Hello B.,
I have numerous food, medication and environmental allergies myself. Children who have allergies, in some respects are luckier than people who acquire Adult onset Allergies. The Children have a greater likelihood of growing out of their allergies (but this doesn't always happen). Adults will very likely never outgrow theirs.
Adults have a distinct advantage over children, because they can make conscious choices about their foods and decisions about staying away from known environmental allergens. Children however, are totally reliant upon Adults to keep them safe.
Be forever vigilant about your child's very serious health challenges. One of my grandson's has very specific allergies like your son and trying to keep him safe has been an extreme challenge, even in the best of evironments.
He has a peanut allergy. We notified everyone. In daycare when he would go for two days a week, we provided his lunch, but they still managed to give him come celery and peanut butter as a snack!
When he became school age, we put notifications on every document in creation and had a conference with the Principal and Teacher. During a school party, he was given a snack that had peanuts in it. Each occasion resulted in a near death producing incident for him!
That said, there are no Restaurants that cater to persons having allergies. Some are sensitive to the needs of persons having allergies but for practical reasons they cannot guarantee that everything they serve is allergen free.
You must retain an awareness of what types of food your child can eat (even if you have to carry a list) to remind you when you do go to restaurants.
Peanuts, Eggs and Milk is a dietary minefield. These items are virtually staples in the American Diet. You must maintain a heightened awareness for hidden ingredients and what basic dishes are comprised of.
Noodles for instance are made with a base of Flour and Eggs. The same can be said for breads, Buns, Dinner Rolls, Donuts and Cakes.
Peanuts and Peanut Oil can be the hidden ingredient in many foods. For instance a local Sonic Food chain fries their French Fries and Fish Products in Peanut Oil. Many chains are converting to Peanut Oil usage because it is often cheaper than other commercial grade cooking oils.
Some snack food makers are beginning to employ warning labels that notify consumers that while the product you have purchased doesn't contain peanuts, utensils and cooking implements (pans, vats, machines) might contain traces of peanut residue, therefore your purchased product might have touched peanuts or peanut oils in the production process.
Trace or residue is enough to kill extremely sensitive persons with peanut allergies.
Always inquire what type of cooking oil is used for the foods you intend to feed your child in a restaurant, even meats.
As for oils, some oils are also used in the production of vitamins and medications. Make sure you inquire, even of manufactorers if peanut oil is in their product.
Vegetable Dishes might be good for him. A caveat, some Asian Foods use eggs in vegetable dishes and soups.
Restaurant Nightmare story:
I have an allergy to tomatoes. I once ordered a salad without tomatoes and the waitress delivered a salad to me that had tomatoes on it. I informed her of my allergies and sent her back to get me a fresh salad with no tomatoes.
She returned with a Salad that had no tomatoes on it.
I put one bite in my mouth and I entire face began to swell, beginning with my lips. She had simply taken the tomatoes off and rearranged the Salad and returned it.
I keep benadryl and an EpiPen with me at all times. I took the Benadryl and left the Restaurant with the Waitress standing there in shock, saying Oh My God! over and over.
I didn't care about her shock. Had I not begun having difficulty breathing, she would have ended up in the emergency room next to me!
I was livid! But had I not had my own lifesaving equipment in my purse, my life would have ended because (some) Restaurant personnel are only taught CPR not how to prevent causing a life threatening or death producing situations for their customers. Besides CPR would not have worked in that situation.
End of story. I do not eat in Restaurants. Period!
A good rule of thumb (for you and your family)might be to save Restaurants for special occasions and always scope out a dish your child can eat in that Restaurant and choose that dish for him each time. It might sound boring but it will preserve his life.
Good Luck and May the Creator continue to Bless You Both
Angie
