Today was the day that I could register Katelyn for preschool next year (this school fills up quick, so you have to go early). So, I decided to be proactive and printed out a bunch of info on lipomyelomeningocele and latex precautions. Oh, for those not familiar with Spina Bifida, children (and adults) with Spina Bifida are at risk of developing a latex allergy... so they recommend that you not come into any contact with latex products.
Ok... no latex gloves, no rubber bands, no balloons... sounds simple enough. But wait, there's more! There is a HUGE list of products that contain latex... AND there can even be a problem if someone else touched something latex and then touched you... yikes! Needless to say, the list is quite extensive. If you'd like to learn more, please visit
http://www.latexallergyresources.org/topics/consumerProducts.cfm
I think I may have frightened the preschool director slightly, but I WILL make sure my daughter is safe. Does Katelyn have an allergy, no... not yet, but nearly 70% of people with Spina Bifida will develop an allergy, or at least a sensitivity to latex. It all really makes you think, though. What about that restaurant you like to eat at... do the chefs use latex free gloves? Maybe, maybe not. What if your child is invited to a birthday party... will there be balloons? Probably. Does my child have to have a balloon? No, of course not. But even having them there is dangerous. Did you know that latex can be airborne and cause reactions in individuals who inhale particles. Powdered latex gloves and latex balloons, which are particularly hazardous, should be eliminated entirely. There are some schools that are latex-free zones... I wonder if our schools here are... are your schools latex-free???
Well, I guess we're going to be educating a lot of people in the near future. Crazy stuff!
2 comments:
Wow. I had no idea about the effects of Latex on Katelyn. I've definitely learned something new. Thanks for sharing Nicole. Hugs!!
A friend of mine has an allergy to latex tho not *too* severe. Her main issues are 1. condoms (obviously not a concern presently or any time soon for Katelyn) and 2. underwear. A lot of waistbands include latex which causes a nasty rash on her skin. Sometimes she finds underwear without latex, and sometimes she finds some that has the latex covered with cloth (which helps), but mostly she just goes without :-)
Good luck keeping Katelyn safe!
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