid though, my most challenging allergies were chocolate, since that’s a food that kids love, and weirdly enough lox. Those were the foods that were most visible to me as a kid and the ones that made me feel left out. My childhood fantasy was to eat chocolate covered lox.
Q: Other than avoiding certain foods, what did you find difficult about being a kid with allergies?
A: It was a different time, so people were not as aware of allergies as they are now. My teachers in school didn’t know or even ask if I had allergies. The hardest thing as a kid was feeling left out and different, especially since I was allergic to chocolate. I remember one day my teacher brought in M&M’s for math, and I couldn’t do the activity. I really felt bad and left out, and of course I didn’t learn whatever it was we were learning that day.
Q: Being a kid who is different is hard. How did you cope with the allergies and being a normal kid?
A: My parents were really meticulous about my socializing. My mom always called parents in advance to check about the food that was being served at playdates or birthday parties. She’d let me know what I could eat, or she’d send me food so I could participate in the party with my friends. Kids were very accepting of my bringing my own stuff, so it really wasn’t a big deal.
I never really felt that I was missing out on any of the food though. It’s not like I wanted to eat the broccoli and salads that my classmates were eating.
Q: As someone who has had allergies since you were born (her first allergic reaction occurred when Cindy was just 4 days old!), what misconception to you want to clear up?
A: The biggest misconception is that allergies, sensitivities and intolerances are all the same, which they aren’t. Allergies can be fatal. They happen quickly. Sensitivities may cause discomfort, but they aren’t life threatening. It’s important for people to understand that someone with an allergy can become very seriously ill by eating just the smallest amount of their allergen. You have to take allergies extremely seriously. It’s really a matter of life and death.
Q: You’re pretty much a pro at living with allergies. What is some advice you can share with other families who may be dealing with a similar situation?
A: First, don’t make the kid feel bad for having allergies. Don’t act like they’re missing out because they can’t enjoy certain foods. Teach kids to fend for themselves, not to rely on other adults to be as protective of them as their parents are. Teach them to tell adults that they have a fatal food allergy, which usually gets the attention of adults.Teach them to become comfortable asking questions. If they ever unsure, teach them to err on the side of caution.
Cindy is an inspiration to anyone who has or loves someone with allergies. She survived an allergy-filled childhood and grew up to become a successful young woman, who enjoys her friends, family and food on a daily basis. For more about Cindy’s story and to read more about her life with allergies, visit her website: www.allergyepisodes.wordpress.com
