Sarah Arnold (left) and her son Gavin are both allergic to wheat products.(Photo by Lisa Aciukewicz)

As Partridge Hill Road resident Ruth LovettSmith busily mixed and chopped the ingredients for her banana walnut bread, she had no idea that her life was about to be turned upside down. She watched as her 1½-year-old son, Justin, innocently touched the cutting board, which was covered with walnuts, and almost instantaneously, experienced an anaphylaxis episode.

LovettSmith immediately had Justin tested and discovered that he had severe allergies to peanuts, tree nuts, sesame, and eggs. She also discovered that although her situation was not unique, community support was.

"When Justin was younger and not in a school setting, it was easy for me to control his environment," she said. "But as soon as he started preschool it seemed everything that could potentially harm him was all around. So many children enjoy snacks and lunches that contain peanut butter. And it was especially difficult when one of his classmates would have a birthday and bring in cupcakes."

LovettSmith worked to educate Justin's teachers and parents of classmates about his allergies. She found that some people were very supportive but others felt resentment. "I can see how it can be annoying to have to make changes for someone," she acknowledged. "However, we are a community and we have to look out for one another. Also, school is not optional, it is mandatory. Children should be safe from harm's way, and for some children food is harmful."

Ruth LovettSmith (Courtesy photo)

By the time Justin was in first grade, LovettSmith had compiled so much information about food allergies, intolerances, and so called allergen-free foods that she decided that the food allergy community could benefit from a website. She created bestallergysites.com in 2009. The site contains myriad resources and recently has expanded to include a social networking community. LovettSmith is elated that something positive has come from her experience. "Readers from all over the U.S. and throughout the world visit our site to get the latest on food allergy news, product recall information and to share and connect with others afflicted by food allergies," she said.

LovettSmith's family is not alone. The Mayo Clinic estimates that more than 1 percent of the population deals with some type of food allergy every day. For Sarah Arnold of Old Mill Road, her allergy is to wheat gluten. Arnold suffers from celiac disease, an inherited, autoimmune disease in which the lining of the small intestine is damaged from eating gluten and other proteins found in wheat, barley, rye, and possibly oats. The exact cause of celiac disease is unknown. Celiac is a lifelong autoimmune condition that affects more than 2 million children and adults in the United States.

Celiac can present in many ways but most commonly as a digestive disorder. When people with the disease eat foods that contain gluten, it creates an immune-mediated toxic reaction that causes damage to the small intestine and does not allow food to be properly absorbed. Arnold, who discovered her allergy nine years ago, went to her doctor for chronic heartburn. After months of medication and invasive testing with no success, she decided to consult a naturopath, someone who practices a system of medicine based on the healing power of nature. He suggested Arnold try a food elimination diet. She spent several weeks eating meats and vegetables and almost immediately noticed an improvement. As soon as she reintroduced grains into her diet, her symptoms returned.

Arnold took her findings to her physician and was tested for celiac disease. She was not surprised to find the results were positive. "What astonished me most was that things I didn't even relate to as problematic turned out to be part of my battle with celiac," she said. "I had knee pain for years, which suddenly cleared up. I had dealt with mouth sores since I was younger, and they disappeared. I felt amazing once I knew what my body could tolerate for food."

Arnold, who was told celiac was hereditary, had her son tested and found that he, too, is a carrier. "It was hard for him because he was so young at the time," she said. "There were not a lot of gluten-free products back then. It was really difficult for him during school celebrations. Now, there is a greater awareness and sensitivity."

In fact, most schools have adopted some type of food allergy policy. The Harvard Public School District addresses the issue on its website. According to district nurse Coleen Nigzus, there is an increase every year in the number of children at Harvard schools who have life-threatening allergies. She refers to the "top 8"—Milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, soy, and wheat. "We have a peanut-free classroom policy at HES," she said. "In the cafeterias at HES and Bromfield, we have allergy tables where kids can safely enjoy lunch. They are allowed to invite a friend to eat with them as long as that child does not have any food that could cause a reaction. Some kids are able to eat at the regular tables as long as they can make good choices."

Chef Paul Correnty, head chef at Harvard Public Schools, tries to make cooked food available for students suffering from food allergies. "We use no peanut products at school," he said. "We have a great staff of people who cook and put a lot of effort into making good food for our children. We try to have a few vegetarian dishes each week so that people with wheat allergies can enjoy a school lunch. At Bromfield, we have introduced a gluten-free bagel and pizza crust."

For more information about food allergies and resources in our area contact Ruth LovettSmith at rlovettsmith@gmail.com or her website bestallergysites.com. Visit foodallergy.org or celiac.org to find out more about symptoms, treatments, and living with a food allergy diagnosis.