1 in 10 babies born today will have a food allergy

PAINT & DONATE!

Today I found out my son is probably the one in ten. 

Four years ago my daughter was also displaying allergic symptoms, including hives, severe eczema, dry skin, sleepless nights, crying spells and digestive discomfort. 

She was diagnosed with serious food allergies, which may cause anaphylaxis, at just eight months old. 

So it came as no shock my son's reaction to the introduction of solid food at six months was due to food allergy. 

Luckily this time I was prepared. I knew the signs of allergy and took steps to eliminate the foods most likely to be allergenic such as cow's milk and wheat, which are commonly found in jars of food for babies over the age of six months.

Research into allergic disease continues but remains inconclusive. The best advice to parents of allergic children are the three As - Awareness, Avoidance and Action. 

Charity lobby group Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia's (A&AA) 1 in 10 Campaign is in its second year and will again help raise awareness and funds into allergic disease and hopefully uncover why allergy is skyrocketing, especially in children. 

The campaign, supported by Blue Wiggle Anthony Field and comedian Peter Hellier, among other celebrity ambassadors, asks people to paint one fingernail (or one fingernail a different colour to the rest) during Food Allergy Awareness Week (May 13 - 19th, 2013) to represent the children who have food allergies and to donate at foodallergyaware.com.au. 

The most common food allergies:
Cow's milk
Egg
Peanut/tree nut 
Sesame
Soy
Wheat
Fish, shellfish 

The most common reactions to food allergies:
Tingling or itching in the mouth
Hives, itching or eczema
Swelling of the lips, face, tongue and throat, or other parts of the body
Wheezing, nasal congestion or trouble breathing
Abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea or vomiting
Dizziness, lightheadedness or fainting

For more information visit allergyfacts.org.au. 

these precious moments

Technology, and more specifically social media, almost robbed us of one of life's precious moments just the other day. It all happened so innocently too. It was a Sunday morning so we weren't in a hurry to be anywhere or do anything important. My daughter was sitting playing with some toys and my five-month-old son was getting acquainted with his new jump activity centre.

Now until today the activity centre was just something we thought he'd grow into as his enthusiasm for it wasn't mind blowing. Then, without warning, he seemed to really get the hang of this Jump n Gym, because he was bouncing from one foot to the other, giggling like it was the most fun he'd ever had in his entire life.

So I jumped up, rushed for my iPhone, which unsurprisingly was right beside me, admittedly hiding under a cushion, and captured the whole jovial experience on film. Of course, I then hit 'share', as you do, so my plethora of Facebook 'friends' could also enjoy to their heart's content.

Now this is where it gets a bit scary. So if you're a social media junkie, you might want to stop reading now and live in blissful denial. You see, at the same time my son was discovering the true joy of jumping, my husband was glued to his mobile phone, on Facebook as it turns out (unsurprisingly).

So when he sees his son pop up in his news feed, he's delighted and hits play. He even discusses with me how clever our son is and perhaps even advanced for his age (LOL), not for one moment taking his eyes of his phone.

It took a few seconds for me to realise the moment was happening in real time, right in front of his eyes. "Babe, he's doing it now,"I say half laughing, half absolutely horrified! He looks over at his son, still happily jumping from foot to foot, "Oh, yeah," responds my bemused husband.

It was a funny moment, yes. But it highlighted the fact that our gadgets get in the way of quality family time. Has anything similar ever happened to you? Do you think social media is stealing precious moments from your life?