Boy Battled Peanut Allergy

There is no limit to a mothers love. Its the kind of bond that would compel a woman to lay down her life to protect her child. Thats the kind of love Pamela Smith feels for her son Andrew. But the Evansville mom says, she never even knew her son was in danger. Andrew had a peanut allergy... one of many food allergies that skeptics say arent nearly as serious as the media and special interest groups make them out to be. Pamela says, those skeptics are dead wrong. Now, she is on a mission to set the record straight. Our story begins late last fall, November, at Daniel Wertz Elementary. The students in Mrs. Hubbles 2nd grade class were working on a writing exercise about Thanksgiving. Eight year old Andrew Smith was in that class, and his teacher says, he was a natural writer. Andrews mother Pamela says her son had a fascination with words. He aced his spelling tests. Spelling was his favorite subject. And sometimes, hed leave for school without even practicing. You might say, Andrew was a breeze to raise. He was a such an easy kid, it was easy to forget he was fragile, in a way. Fragile because of a food allergy. Andrew was allergic to a protein in peanuts. He was a year old the first time his parents noticed it. Pam says, Andrews face and eyes swelled after tasting peanut butter and he turned red. Fearful, she gave him a liquid antihistamine to counteract the allergic reaction. Most people dont have to worry about what they eat, but in people who have food allergies, the body mistakes a food protein as something that could be harmful and it goes on the attack. The body opens up mass-cells that then release a host of chemicals that go on to make the allergic reaction. Even a small encounter with a food protein can be serious for somebody whos allergic to it. Welborn Clinic Allergist Dr. Anne McLaughlin treats patients with food allergies. She says, through awareness efforts and education, schools have become proactive in keeping kids with food allergies safe. Kids with allergies sit at separate tables. And at Montossori Academy, no peanuts nor tree-nuts allowed - period. A little extreme? Dr. McLaughlin says, no way. "I think for families that dont have food allergies, its a little bit hard to understand. And its hard for other people to make changes in their life when they havent encountered it personally." An article published in the January 2008 Harpers Magazine threatened to steal any headway food allergy awareness advocates have made. In it, writer Meredith Broussard calls reports of food allergy deaths "mostly myths," and she accuses fearful parents and medical professionals of exaggerating the threat of food allergies. The article generated an on-slaught of backlash from health professionals and parents alike. Parents who, like Pamela Smith, know just how quickly anaphylaxic shock can happen. This past February, Andrew accidently came into contact with peanut allergens at home. His dad called 911 because Andrews airways started closing. The boys lips turned blue and he collapsed before help could even arrive. Doctors at the hospital got his heart beating again but gave his parents some somber news. Andrew was brain dead. Reluctantly, his parents took him off life support and Andrew died. Pamela said, "I was mad at God at first, I really was. Why? You know? He was mine." But then, it was as if God answered her. Hours after Andrews death, the couple discovered a writing assignment dated November 8th, 2007 in a folder at home that had been missing for months. "It said, I am most thankful for being alive. If I were not alive, then there would be no Andrew. I thank my mom for bringing me alive. We feel like we wed have been trapping him if wed have kept him going. It wasnt living liek he said. Now hes alive." Pamela says, if shed only known how severe food allergies can be, peanuts never would have been allowed in the house. And if shed only known, she could have better protected Andrew from his own body, and his allergy to one seemingly harmless, little food. For more information - copy this link into your browser: Http://aaaai.Org/ Its the American Academy of Allergy and Immunology webpage. There you can find a host of online tools and additional information on food allergies. Also, there is a fund set up at Old National Bank: Michael & Pamela Smith in the benefit of Andrew Smith. The family opened the account for help with final expenses. That account remains open.