Interesting news story on a food allergy.

[Riviera Rita]

If this post isn't acceptable then please delete. I'm just wondering how they manage with her allergy in everyday life, let alone on a trip to Disney.

Parents of girl with allergy fear losing £19k Disney trip as airline will serve eggs

The parents of nine-year-old Dolly Fisher, from Rainham, Essex, who has a severe egg allergy, wanted the product removed from their Virgin Atlantic flight to Florida.

www.aol.co.uk

 

[jloucks]

If this post isn't acceptable then please delete. I'm just wondering how they manage with her allergy in everyday life, let alone on a trip to Disney.

Parents of girl with allergy fear losing £19k Disney trip as airline will serve eggs

The parents of nine-year-old Dolly Fisher, from Rainham, Essex, who has a severe egg allergy, wanted the product removed from their Virgin Atlantic flight to Florida.

www.aol.co.uk

Bring lots and lots of epi pens?

I have empathy for kids as they don't really understand what is happening to them (and others), so I would be ok with making the whole plane/bus/train etc. forgo certain delicious food to make it safer for the kid(s). Adults? Not so much.

 

[Riviera Rita]

Bring lots and lots of epi pens?

I have empathy for kids as they don't really understand what is happening to them (and others), so I would be ok with making the whole plane/bus/train etc. forgo certain delicious food to make it safer for the kid(s). Adults? Not so much.

The problem appears to be that Virgin have done all they can to help, but, the parents seem to be after something more. One commentor hit the nail on the head when they suggested googling egg allergies and it appears the egg allergy is only a problem if eggs are consumed, so bring the child and rest of the family their own food and problem solved. I am concerned about Virgin saying no food in economy contains eggs because I'm sure I've had an egg sandwich In the afternoon tea box they serve and a egg muffin for breakfast, but, the menu has changed and because of egg shortages and price hikes (yes, us too) they may have removed that from the menu.

 

[jloucks]

This may be a lizard brain thing where people just like to feel special. Let's face it, making a plane full of people accommodate you certainly makes you feel special.

Feeling special is lovely, but how you get there matters.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

Bring lots and lots of epi pens?

Here's the issue...
When you take an epi pen, you immediately have to go to the emergency room. You cannot pass go. You cannot collect $200. You go to the ER. So if you take an epi pen mid flight, then your flight has to divert to take you to an ER. That's assuming the epi pen even works; some people need multiple injections if they're in anaphylaxis, and it still doesn't work. So not only is this girl in danger, but the entire flight would be inconvenienced if she had to go to the ER.

Now, personally, for me, I can have eggs any time. I don't absolutely have to have them on an airplane. So forgoing having them on a flight for me would not be a huge deal. I do have to wonder though about the risks for her elsewhere while she's travelling though. Like, is she going to be okay just passing by people eating eggs? They can't control her entire environment. That's concerning if she's that allergic.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

This may be a lizard brain thing where people just like to feel special. Let's face it, making a plane full of people accommodate you certainly makes you feel special.

No, no. Just...no. If anything, it's embarrassing to have to ask for things like this. Sure people like to feel special. But not like this. A lot of people are nice, but a lot of people are jerks. When Southwest used to serve peanuts on their planes and I had to mark that I was allergic, oh man, people threw fits over getting PRETZELS instead. At least they didn't know I was the reason.

Sounds more like anxious parents who are dealing with something life-threatening for their child but aren't sure how to navigate. Eventually, they'll figure out better what their child's needs are. Or her allergy may get less severe, which is a definite possibility.

 

[Disstevefan1]

If the egg allergy is so severe, I would fear WDW much more than the plane.

 

[mkt]

If this post isn't acceptable then please delete. I'm just wondering how they manage with her allergy in everyday life, let alone on a trip to Disney.

Parents of girl with allergy fear losing £19k Disney trip as airline will serve eggs

The parents of nine-year-old Dolly Fisher, from Rainham, Essex, who has a severe egg allergy, wanted the product removed from their Virgin Atlantic flight to Florida.

www.aol.co.uk

As someone with two food allergies and a long list of medically required dietary restrictions, Disney is obnoxiously thorough about this, to the point of refusing to serve me certain items (which I could adapt to eat) due to the allergies, when I asked about it.

Now I just say "preference" rather than allergy.

 

[Ayla]

Ah, another super-speshul "if she sees it she'll die" allergy.

Here's a solution ~ fly private, then you don't have to worry about losing your $25,000 trip.

 

[jloucks]

No, no. Just...no. If anything, it's embarrassing to have to ask for things like this. Sure people like to feel special. But not like this. A lot of people are nice, but a lot of people are jerks. When Southwest used to serve peanuts on their planes and I had to mark that I was allergic, oh man, people threw fits over getting PRETZELS instead. At least they didn't know I was the reason.

Sounds more like anxious parents who are dealing with something life-threatening for their child but aren't sure how to navigate. Eventually, they'll figure out better what their child's needs are. Or her allergy may get less severe, which is a definite possibility.

I base my statement on my experience dealing with accommodations over the last 35 years. The vibe I get is generally the polar opposite of embarrassment. Entitlement & satisfaction are more often the vibe.

But, yes, the minority of folks are embarrassed or apologetic, and fwiw I tend to believe those folks as being legit. IMHO these should be the proper emotions when negatively impacting others.

Again to be clear, I am referring to adults. Kids are a different ballgame for myriad of reasons.

 

[jloucks]

As someone with two food allergies and a long list of medically required dietary restrictions, Disney is obnoxiously thorough about this, to the point of refusing to serve me certain items (which I could adapt to eat) due to the allergies, when I asked about it.

Now I just say "preference" rather than allergy.

That's what I do! ...I have a few food allergies myself.

 

[mkt]

That's what I do! ...I have a few food allergies myself.

I remember the spam sushi from Hawaii at Food and Wine that I genuinely like.

I just can't have sesame seeds. I'm not allergic, I just can't digest them properly, and if they get stuck in me, it can be quite painful. The first time I tried to explain, I had to wait about 20 minutes for a chef to arrive, and he couldn't understand that it was a medical necessity, NOT an allergy. That yes, it can have sesame seed oil, just not sesame seeds.

Finally I gave up and on my second loop around the world, ordered it, but said "preference".

 

[StarWarsGirl]

I remember the spam sushi from Hawaii at Food and Wine that I genuinely like.

I just can't have sesame seeds. I'm not allergic, I just can't digest them properly, and if they get stuck in me, it can be quite painful. The first time I tried to explain, I had to wait about 20 minutes for a chef to arrive, and he couldn't understand that it was a medical necessity, NOT an allergy. That yes, it can have sesame seed oil, just not sesame seeds.

Finally I gave up and on my second loop around the world, ordered it, but said "preference".

So I can have any other shellfish besides shrimp. It's not a true allergy; it just gives me one hell of a migraine afterward if I attempt to eat it.

For some reason, my parents, every time they make an ADR, put shellfish on there as a restriction. I'm like...please don't. Because then if I want to order, say, a California roll, then I have to explain three or four times that yes, I can absolutely eat crab, but no, I cannot eat shrimp. I have a bunch of other allergies classified as "other" so it's easiest to lump shrimp in there. But then I get to the ADR and they're like, "You're allergic to shellfish?" Ah, nope. When I make an ADR, I don't put it on there; sometimes I don't even mention it if I can see that there's no shrimp on the menu.

 

[Riviera Rita]

The interesting part is an egg allergy is only an issue if eggs are consumed, so walking past someone eating egg salad won't cause her problems.
I cannot remember anyone having all these allergies when I was growing up, my cousin was lactose intolerant which was easily solved by him having soya milk and baby formula made from goats milk.
I recently read an article where doctors recommend exposing babies to peanuts in the form of smooth peanut butter on a spoon to reduce the chance of kids having peanut allergies.

 

[Riviera Rita]

If the egg allergy is so severe, I would fear WDW much more than the plane.

You cannot avoid eggs at breakfast in America, it's the only time I ever have them for brekkie.

 

[Riviera Rita]

I base my statement on my experience dealing with accommodations over the last 35 years. The vibe I get is generally the polar opposite of embarrassment. Entitlement & satisfaction are more often the vibe.

But, yes, the minority of folks are embarrassed or apologetic, and fwiw I tend to believe those folks as being legit. IMHO these should be the proper emotions when negatively impacting others.

Again to be clear, I am referring to adults. Kids are a different ballgame for myriad of reasons.

I have no doubt that the little girl is allergic to eggs, but, the parents are acting like even looking at a chicken will cause a reaction. For reasons unknown the parents seem to be bigging it up to the point of contacting the media and you have to wonder why.

 

[mkt]

You cannot avoid eggs at breakfast in America, it's the only time I ever have them for brekkie.

You can. Not that hard actually.

 

[Riviera Rita]

You can. Not that hard actually.

Not other people eating them even if you don't.

 

[Ayla]

The interesting part is an egg allergy is only an issue if eggs are consumed, so walking past someone eating egg salad won't cause her problems.
I cannot remember anyone having all these allergies when I was growing up, my cousin was lactose intolerant which was easily solved by him having soya milk and baby formula made from goats milk.
I recently read an article where doctors recommend exposing babies to peanuts in the form of smooth peanut butter on a spoon to reduce the chance of kids having peanut allergies.

An airborne egg allergy is only an issue if proteins are present, which happens only when eggs are being cooked.

I'd suggest the parents educate themselves and their child on what her allergy is.

 

[StarWarsGirl]

I base my statement on my experience dealing with accommodations over the last 35 years. The vibe I get is generally the polar opposite of embarrassment. Entitlement & satisfaction are more often the vibe.

But, yes, the minority of folks are embarrassed or apologetic, and fwiw I tend to believe those folks as being legit. IMHO these should be the proper emotions when negatively impacting others.

Again to be clear, I am referring to adults. Kids are a different ballgame for myriad of reasons.

I think it depends on the setting. Like, if I'm asking for accomodations for myself, I tend to be more apologetic, but not always if it was something I needed. It's usually when it was something outlandish, like when I've had to fly home from Hawaii and ask that they have people put their leis in their carry ons because I'm so allergic. At restaurants I just state my business and what I need. But when my mom asked for me or when I ask for accomodations for my brother (he's got ASD), yeah, little different there.

Parents will absolutely overkill even when their kids are legitimately in need of something. I have finally gotten my mom to stop telling the restaurant about my allergies for me or jumping in if she thinks I forgot something. I'm 27.