OK 4 ME 2 EATMy food allergies

Leslie BerlinIllustrations by Kirsten Brieger

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2011 Leslie Berlin. All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-1-4567-5898-1 (sc)

4/25/2011

! is book is dedicated to my loving and supportive family.

Special thanks to Nina for all your help and to all my friends for their thoughts.

1

Hi, I’m Sam and I am 8 years old. I have food allergies; that means if I eat certain foods I will get sick.

2

! ere are 8 foods that people are mostly allergic to:

• Milk • Fish• Eggs • Shellfi sh• Peanuts • Soy• Tree Nuts • Wheat

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…...People can also be allergic to other types of foods.

4

Kids and grown-ups can be allergic to foods. But sometimes kids can outgrow their food allergies; my brother Eddie and I are perfect examples of this.

Eddie used to be allergic to milk; then when he turned 6 he outgrew his milk allergy and now he can eat everything.

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I also used to be allergic to milk, but now my doctor says I can eat foods made with milk. It took 8 years and it seemed like FOREVER, but now I can fi nally eat ice cream and macaroni and cheese!

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I am still allergic to other foods, so I have to be careful. I can only eat the foods that my doctor and parents say are safe. At school I never eat anyone else’s food. It is very important to read the labels to make sure there are no ingredients that I am allergic to.

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At home, I have my own special area in the pantry and refrigerator with foods that are safe for me.

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I know lots of other kids who have food allergies. For example, my friend Emma is allergic to peanuts and my friend Freddy is allergic to milk and tree nuts. It makes me feel better to know that I am not the only kid that is allergic to certain foods.

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When I go to a friend’s house or a birthday party, my parents always send something special for me to eat that is safe.

Sometimes they bake special cupcakes or cookies for me. ! ey always have to send extra, because even the kids that are not allergic to anything love to eat my treats!

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Every summer I go to camp. ! e counselors have had special training for food allergies and they take good care of me! ! is summer I am even going to sleepover camp!

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If you know someone who is allergic to certain foods, you can be a good friend and help to make sure they don’t eat or touch the foods that make them sick.

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If you think someone ate something that makes them feel sick you should tell a GROWN UP right away…they will know what to do to help!

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Don’t worry about me though! ! ere are lots of healthy and yummy things that are OK 4 ME 2 EAT *.My food allergies may take some extra work, but I don’t let them stop me from having fun!

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! e following is a list of the top 8 allergens and some of the foods in which they may be hidden: *

Milk- cheese, ice cream, cakes, pastas, cookies, non-dairy foods may also contain casein - which is a milk protein.Eggs – cookies, cakes, breading for fried foods, French toast and freshly made specialty pastas.Peanuts – peanut butter, cookies, cakes, ice cream, candy, cooking oils and pet foods. Peanuts are legumes and they grow in the ground.Tree Nuts – examples are: almonds, cashews, pecans, pistachios, and walnuts. Tree nuts may be found in cookies, cakes, frostings, candy, pastas and even salad dressings. Tree nuts, unlike peanuts, grow on trees.Fish – cod, salmon, halibut, tuna and whitefi sh are some examples. Fish can be found in fi sh sticks, salad dressings and many Asian foods.Shellfi sh – examples are crab, lobster, shrimp, squid, clams, oysters and scallops. Shellfi sh may also be found in many pastas, soups and sauces.Soy – soy comes from a soybean and is found in many foods; such as tofu, cookies, crackers and sauces. It is also used very commonly as cooking oil.Wheat – is mostly found in breads, bagels, cereal, baked goods, cakes, pasta and it is used in many sauces and breading.*DISCLAIMER: ! is information is not to be used as medical advice. ! ese are just a few examples of hidden allergens. OK 4 ME 2 EAT and/or Leslie Berlin are not responsible for any allergic reactions. Please consult a doctor to discuss your allergy.