It’s hard to believe our allergy-afflicted toddler is about to turn 2. In a week or so, we’ll celebrate his birthday, but I can’t help to think about last year’s party, which should have clued us in to his multiple food allergies six months before we ever went to the allergist.
Graeme had endured major eczema and minor breathing issues since birth, but the cause was unclear. Once he dove into his first birthday cake, it should have been obvious.
Like a lot of parents, my wife and I made a big deal of Graeme’s first birthday. We invited family and friends and bought a cake just for him—typical toddler birthday fare.
Within minutes of Graeme’s birthday-cake exploration, he was covered in green icing from head-to-toe—and red welts on his torso, neck, and face. His diaper rash was terrible for the next week or so.
As we washed off the icing, my wife and I chalked up the welts and redness to an allergic reaction. But we assumed he was reacting to the green food coloring in the icing, not the wheat or eggs in the cake, or the corn syrup in the icing. He had always had diaper rash, so we didn’t link that to a wheat allergy.
Of course, now it’s all obvious. We know a lot more about food allergies in general and Graeme in particular. For example, he hardly ever has diaper rash because he seldom eats wheat products. But sure enough, if he does, his bottom turns red and sore.
This year, we’ll repeat the party favors, cake, relatives, and all, but without the outbreak. I’ve been practicing baking a chocolate cake without any allergens—I’ve come up with my own combination of rice flour, flaxseed meal, and xanthan gum that seems, after much experimentation, to be working!—and the homemade icing contains nothing but sugar, cream cheese, and soy-free chocolate. We’ll also be celebrating another milestone: Graeme can use a fork now. Maybe we won’t have to hose him off this time.
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