Inspired by her oldest son, who was diagnosed with life-threatening food allergies, Kelly Rudnicki did her research and home kitchen experimentation to develop delicious allergen-free foods. Being a mom of four, Rudnicki not only needed recipes that would keep her oldest son safe, but she also needed results that would please the whole family. Her book The Food Allergy Mama’s Baking Book (Agate Surrey, October 2009) is a blessing for parents with children who are suffering from allergies to dairy, eggs and nuts.
Food allergies are increasing
According to the Food Allergy and Anaphylactic Network (FAAN), one in 25 Americans suffers from food allergies, with children ages 3 and under accounting for one in 17 of the diagnosed cases. Food
allergies, such as to peanuts, have doubled in the last five to 10 years, and experts aren’t sure why this potentially life-threatening problem is becoming more prevalent. They
do know, however, that avoiding allergenic foods is the best guarantee to keep kids (and adults) safe from allergic reactions.
food allergies: frightening, overwhelming
When her son was diagnosed with severe food allergies before his first birthday, Kelly Rudnicki felt dumbfounded and helpless. She didn’t know much about food allergies, nor did she know any
other children who suffered from them. “I’ll never forget the paralyzing fear I felt realizing that I was solely responsible for keeping my son safe and alive,” says Rudnicki, who
later launched the food allergy awareness blog www.FoodAllergyMama.com. Rudnicki’s son is allergic to dairy, eggs and nuts.
Food allergy awareness spreading
Because of the growing number of children suffering with food allergies, parents of food-allergic children have an increasing number of allergen-free resources on which to rely when modifying the
family diet. Schools are also adopting district-wide policies to keep students safe.
More can be done…
Rudnicki is on a mission to not just raise awareness of food allergies, but also the ways parents, schools and communities at large can keep food-allergic children from feeling excluded from their
peers or unable to live a normal life. “We have to get better about developing policies to ensure our children’s safety at school, camp and even sports games,” says the concerned
mom. “In addition to awareness at schools, we need to have updated policies at restaurants and airlines.” Rudnicki is also advocating for the government to allocate more money on food
allergy research. “It’s ridiculous how little money is given to food allergy research projects in comparison to other medical issues,” she adds.
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