Allergy friendly. cupcake happy!

Savannah, my six-year-old daughter who has life-threatening allergies to milk, eggs and peanuts, was invited to a painting birthday party for our neighbor, Ava. When we RSVPed, I asked her mom if she would like me to make the cupcakes for the party, and she was happy to take me up on the offer. I was thrilled that Savannah would enjoy the same cake as the rest of the girls!

Ava requested cookies and cream cupcakes, and I made them dairy-free, egg-free, as I usually do. I spent the morning of the party decorating them with purple sprinkles and chocolate hearts. I thought they were perfect! I also made frosting shots: little cups made of chocolate filled with cookies and cream frosting. A nice complement to the cupcakes.

Savannah and I went to the party with a wrapped gift and cupcakes in hand. She was excited to paint and have fun with her friends. She made a pretty ceramic butterfly with lots of colors. She got a goody bag filled with mostly-safe treats, and we talked about giving the malted milk balls to her brother Landon, who doesn’t have food allergies. She loved the glittery lip gloss in the bag, which was also safe. Ava opened lots of fun presents. Pictures were taken. It was really a great party!

Everyone sang “Happy Birthday” to Ava, and finally everyone got to eat the cupcakes. Savannah had eaten a test cupcake earlier at home, so she opted for the frosting shot. And then, she had a food allergy reaction.

After one bite she said, “Mom, what’s in this chocolate?” I said, “Just soy. Chocolate and soy. No milk or peanuts.” She was referring to the little factory-made chocolate cups that I had piped the frosting into. She said she didn’t like it. I didn’t think much of it at first, that maybe it was more bitter than the chocolate I usually give her. But soon I could see on her face that something was wrong. I was certain it wasn’t the frosting since she had eaten it earlier that day, and I had made that recipe several times before without issue. She seemed very sure that it was the chocolate cup causing the allergic reaction.

Savannah felt really nauseous and her mouth was salivating. She was afraid and started to cry. I kept comforting her, but I, too, was afraid that her symptoms would get worse. She was breathing normally, and I didn’t see any hives on her skin. Both good signs, but it was still hard not to worry. I gave her a dose of Benadryl and she felt better.

But then she vomited. Ugh. And it was because of something I thought was safe for her.

That was the end of it. I didn’t have to give her the Auvi-Q, but I seriously debated it. Thank God she immediately recognized that something wasn’t right. Thank God her reaction was minor. Thank God it happened at the end of the party. Thank God we didn’t have to go to the ER. Thank God.

On our way out to the car, Savannah said, sadly, “Mommy, I can’t eat chocolate anymore.” Poor thing. I assured her that she could still have chocolate, but the one she tried today wasn’t safe for her. I wished at the moment that I had an Enjoy Life or Divvies chocolate bar with me to prove to her that it would be okay. I kept telling her how sorry I was. Mommy made a mistake. I felt so awful. But I could also sense that she didn’t want to talk about it any longer.

When we got home, Kevin and I checked the chocolate package. The allergy statement said, “May contain milk.” We have always avoided anything marked “may contain peanut,” as advised by our doctor. But we have many times in the past, under our doctor’s advisory, allowed her to eat products marked “may contain milk” or “may contain eggs.” It was never a guarantee that the product was safe, and reactions have been rare. This time, she did react, and it was a bit scary.

Crazy, I was so excited to bring my homemade, allergy-safe cupcakes to the party, and Savannah had an allergic reaction anyway.

Lessons learned:

1. Not all food manufacturers have the same equipment cleaning procedures in place, and cross contamination is always a possibility.
2. Monitor eating times with food allergic kids whenever possible, especially when you introduce new foods.
3. No matter how careful you are about the foods you prepare for your food-allergic child, never let your guard down.

Be safe my friends. Thanks for reading.

* Additional note: I got a tremendous response to this post. I want to thank everyone for their words of compassion and support. I do want to clarify that our doctor undoubtedly told us that “may contain” is still a risk. Many manufacturers don’t even provide “may contain” statements. It is the consumer’s responsibility to research a product before consuming it, and the manufacturer’s job to provide accurate information about manufacturing practices when asked. A doctor should always be consulted if there is question about safety and thresholds.