Trace Adkins' Family Talks About Coping with Food Allergies

Most of us recognize Trace Adkins as a platinum-selling country star, but to 6-year-old Brianna, he's "Dad." Brianna was diagnosed with severe peanut and other food allergies when she was less than a year old. When Trace and his wife Rhonda got the news, they reacted in the same way any parents would—a combination of shock, disbelief and a firm resolution to keep their daughter safe.

In this interview, Rhonda Adkins talks candidly about being the parent of a child with serious food allergies, from the fear she faced the first time Brianna had an allergic reaction to her coping strategies for keeping her daughter safe. Though Rhonda wishes her daughter could live a life free of food allergies, she focuses on staying positive. Rhonda is a tireless advocate on behalf of families coping with food allergies.

Trace Adkins with his daughter Brianna.

Q: When did you discover that something was wrong with Brianna?
A: Mackenzie, who was 3 ½ at the time and Brianna who was about nine months old, were in the kitchen. We had been outdoors playing and came in for a snack. Brianna wasn't in the best of moods, but Mackenzie was starving. I put Brianna in her "bouncy" seat while I made a peanut butter sandwich for Mackenzie. To keep Brianna happy, I gave her the lid to the peanut butter jar. I made sure it had nothing on it so that she wouldn't get dirty.

I focused on making the sandwich, and when I turned around Brianna was so swollen I could barely see her eyes.

I ran to the front door and called out to neighbors in their yards. One thought it might be from a bee sting. She ran to get some antihistamine, and I called our pediatrician. Our doctor told me to give her the medicine, and warned me that if Brianna started to turn blue or stopped breathing I should call 911.

I soon realized that the biggest problem I would face is how to deal with other people, not just Brianna

Q: What was going through your mind?
A: I had no idea what was happening. At the time, I didn't think that this could be a life-and-death situation. I didn't know anyone with food allergies, and this was the first time I had ever seen anyone swell up like Brianna did. She didn't ingest any peanut butter; I guess it was just the smell on the lid cover.

Q: How did you determine it was food allergies?
A: As directed, I made a follow-up appointment with our pediatrician. He told me to avoid peanut products. I was also concerned about a new rash that wouldn't go away. He said it was just dry skin, a common condition for babies. He diagnosed eczema, and I started putting on every emollient possible. Nothing worked.

Three months later, he referred us to a pediatric allergist. During the first visit, he advised Brianna avoid a whole list of products: peanuts, tree nuts, milk casein/whey, eggs, soybean, rye, wheat, barley malt, chicken, lemon, cinnamon, mushroom and sesame seeds.

I left his office in a state of shock. What would I feed this child? Since I was still nursing, what would I eat? I went to the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) Web site and started educating myself. The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) also offers a lot of educational materials on food and other allergies.

Q: As parents, what were your initial thoughts once the diagnosis was made?
A: When Brianna was first diagnosed with food allergies we couldn't believe it. To be honest, I felt completely lost and scared. I didn't know how I was going to feed her. I didn't understand why it was happening.

Then came the questions. How would we keep her safe? Could she still go to school? How could we keep her safe there? How would others treat her? Would they exclude her? Could she be involved in sports, Girl Scouts, birthday parties or even just going over to friends' houses? I just wished it was me with allergies and not her.

Since Brianna was so young, my first steps were about feeding her. I made sure I got to know our pediatric allergist very well and asked a lot of questions. Then I contacted FAAN. They really helped educate me about food allergies.

This event changed our lives forever

Q: What advice can you give to other parents?
A: I think the main point to always remember is that food allergies are both physical and emotional issues. Try to think about what you would have wanted when you were younger. For instance, when we go to a birthday party, I call the host in advance and find out what the birthday cake is going to look like. Then I ice a cupcake for Brianna in the same colors as the cake she'll see at the party.

I always keep snacks in the car for Brianna just in case I don't have access to anything for her that is safe.

Keep an epinephrine pen and antihistamine with you at all times.

Don't forget about how food allergies affect everyone around you. First and foremost, educate everyone around you in a positive way. Teach them how easily your child can fit in with everyone else just by being aware of what your child can't have.

Speak at orientation nights when school starts. FAAN offers a power point presentation that you can use, so you can stick to the facts and not get too emotional. The AAAAI offers great School Tools right here on this Web site.

Use the PAL (Protect a Life) award from FAAN to reward good behavior—I had trophies made for Brianna's two sisters. Give plaques to teachers, group leaders and lunch room staff/volunteers at the end of the year. It's a great way to thank them for paying extra attention to your child and the issue of food allergies.

Be prepared for people to challenge you. Stay calm. Try to put them in your child's shoes, not yours in order to get them connected. I have found that once people understand Brianna's allergies they are helpful and want her to be safe.

Q: In what ways has this changed your family dynamics and the ways you lead your lives?
A: Food allergies affect everyone around you. Many people have difficulty understanding that. For instance…

Meals in the house. You have to plan two meals for every meal. One needs to be a safe meal for the allergic person, but it should look similar to the other meal so that child doesn't feel left out.

Going out to eat. Call in advance to see if there are options for the allergic person. You might find a few places that will work with you, but some won't. It is difficult for me to trust people I don't know and then make sure the surface they are cooking on is safe. Some chef's understand, some think I am just being picky.

We don't eat out much because of fear on our part. This affects the other children in the family who aren't eating out as much as their friends. This applies to just leaving the house in general. Taking vacations can be a real challenge.

The detective work is endless, and you can never let your guard down or a fatal mistake might happen.

Luckily, we haven't had to deal with very many serious reactions, and when we do, we have no idea where they came from. She either wiped her hand across a surface that had something you couldn't see on it, or she eats a food that appears to be safe but really isn't.

Q: Are there "positives" that have come from your situation?
A: Actually, there are. I've learned a lot about food and food ingredients. My entire family eats better than they did before because I try to by foods that do not include useless ingredients.

But I really can't think of any "positives" for Brianna. I basically let my daughter enter a war zone every time she leaves the house. I never know what she might come in contact with that has the potential to cause great harm or even kill her.

To read more about how Brianna’s sisters help keep her safe, click here

To find an allergist/immunologist, use the AAAAI Physician Referral Directory.

More Information about Food Allergy From the AAAAI

Other Resources

Patient Support Organizations
- Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN)
- The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America