I hate you, nutmeg.

Today while I was on my lunch break I decided to search, again, for any information on nutmeg allergies. After sifting through the pages of results for tree nut allergies, which come up because nutmeg has the word "nut" in it, I finally found a very brief blog post about it. Someone basically just put that their son was allergic to nutmeg, on top of other food allergies, and that was it.

But the comments were wonderful.

The comments were full of responses from people who had nutmeg allergies. They listed other things that nutmeg is in that I hadn't even thought of. Did you know that nutmeg can be used to make oil and butter? Did you know that nutmeg is used in cosmetics, in medicines, in drinks, in food, in basically everything? NUTMEG IS IN COCA COLA! Nutmeg is in everything.

This allergy has me terrified. My son is so allergic that if he ingests it, he breaks out in hives in less than five minutes. And that was just the first reaction. It's said to get worse every time. Right now, it's not severe enough that he'll break out if he comes into contact with it, or with someone who has come into contact with it. But what if it gets that bad?

I'm already scouring ingredient lists on everything, but now I have to look out for makeup and medicines too? Any time he has a medicine, I'll have to ask. I'm going to contact the companies whose makeup I use and ask if nutmeg is in their products. I'm freaked out because companies don't have to label it in anything.

Let's change that. I need help, I need support, I need voices. I need people to stand up with me and say that just because the allergies that affect us are rare doesn't make them any less important. My son isn't old enough to have a voice for this. I need to be his voice. I need others who loves someone with allergies to stand with me. Let's make a change.

(here are the links to the only things I've found about nutmeg allergies: http://www.phadia.com/ko/3/11/ImmunoCAP-Allergens/Food-of-Plant-Origin/Spices/Nutmeg/

http://www.livestrong.com/article/411019-what-are-allergy-symptoms-from-nutmeg/

http://multiplefoodallergyhelp.com/less-common-allergens/nutmeg-allergy/

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