Today I bought cow’s milk yogurt for Eli’s next dosing cyle and it felt so funny to text and ask what flavor he wanted to try first (picture below!). And it also feels like relief. Each food we introduce and pass, puts him closer to food safety and freedom.
I remember learning that a person can be anaphylactic to dairy and it was surprising. Like most people, I had a vague idea of lactose intolerance or dairy giving stomach aches, etc. But never anaphylaxis. I was surprised to learn that dairy and egg are the most common anaphylactic allergens in children. Most kids outgrow these allergies at some point in their childhood, although Eli did not.
In terms of allergens, dairy has been the most limiting for our family. It is in almost everything from margarine (surprise!), chewable medications (I know, crazy!), to shampoo and hand soap. In addition to that, it is the go-to food for most kids, who love it more than anything (or is this just my oldest?!). It is the allergen that Eli is the most curious about and most interested in trying.
I remember going to lunch with Eli in kindergarten with a very naive sense that he would be okay and I would eventually be able to just let him eat in the cafeteria without me. Have you ever been in an elementary cafeteria? There is dairy…. Everywhere. Kids drink milk, eat cheese and yogurt, and it is in every single food they serve. Even under good supervision, kids flip milk cartons and I cannot remember a day that a kid or kids didn’t spill milk on the floor, on the table, on a seat, etc. Not to mention that the cleaning between lunch periods has to be fast and is certainly not enough to remove food proteins. It was pretty disheartening. Now that he is older, things are exponentially easier, and I haven’t attended a lunch since he returned to school post COVID (his school, Faith Bible, has been amazing at keeping him safe).
This coming appointment, he will challenge denatured (boiled) cow’s milk and if he passes it, will officially cross over the threshold of tolerating cross contact with dairy. Another layer of safety for him, another hurdle crossed. More tears for me. We have a little “food passport” that the Food Allergy Institute stamps every time he passes a food challenge. Eli treasurers it, and so does the rest of our family. Each stamp is a step toward freedom, another food he can tolerate, one less danger in the world. We are so grateful.