The thing about kids and food allergies...

I recently had a conversation with a friend about her kid's food allergies. I sat with wide eyes as she explained all the measures she takes to ensure her two-year-old isn't exposed to milk, nuts, or eggs, which can have scary consequences.

It made me grateful that my kids seem to be able to eat everything (even though they won't). However, it doesn't mean they can't develop allergies later, or that kiddos with food allergies won't outgrow them.

So I gave myself a mission. A mission to learn as much as possible about what's going on with food allergies and kids these days, and what's available in Edmond to handle the situation.

According to the Food Allergy Research and Education organization, a food allergy results "when the immune system mistakenly targets a harmless food protein - an allergen - as a threat and attacks it."

The problem with food allergies in kids is pretty big--and growing. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, 5.6 percent of U.S. children (population under the age 18) have food allergies (that's 4.1 million kids). The highest percentage (6.3 percent) is for kids ages 5 through 11. The prevalence of food allergies in 1997 was 3.4 percent, so obviously, it's on an uphill trend.

WebMD says that "Food allergies often occur in people who have a family history of asthma, atopic dermatitis, or allergies to pollen, mold, or other substances. These people are said to be atopic, meaning they have an inherited tendency to have allergic conditions. Allergies cannot be prevented in these people."

However, plenty of debate exists as to why there's an increase. Better diagnoses?  Environmental factors?

Well, there's no straight answer. And really, preventing food allergies doesn't help those who already have it.

So, over the next four weeks, we're going to take a look at kids with food allergies and what you can do as a parent in Edmond to help your kid if he or she gets diagnosed.

Here's the breakdown:

May 8 - We'll take a look at the symptoms of food allergies and how you go about getting your child diagnosed.

May 15 - Several parents will share their experiences of having a kid with food allergies.

May 22 - We'll talk about strides in food allergy treatment, what's proven or not proven.

May 29 - The blog will feature the best websites for recipes that address certain food allergies.

So stay tuned! The fun has just begun...