Few things are scarier than witnessing a child having an allergic reaction, whether it manifests itself as wheezing or life-threatening anaphylaxis. Parents will do anything to avoid having their child suffer such a reaction again, but treading the line between being prepared and being paranoid can be tricky. The Parent's Guide to Food Allergies was written by a team of people who shared their expertise from the medical lab and the kitchen; two M.D.s and one Ph.D. collaborated with author Marianne Barber, the mother of a food-allergic son, who writes with a personal slant so often absent from medical guides. Barber understands the daily coping skills that are needed when living with an allergic child, from banning particular foods entirely to reading ingredient labels.

Especially common allergens like peanuts, wheat, and eggs merit separate chapters, while other foods are treated more generally. Each of the food-specific chapters includes a list of ways that the ingredients can "hide" in processed foods. Once you learn that milk also goes by hydrolysate, and that one of wheat's many aliases is seitan, you'll realize the importance of careful reading. The chapter titled "Hidden Allergens" expands on this theme, and while Barber does an excellent job of detailing the possible hiding places, she says, "careful labeling is well and good, but it doesn't eliminate the need for a judgment call on your part." There's also a chapter on anaphylaxis, in which the realities of living with Epi-pens and liquid antihistamines are faced in a kind, straightforward manner. A special recipe section includes enjoyable treats for the whole family that are baked with wheat-free flour, milk-free margarine, and applesauce instead of eggs. (The spice cake with fresh fruit is a delicious treat.)

At once gentle and authoritative, Barber's book is an excellent guide through the maze of childhood allergies. --Jill Lightner


Book Description
The most comprehensive book on dealing with childhood food allergies, a problem that affects more than four million children in the United States.

Each year thousands of children in this country are diagnosed with one or more food allergies. For them -- and their parents and caregivers -- the ordinary patterns of life are profoundly disrupted. As families struggle with a serious condition that can at any moment become life-threatening, the stress is often overwhelming. Now this invaluable reference provides the practical help and reassurance parents have been waiting for.

To write this book, Marianne Barber, whose son has serious food allergies, teamed up with a pediatric allergy specialist and a psychologist who treats many people with severe allergies. The Parent's Guide to Food Allergies addresses in detail the practical, physical, and emotional issues kids and their families face, including vital information on:--handling emergencies --stocking a kitchen with safe, appealing foods--helping a child adjust easily in school --dealing with the stress that having a food-allergic child puts on family relationships--eating in restaurants and travelingComprehensive and authoritative, this book is certain to become the bible for anyone with a food-allergic child.



About the Author
Marianne Barber is an award-winning copywriter who runs her own direct-marketing agency. She is also the mother of Lucas, whose severe food allergies led her to write this book.

Maryanne Bartoszek Scott, M.D., is a physician in private practice whose specialty is pediatric allergy and immunology.

Elinor Greenberg, Ph.D. is a psychotherapist in private practice.

FROM OUR EDITORS

An excellent reference for parents of allergy-prone children, this book offers information about specific foods that cause allergic reactions, tips for preventing food allergies, and advice for dealing with allergies as children enter school, develop social lives, and spend more time away from the watchful eyes of their parents.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Whether you are the parent, relative, caregiver, or teacher of a food-allergic child, you know how challenging it is to keep that child safe, healthy, happy, and well fed. But now, help is at hand. The team of authors behind this invaluable book -- the mother of a food-allergic child, a board-certified allergist, and a psychologist -- will take you through every step of life with a food-allergic child.