Thursday, January 31, 2008
My title refers to a radio segment I heard today that featured renowned allergist Dr. Hugh Sampson of the Jaffe Allergy Institute in New York. He appeared on WNYC today, a local NPR affiliate in NY to rebut an article (and subsequent radio segment on WNYC) by a journalist who claims in Harper's magazine that all food allergies are psychosomatic, kids don't need EpiPens and people don't really die from severe allergic reactions.
Whew! OK. Here's the other thing: several people commented on the radio station's web site following Dr. Sampson's segment. One of them accused allergy sufferers of being no more than victims of "Worried Mom Syndrome."
Well, obviously I don't agree, but you know what really makes me mental? A lot of people think that. Food allergies have really become a red state/blue state thing and I don't know why. You know, the idea that kids who have food allergies have yuppie, oversized SUV-driving parents with a lot of disposable income and various obsessive-compulsive disorders. These folks will tell you that what kids need to do is play in the dirt and allergies will magically disappear! Uptight, overly clean, overeducated parents are the problem, not allergies themselves!
Maybe it's the weather in Chicago lately (freezing, snowy, generally miserable) but those kinds of attitudes make me want to jet to a warm-weather resort with a poolside waiter who resembles Clive Owen. (Anyone know of a place like that?) Listen, I'd have my kid take a mud bath every day if that would cure her allergies. That's not going to cut it.
But seriously, I think it's really unfortunate that we, as parents of food-allergic children have to combat this notion at all. I'm not sure that we'll be able to convince everyone of the seriousness of the medical condition our children have, but even if we spread awareness, that's a start.
Getting back to the radio segment, Dr. Sampson gave out a lot of data, didn't lose his cool even when the host accused him of using children's "questionable" food allergies for his personal profit (can you believe it?) and he had some good things to say. You can listen to his interview if you click the link. It should be archived shortly. I personally wish the Dr. had been a little tougher on the biased and glib host, but he handled himself very professionally in a relatively short segment.
I guess you have to live it to really appreciate what we "Worried Moms" AND Dads go through each day. That's why I appreciate everyone who speaks out on behalf of food allergies, like Dr. Sampson, and tries to advocate for kids.
For everyone who talked to a teacher, explained an EpiPen to another parent or baked cupcakes for 24 kids today so that your child didn't have to miss out on a treat, I take my hat off to you. Thank you. We'll keep working to make sure our children have the happy, healthy lives they deserve.
Thanks, also, to the many supportive parents and teachers that I meet who show so much compassion to my daughter. My whole family appreciates it.
Still, a vacation couldn't hurt.
