‘Just Kick It.” My son, Joseph, is able to do that as part of the Lil’ Kickers soccer program, which displays that phrase on the participants’ T-shirts.

“We just want the kids to be able to play,” said Lil’ Kickers Coordinator Jessica Harrington, who, along with the Lil’ Kickers staff, has been instrumental in making it possible for Joseph to play a sport he loves.

Because of the conscientious and caring Lil’ Kickers staff, he is able to enjoy soccer without a worry about his life-threatening food allergies to peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, dairy, egg and soy.

Every week my son loves running out on the soccer field for soccer class and he recently enjoyed a wonderful Lil’ Kicker party at the Carolina Sportsplex in Morrisville for his fourth birthday. The staff has taken simple steps, such as ensuring Joseph’s coach puts soccer stickers on his hands instead of the stamps the other players get at the end of class. The inkpads sometimes contain wheat.

The sportsplex has a snack bar with foods that could cause life-threatening reactions in my son. Although food is not allowed on the fields, my husband and I were concerned about other players eating products — especially those containing peanuts or peanut butter — at the snack bar then coming on the field with Joseph. His risk was heightened by the chance of another child touching the soccer ball or Joseph with the allergen still present. Harrington suggested a simple solution — having the whole class wipe their hands with wet wipes at the beginning of each class.

“To think that the only thing that separates him is something as simple as stickers or wet wipes, it seems only foolish” to prevent someone from playing, Harrington said. “If we’re aware of the situation we can work with parents and families.”

The staff works with children with hearing disabilities and other special needs. Harrington said remembering supplies to accommodate a child’s special needs becomes part of the daily routine for coaches.

“Once you see a kid like Joseph who loves the sport, it’s hard to forget,” Harrington said.

It is beneficial for other children to see that someone who might look like them has different needs, she added. For example, after listening to Harrington explain that wipes were being used to keep Joseph safe, a child in his class understood and agreed that it was worth helping another child.

“We’re not just a soccer program, we’re a child-development program,” Harrington said.

By taking the steps to ensure Joseph is safe from allergens, the Lil’ Kickers staff is helping to educate families about food allergies.

Approximately 12 million Americans suffer from food allergies, including about 2.2 million school-age children, according to the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network. And 150 to 200 people die each year from anaphylaxis to food. There is no cure, so strict avoidance of the allergens is the only way to prevent a reaction.

Strict avoidance of allergens is trickier in public places where food is served, especially at sporting events where peanuts are often a favorite.

Joseph has an allergic reaction just from being near peanuts, so he can only attend sporting events where peanuts and peanut products are not sold or there is a peanut-free section.

Thanks to the Carolina RailHawks, Joseph will be able to take his love of soccer to another level by going to a professional soccer game at the SAS Soccer Park in Cary. He will be watching the Carolina RailHawks take on the Charleston Battery on Saturday, May 19. The RailHawks are providing a peanut-free section for the Triangle allergy support group NC FACES (Food-Allergic Children Excelling Safely). We are thankful that organizations like the RailHawks recognize that food-allergic children should have the opportunity to experience the excitement of a live sporting event.

Birthday parties also can be tricky occasions to practice strict avoidance. Joseph’s birthday party is the last place we want to put him at risk of an allergic reaction. If a party is not in a private room, we could not guarantee that other people wouldn’t be eating products such as peanut candy or ice cream and then touching the same surfaces my son touches, which could send him to the hospital. Because the sportsplex offers a private room for the party and the Lil’ Kickers staff worked with us so we could provide safe food, we were able to give Joseph the party he wanted.

The 10th annual Food Allergy Awareness Week, which is this week (May 13-19), is devoted to food allergies and education about how to help people with food allergies. The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network encourages others to “Be a PAL (Protect A Life from food allergies).”

The Lil’ Kickers staff is certainly stepping up as a PAL by taking food allergies seriously and raising awareness by the steps they are taking. The positive experience truly allows our son to “Just Kick It” with his eyes lit up and a smile on his face.

Events and Sources • The Carolina RailHawks will be hosting NC FACES for a peanut-free section at the game against the Charleston Battery on Saturday, May 19, at 7:30 p.m. Contact NC FACES at ncfaces@hotmail.com or ncneighbors.com/main.wsi?group_id=2935 for information. Visit carolinarailhawks.com for more on the RailHawks.
• Lil’ Kickers is currently accepting registration for the summer session. Visit carolinasportsplex.com or call 319-9910.
• Join NC FACES in the peanut-free section of the Durham Bulls Baseball game on Sunday, July 29, at 5 p.m. Visit the NC FACES Web site at nc neighbors.com/main.wsi?group_id=2935 for information.
• For information about food allergies and Food Allergy Awareness Week, visit the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Web site at foodallergy.org/.