Caring for Your Child with Severe Food Allergies: Emotional Support and Practical Advice from a Parent Who's Been There [Paperback]

Lisa Cipriano Collins (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 18, 1999 | ISBN-10: 047134785X | ISBN-13: 978-0471347859 | Edition: 1

Understanding and Learning to Live Well with Food Allergies

Considering that severe allergic reactions can be life-threatening, parents often find that protecting children can be a daunting task-trying to make sure they are safe, while still creating a sense of normalcy as they grow up.

But it can be done. Sorting the truth from the myths and misunderstandings, Caring for Your Child with Severe Food Allergies presents not only pertinent facts but, more important, it helps families cope with the emotional aspects of raising a child at risk for severe food reactions. With compassion and insight, Lisa Cipriano Collins blends her own experiences raising a child with severe peanut and tree-nut allergies with practical observations, interviews with parents, and data from recent medical studies. By learning how to reduce risks while promoting a child's normal emotional development, parents can address the needs of their allergic child and his or her siblings, as well as their own needs-and work toward a happy, healthy family.

Caring for Your Child with Severe Food Allergies covers:
* Identifying allergies
* Working with schools
* Restaurant and travel concerns
* Encouraging independence
* Finding treatment
* Safety risks and solutions
* Helping your child help himself
* Identifying ingredients
* Making an emergency kit
* Finding support
* Developing community awareness

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Collins, a family therapist and the mother of a child with severe nut allergies, outlines the management of life-threatening childhood allergies and the stresses they create within the family. She presents a short, concise manual for parents and other family members and caregivers. Most of the text is devoted to providing techniques for maximizing safety and minimizing the risk of anaphylactic shock. Although brief, the book explores the emotional family context as well as the complexities of allergy management outside the homeAin school settings, in restaurants, and on trips. The medical components of the book are well documented, and a short resource guide accompanies the text. Recommended for hospital/patient education libraries, consumer health collections, and appropriate social service settings.AAndy Wickens, Univ. of Washington Health Sciences Lib., Seattle
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From the Back Cover

Understanding and Learning to Live Well with Food Allergies

Considering that severe allergic reactions can be life-threatening, parents often find that protecting children can be a daunting task–trying to make sure they are safe, while still creating a sense of normalcy as they grow up.

But it can be done. Sorting the truth from the myths and misunderstandings, Caring for Your Child with Severe Food Allergies presents not only pertinent facts but, more important, it helps families cope with the emotional aspects of raising a child at risk for severe food reactions. With compassion and insight, Lisa Cipriano Collins blends her own experiences raising a child with severe peanut and tree-nut allergies with practical observations, interviews with parents, and data from recent medical studies. By learning how to reduce risks while promoting a child’s normal emotional development, parents can address the needs of their allergic child and his or her siblings, as well as their own needs–and work toward a happy, healthy family.

Caring for Your Child with Severe Food Allergies covers:

• Identifying allergies
• Working with schools
• Restaurant and travel concerns
• Encouraging independence
• Finding treatment
• Safety risks and solutions
• Helping your child help himself
• Identifying ingredients
• Making an emergency kit
• Finding support
• Developing community awareness

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 116 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (October 18, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 047134785X
• ISBN-13: 978-0471347859
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,127,385 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A must read for families living with food allergies, November 12, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Caring for Your Child with Severe Food Allergies: Emotional Support and Practical Advice from a Parent Who's Been There (Paperback)

This book is a wealth of information for parents, caregivers, teachers, grand parents and anyone else who has contact with your food allergic children. It is also an excellent resource for those who you are trying educate about food allergies and the importance of strict avoidance of the offending allergen(s). The book is written by the mother of a child with a life threatening peanut and tree nut allergy who has adopted a down to earth approach in dealing with all of the issues that you are faced with when a family member has a life threatening allergy. The author shows you that a realistic approach to keeping your child safe while, at the same time, trying to allow him or her to lead a normal life and be a "kid" can be achieved. She leads you through the stages of life with severe food allergies and the emotions evoked from the usually terrifying initial allergic reaction experience, diagnosis, feelings of guilt, acceptance, practical advice for coping and avoidance, dealing with sometimes doubting family members, caregivers and educators.

As a parent of a little boy with a life threatening peanut allergy, I can truly appreciate the knowledge and first hand experience that the author has in dealing with severe food allergies. I would strongly recommend this book to anyone with food allergy concerns.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Give this book to Aunts Uncles and Grandparents, December 18, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Caring for Your Child with Severe Food Allergies: Emotional Support and Practical Advice from a Parent Who's Been There (Paperback)

My child was just found to be allergic to peanuts. Some family members did not think that it was a serious condition until I sent this book to them to read. It does a great job of stressing the importance of checking ALL lables for hidden peanut products. Before reading this book, my relatives thought we were over reacting in our restrictions to her diet. After reading this book my relatives called and wanted to discuss her allergy and what they could do to help.

If you need some information to support what you are telling people about this allergy, this is the book for you. It is very readable and has a lot of helpful information.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Practical Advice Worth Reading, August 5, 2000

By 

J. Redmond (Cincinnati, OH) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Caring for Your Child with Severe Food Allergies: Emotional Support and Practical Advice from a Parent Who's Been There (Paperback)

This book combines personal and professional expertise with practical insight. Any parent of a severely allergic child can identify with Ms. Collins' story...the fears she faced in the wake of her son's diagnosis and the challenges of parenting a child with food-induced anaphylaxis. Yet, she takes the reader past the fear, providing us with the help we need to get through daily issues at home, school, while eating out, traveling, etc. In this book I found gentle wisdom. How I wish this resource had been available 6 years ago!