Olivia's story:  My allergy-free baseball game

For children with severe allergies, an activity as simple as attending a baseball game can quickly turn into an emergency room visit. From peanuts to milk to soy, living with a food allergy is not merely about avoiding certain foods; it can also mean avoiding places and activities. Luckily for Olivia Mayne, Texas Children’s Food Allergy Program recently worked with the staff at Aramark at Minute Maid Park to create an allergy-free baseball experience this past season so kids with an allergy could watch an Astros game.

“Olivia's peanut allergy started when she was 17 months old. Olivia begged for some peanut butter, so I gave her the tiniest amount.  All the sudden, hives appeared all over her mouth,” Kerin, Olivia's mother, recalled.

“We went to Texas Children's ER West Campus; they gave her some Benadryl. After waiting for a couple of hours, things subsided and she was fine,” Kerin said.

Olivia’s second exposure happened when her classmate accidentally touched her with peanut butter which made her skin break out in hives simply by contact.

“Texas Children’s recommended an allergy and immunology specialist who then discovered that Olivia’s peanut allergy is not anaphylactic, but she is pretty allergic to peanuts.” Kerin explained.  Luckily for Olivia, she is only allergic to peanuts. Some children are allergic to other foods too. 

She expressed her excitement at attending a baseball game without the fear of allergenic exposure.  She says, “Always learn to stay calm, because if you panic you suffer two times more.”

Authors - Kerin, Doug and Olivia Mayne