Times-Advocate, 1999-04-21, Page 16rossioa
T4 • 41, 44-4
Page 16
Wednesday, April 21 , 1999
Exeter limes -Advocate
Cheryl Pryce has had to alter her son Braden's diet and ban certain products
from her home because of his sensitivity to many chemical irritants.
• By Scott Nixon
TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF
DASHWOOD — Do you know what
chemical sensitivity is? Have you
ever heard of it? For one Dashwood
mom, chemical sensitivity is all too
real after her son was diagnosed
with the condition over two years
ago.
Cheryl Pryce and her husband
Blaine have had to alter five-year-old
Braden's life to protect him from
many substances and products that
make him sick.
Cheryl says Braden developed asth-
ma at 10 months old. Over a year
later it was discovered he was aller-
gic to food colouring and over the
last couple of years Cherylsays her
son has become more sensitive to
chemical irritants.
The list is long, but here are some
of the products that make Braden
sick: cologne, perfume, smoke, pesti-
cides, scented cleaners, pot pourri,
paint, newsprint and many foods.
Braden can also get sick at certain
arenas that don't have proper venti-
lation because ice resurfacing
machines emit nitrogen dioxide.
While many people unfamiliar with
the disease may assume Braden's
side effects would simply be physical,
Cheryl says it is the behavioural
changes that are immediate.
Exposure to the above-mentioned
products can make him irritable and
unable to control his emotions.
"He just sits on the floor and cries,"
Cheryl says. "He's totally not him-
self."
When some people see this behav-
iour, they simply tell Cheryl he needs
`Chemical Sensitivity'
alters boy's lifestyle
to be disciplined but Cheryl argues
that's not the problem. Braden is "a
good kid", does well in school and
gets along with other children.
In addition to his behavioural
changes, Braden tells his mom his
whole body hurts and his eyes turn
red and puffy. Also, his hands begin
to shake. -
"He can't hold a pencil c )metimes,"
because of his shaky hands, Cheryl:
says.
While Braden becomes irritable
after exposure, Cheryl says others
vho suffer from the problem can
have different reactions. According to
information from the Allergy and
Environmental Health Association of
Canada, sufferers can become
drowsy, depressed, underactive, pas-
sive, inconsistent and can lack con-
centration. Physical symptoms
include earaches, stomach aches,
diarrhea, eczema, headaches and
stuffy, runny_noses.
As. a result of Braden's problems
with food colourings, Cheryl makes
him things such as home made
raisins and she says she tries -to vary
his diet so he doesn't get •bored.
Braden can eat meat, butnot cured
meats such as hams and hot dogs.
For drinks, Cheryl buys juice boxes.
He can tolerate some milk, but Cheryl
says she might have to take him off
milk someday.
"It's a complicated problem," she
says of her son's problem, adding
that it has taken her three years to
learn about chemical sensitivity and
discover organizations such as the
Allergy and Environmental Health
Association of Canada and The
Feingold Association in the U.S.
which have verified what she has
already discovered on her own.
Family doctors agree with Cheryl's
treatment of her son, telling her to
keep regulating his diet and avoiding
the products that make him sick.
Cheryl also makes sure she packs
food for Braden when the family is
.attending functions that will have
food that could make him sick.
While only five years old, Braden is
aware of his sensitivity to certain
products. Cheryl remembers a time
when, at about 2 1/2 years old,
Braden was approached by a woman
who offered him licorice. Realizing
licorice would make him sick, Braden
ran away.
"He knows that it makes him feel
awful," says Cheryl, although she
adds that she has caught Braden
sneaking food that he's not allowed
•Pesticides and herbicides
illietSt plants
ding materials
•Paints, waxes and cleaning products
oksbestov
dust
acte ''i
w
to eat.
Since pesticides also make Braden
sick, playing in parks can be a prob-
lem. He can't swim in swimming
pools because of the chemicals,
although he can swim in lakes.
Braden's chemical sensitivity also
means he has trouble sleeping when
he's been exposed to toxins. Cheryl
says that is "exhausting" for her and
her husband and said up until about
1 1/2 years ago — when they began
to stabilize Braden's problem — it
was difficult for the family to have
'happy times because Braden was
always sick.
In addition to affecting Braden's
life, chemical sensitivity is something
that has changed the whole Pryce
family, which also includes five-
month -old Remira.
"It affects just about every decision
we •make," Cheryl says of chemical
sensitivity. "It consumes our life."
To help Br...1 L1 with his condition,
his school, Stephen Central, is
attempting to provide him with a
scent -free environment, although
Cheryl admits it will be hard for the
school to enforce the rule. She says
the students at the school are learn-
ing more about Braden's problem
and have been considerate.•
Cheryl also credits the school with
being supportive and says their
scent -free policy will not only help
Braden, it will help many children
who suffer from asthma and are
bothered by perfumes.
Cheryl says while she can ask peo-
ple to stop wearing perfumes and
colognes, most soaps and shampoos
also have perfume in them which has
meant appearing in places with large
groups of people — such as church —
has been a, problem in the past.
And while there are treatments
such asdetoxifying agents, the best
treatment for chemical sensitivity is
avoidance, meaning Cheryl can't take
Braden down detergent aisles in gro-
cery stores or through perfume and
cologne sections.
Cheryl hasn't met with other par-
ents of children with chemical sensi-
tivities, although she says she'd like
to because' it would be beneficial to
learn about other people's experi-
ences.
And although she doesn't think
Braden will ever grow out of his con-
dition, he's a normal size for his age
and continues to adjust to chemical
sensitivity.
"He's a good kid," she repeats.
OURAL/PHYSICAL
SYMPTOMS
'Irritable
ssed
•aggressive
•passive
voteryeyes*earaches
ninny nose
asthma