C.J. Miller

I was hoping to get this post out sooner, but this year has been crazy busy and has flown by! I wanted to share our experiences with peanut oral immunotherapy in hopes it helps someone else. Before starting this journey, I read everything I could and a lot of what I read helped to guide our decision. DISCLAIMER: Please note, I am not a medical professional, just a mom. Everything below is just our experiences and this process should only take place after consulting with a qualified allergist and under her supervision. BACKGROUND: My seven year old son has a peanut allergy diagnosed at 18 months by an allergist (scratch test). He had his first reaction around 16 months after eating peanut butter. Over the course of the next 6 years, scratch tests and a blood test showed he was unlikely to outgrow his allergy. Strict avoidance gets difficult as my son gets older. Birthday parties, weddings, potlucks, school parties, and school lunches become places were he could have an exposure ...

One of my kids' favorite toys this year are the wizard and witch wands that they made at the library from chopsticks and hot glue. Seriously, they play with the wands every day. I had the idea to make them a potions kit. Supplies: measuring spoons plastic spice bottles with lids cauldron labels craft sticks (as mixers) vinegar, spices, glitter, baking soda, Pop Rocks, grass, rocks (food store, craft store, or found outside) Ideas to label the spice bottles: nightshade essence porcupine quills (dried pine needles) moonstone dust (white glitter) knotgrass ground unicorn hoof (colored glitter mixed) baneberry ginger octopus powder (orange spice mixed with glitter) sage rose oil pond water (white vinegar) dragon drool (rubbing alcohol) The potions: Pop Rocks + Soda = fizzing Vinegar + baking soda = bubbling (I'm still working on this part of the kit, and will post more details when I'm finished) It's one of the gifts I'm mo...