At my son’s daycare they celebrate every child’s birthday. On most occasions they are accommodating to nut allergies as there are usually a couple children who suffer from this life-threatening condition.

From an early age, we have impressed upon our son how important it is that he is careful with food that is offered to him. He is five years old and on one occasion made us proud that he is so well aware of his situation.

This birthday was no different than any other that is celebrated. The birthday child gets a hat, they sing “Happy Birthday,” and then there are treats, usually a cake. The cook makes everything from scratch to ensure there are no allergens. On this day, she had a lapse of judgement. Someone had given her a bag of candies to top the cake with.

My son has been brought up with a candy called Smarties. These are candy-coated chocolate pieces that are safe from nuts. On the other hand, he has also been taught that the competition to Smarties, M&M candies, are not safe for him.

When he was handed a piece from the cake, before he even took it, he saw that there were little candies with the “M” printed on them. He promptly said that he could not have any because the candies were M&Ms and they will make him sick. The cook at first thought he must be wrong but our son insisted and would not take any cake.

The cook stopped, looked at the candies, and ran to the kitchen to check the bag. She was in shock when she saw the “may contain” warning that she would let something like this happen and then vowed to never dismiss anything that the children say to her again. She was so proud of our son, and she was so affected by the event that she had to excuse herself from the room to gather herself.

When we picked up our son, the cook, who had been waiting for us to arrive, took us aside to tell us what happened and to ensure us that she would never do anything to put any of the children in harm’s way. We were grateful, and with a tear in her eye we gave her a hug and told her it was OK.

We are so proud of the guy in the banner above. He knew to question the adult and to refuse the treat outright.

This event made us realize how important it is to make sure one’s child is very well educated about their condition from the moment they are able to understand your words.

Just as an aside to this, yesterday the morning snack was rice cakes. Our son loves rice cakes but, sadly, these particular ones were Quaker brand, which recently changed production of these and are no longer produced in a nut-free facility. Because our son knows this may happen, he simply told his teacher that it was OK for him not to have any and went off to play.

He’s fantastic and, as I may have already mentioned, we are SO proud of him.

(NEWS CENTER) — Food allergies affect more than three million children in this country. While it’s a condition that’s very common in kids, protecting them from reactions can often be very isolating.

One family in Bath decided to create their own safe place for their son to learn. At nine months old Charlie Strickland did what a lot of babies do. He grabbed a piece of cheese and put it to his mouth. But for his mother it turned into a scary moment.

“He blew up into hives, his face swelled, his eyes swelled, he got red itchy hives all over his face,” said Linda Strickland.

Charlie, it turned out was allergic to dairy, eggs and peanuts. His mother eliminated anything that contained these items from his diet. As her son got older, the biggest challenge became going to public places.

“If he touches a surface that maybe yogurt was spilt on and not cleaned up, he’ll get hives on his hand. but if he puts his hand in his mouth there is a possibility he could into shock,” said Strickland.

That’s because Charlie suffers from Anaphylaxis. A serious allergic reaction that can result in death. For Charlie even the smallest amount of exposure can be fatal. The toddler wears a pouch containing medication called an ‘Epipen’ which is key to helping him survive a reaction.

The three year old wears gloves when he visits children’s museums, parks or even the library to prevent any exposure to his skin. When the family eats in public, his mom wipes down the surfaces, uses a tablecloth and placemat.

Strickland didn’t believe she could find a pre-school where Charlie would be completely safe, so she started one in the basement of this church. No food is allowed at the pre-school. The children and parents avoid eating foods charlie is allergic to. They also wash and disinfect their hands. Nellie Clifford’s son Evan attends the pre-school.

“We don’t eat any dairy, nuts or eggs before we come. We have something else for breakfast,” Clifford said..

“Why not just have it with regular kids who don’t have allergies and let them become aware of it and use it as a learning experience for them and they will all learn how to deal with it together,” Strickland said.

The family is also considering home schooling Charlie. But Strickland is also teaching her son how to look out for himself in public. ‘He always asks is it safe for me? or when he begins to read, making sure he reads the labels and teach him the words he needs to look out for,’ she said. The family says more awareness about fatal food allergies will encourage others to clean up after themselves in public. But Charlie’s mom also hopes other youngsters will become more accepting.

“There are a lot of kids with food allergies and it just becomes part of the daily routine so it’s not a strange think and he is not the weird kids that has allergies, it’s just part of the regular routine.”

A routine that doesn’t keep this little boy from having fun with his friends.

If you would like more information about the ‘Little Wonders’ Pre-school Co-op you can log onto their website at www.togetherwelearncoop.org or you can email Strickland at midcoastmommy@yahoo.com or you can connect with other Moms who have kids with allergies click on Moms at the top of this page.

WCSH6.com | Portland, ME | Family Opens Daycare For Children With Allergies.