Since Garrett's birth, we have been keenly involved in the protection and fight against food allergies. Garrett was diagnosed with a dairy allergy at 2 months old and a pea allergy at 7 months old. By 10 months old, we learned about the severity of Garrett’s nut allergy.
On the evening of November 7, 2016, Garrett refused to open his mouth for any food during dinner and we immediately knew something was wrong. Shortly thereafter, he began profusely vomiting. After scanning his body we discovered he was covered in hives and we rushed him to the hospital. Two EpiPens later, our strong, 10 month old son was laying in our arms, exhausted and unsure of where we were. The doctors told us he would have to stay overnight so they could monitor him. Looking back, the ordeal seems like a blur, but as we were up watching our son that night his allergies became real. Shortly after this incident we switched Garrett’s doctors to the Jaffe Food Allergy Institute.
“No nuts, no peas” is what Garrett chants when you ask him what he cannot eat. With the help of the team at Mt. Sinai Garrett passed his dairy challenge and now consumes dairy almost daily. Most recently he passed his cashew challenge and we have begun adding cashew into his diet. We have taught Garrett that nuts and peas are foods that will make him sick, but at this point he does not understand why he cannot eat something. Birthday parties are hardest, as he often cannot have what the other kids are eating. We always try to provide a safe option for him, but it is not the same. As the parents of a child with food allergies, we worry every day about what our son eats. Every snack and every meal out of the house is something we constantly think about.
We are raising money to support “The Elliot and Roslyn Jaffe Food Allergy Institute at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai as they aim to expand and improve basic science and clinical research, comprehensive patient care, and educational efforts in the field of food allergy.” We hope through Team Garrett, we can raise awareness about food allergies and continue to educate our family and friends about safe practices. We are so grateful for the care, support, and guidance we have received from the staff at Mt. Sinai. Our trust and commitment to the team at the Food Allergy Institute, ensures our ability to monitor our son’s health, to try food challenges in a safe environment, and to educate our family and friends about his food allergies. The work of the Institute is changing the care and future for patients with food allergies.
Thank you for supporting Team Garrett!