Remember the Nutty '70s??

As summer comes to a close, and school starts back up, there has been a lot of reminiscing going on. Recently there have been a few versions of "What I loved about growing up in the 1970s" floating around the internet. Favorites memories (real or experienced via Brady Bunch reruns)  include riding in the Way back of the station wagon without seatbelts, wandering around with friends for hours with no parental supervision, and taking lots of peanut butter sandwiches to school and not worrying about anyone's food allergies.

While my family never had a station wagon, and I didn't even watch The Brady Bunch very often, I did experience a different level of parental hovering and involvement than what is expected today.  I don't remember my parents obsessively checking on my homework status or needing to know where I was every second of the day.  I was sent alone on foot to the local small grocery story well under the age of 10, took the city bus alone at age 9, and walked downtown with friends after elementary school let out for the afternoon.

One area where I think increased parental involvement and awareness in general is good is the realm of food allergies.  People may snicker, be annoyed or feel inconvenienced by what seems to be an epidemic of kids with food allergies.  To these kids, however, allergies can be scary, can ruin a fun time, and at worst can be deadly.

In the 1970s my allergies were mostly treated as a curiosity or minor inconvenience... to me!  I don't remember any teacher, camp counselor or friend's parent being aware of my allergies.  I had a number of experiences eating food I was allergic to, possibly because I wasn't taught well enough to ask if foods had allergens in them.  One of my most vivid memories from summer day camp was eating candy offered to me by a camp counselor, getting sick and discovering after the fact that Bit o' Honey candy contains nuts.

My family attempted to avoid foods they know made me sick at home, but there was not complete avoidance.  My mom made chocolate cookie dough without nuts for me, and when those were baked she threw walnuts in the rest.  There were always two clearly labeled tins, and amazingly I never ate the wrong ones!

Unlike kids with allergies I know today whose parents scrutinize any minor rash or reaction to determine what caused it, I was left to self-diagnose some of my symptoms and reactions on my own over time.  It may have been the era of  "If the doctor didn't mention it, we don't need to worry about it."   It is true that food allergies are increasing, and the cause is not clearly understood.  But they are real and can be really hard for kids to deal with.

 I'm all for letting kids have more of the freedoms we feel like we left behind 30 years ago.  But when it comes to food allergies it is time for all parents to increase their knowledge, advocacy, communication and compassion.