Worlingham family's holiday 'challenge' with son with allergies
"At the moment, we've completely ruled out flying by plane."If we go to a different country, it's what foods we're able to buy, can we understand the ingredients? They're already complex, even in English," she said.A ferry journey to Jersey will be the family's first trip off the UK mainland.Her daughters Connie, 12, and Bettie, 10, said their friends were able to do things they could not.Connie said: "They can go abroad on holiday a lot more. "It's easier for them because they can take planes, however we can't because of Bobby's allergies and additional needs."
Heidi said another challenge was not knowing how foreign hospital services work, or whether medical staff would understand the complexity of Bobby's condition.Dad Stef, 44, said there were only 58 recorded cases of BCL11B-Related Disorder in the world and "doctors don't really know much about it yet – they're learning with us"."He has very, very low immunity. "We've been told to think about it like someone on cancer medication," said Stef."If he gets close to someone with chickenpox or measles, it could mean days in hospital. "We're on the look out all the time for anyone who's even got the sniffles.""There's always planning involved to make sure places are clean and safe for Bobby," he added."That usually means it's outside stuff, which is OK in the summer. "In the winter you're really restricted, and the poor girls miss out."
Bobby's allergy's include eggs, nuts, bananas, potatoes, cow's milk, tree and grass pollen, feathers, dogs, cats and rabbits.Dr John Chapman is a consultant paediatrician specialising in allergies at the James Paget Hospital in Norfolk – one of several places Bobby goes for treatment."I've never known a patient like this before," he said. "We think it's an incredibly rare condition, and he is a subset of that rare condition. He's in a minority and very specialised."Dr Chapman said they were able to treat Bobby's immune deficiency fairly easily through regular antibiotics, to protect him from infections."The other part is down to his parents working out what he's allergic to and what they can feed him."They tend to get a good balance of what he can eat, but then he'll catch a cold or something and it will throw it all off. It's a constant battle," he said.
Heidi said: "It's a been a massive grieving process because this is a life condition and it's very unpredictable."She appealed to the public to be aware of other people's conditions and allergies."Families like us really rely on the kindness of other people's decisions and choices to stay safe."We know allergies can make people feel their decisions are taken away because they aren't able to eat things in certain places, but that is a small sacrifice we hope they would make, so we can stay safe in that area," she said.An Allergy UK spokesperson said: "Embarking on a journey should be a thrilling experience but, for people with allergies, it can also bring extra challenges."Our website and Helpline offer detailed guidance on what to consider when traveling abroad with allergies."Our Allergy Translation Cards also empower travellers to communicate their dietary needs clearly and confidently."
Despite the challenges, Bobby's family are full of affection for him."He's so funny. He went from being non-verbal to verbal – he can tell jokes now," said Heidi."He's just a bundle of energy, non-stop, and very affectionate."
Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
7 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Study: Avoiding ultra-processed foods while dieting can double weight loss
By Consuming a diet low in ultra-processed foods could help supercharge weight loss , promising research suggested today. Additive-laden foods such as crisps and sweets have been vilified for decades over their supposed risks, with dozens of studies linking them to type 2 diabetes , heart disease and cancer . Experts have even called for UPFs—typically anything edible that has more artificial ingredients than natural ones—to be slashed from diets. Now, British scientists who tracked dozens of adults have discovered those who ate a diet rich in minimally processed foods and avoided UPFs, lost twice as much weight as those who often consumed UPFs. Sticking to meals cooked from scratch could also help curb food cravings, they also found. However, diets high in UPFs had little impact on blood pressure, heart rate, liver function and cholesterol. 'But not all ultra-processed foods are inherently unhealthy based on their nutritional profile.' In the study, the researchers tracked 50 people who were already consuming diets packed with UPFs and split them into two groups. Half were given an eight-week diet plan comprising minimally processed foods, such as overnight oats and spaghetti bolognese, while the other half were given foods like breakfast oat bars or lasagne ready meals. After completing one diet, the groups then switched. Researchers matched the two diets nutritionally on levels of fat, saturated fat, protein, carbohydrates, salt and fibre using the Eatwell Guide, which outlines recommendations on how to eat a healthy, balanced diet. They found those on the minimally processed diet lost more weight (2.06 per cent) compared to the UPF diet (1.05 per cent loss). The UPF diet also did not result in significant fat loss, the researchers said. Dr Dicken added: 'Though a 2 per cent reduction may not seem very big, that is only over eight weeks and without people trying to actively reduce their intake. 'If we scaled these results up over the course of a year, we'd expect to see a 13 per cent weight reduction in men and a 9 per cent reduction in women on the minimally processed diet, but only a 4 per cent weight reduction in men and 5 per cent in women after the ultra-processed diet. 'Over time this would start to become a big difference.' Those on the trial were also asked to complete questionnaires on food cravings before and after starting the diets. Those eating minimally processed foods had less cravings and were able to resist them better, the study suggests. However, researchers also measured others markers like blood pressure, heart rate, liver function, glucose levels and cholesterol and found no significant negative impacts of the UPF diet. The Eatwell Guide recommends the average woman should consume around 2,000 calories a day, while an average man should consume 2,500. Both diet groups had a calorie deficit, meaning people were eating fewer calories than what they were burning, which helps with weight loss. However, the deficit was higher from minimally processed foods at around 230 calories a day, compared with 120 calories per day from UPFs. Professor Rachel Batterham, senior author of the study from the UCL centre for obesity research, said: 'Despite being widely promoted, less than 1 per cent of the UK population follows all of the recommendations in the Eatwell Guide, and most people stick to fewer than half. 'The best advice to people would be to stick as closely to nutritional guidelines as they can by moderating overall energy intake, limiting intake of salt, sugar and saturated fat, and prioritizing high-fibre foods such as fruits, vegetables, pulses and nuts. Tracy Parker, nutrition lead at the British Heart Foundation, also said: 'The way this study was designed means it is more reflective of real-world conditions than previous research on UPFs. 'The small size of the study is a limitation, and the fact that most participants were women limits how much we can generalize the findings to the general population. 'We also can't be certain how closely the diets were followed, as participants self-reported what they ate during the study. 'Larger, longer-term studies will be needed to see if the greater weight loss on the minimally processed diets seen here translates into bigger improvements in risk factors, including blood pressure and cholesterol and blood sugar levels, and a reduced risk of developing heart and circulatory diseases.
The Independent
22 minutes ago
- The Independent
Roads and railways shut by Storm Floris as high winds batter UK
Storm Floris has brought travel disruption to northern parts of the UK, with roads and railway lines blocked by fallen trees amid high winds. Gusts of about 85mph are expected in exposed parts of the country as the storm moves northward throughout Monday. In Scotland, police have warned drivers to stay away from two roads in Aberdeenshire and the Western Highlands – which were blocked by fallen trees and overturned campervans respectively. Bridges such as the A9 Dornoch Bridge, Highlands, and the A1 Tyne Bridge in East Lothian were also closed due to high winds. A number of rail lines in Scotland were blocked by fallen trees, including one near Cornton in Stirling which landed on overhead wires. Crews were also called out to cut back fallen trees from the line near Giffnock, East Renfrewshire. A yellow warning for wind for northern parts of the UK became active at 6am on Monday, lasting until 6am on Tuesday. Central and northern Scotland are covered by a more serious amber warning from 10am to 10pm on Monday. A number of train services were halted at midday and ferry sailings have been cancelled. Train operator LNER has told passengers not to travel north of Newcastle while Avanti West Coast has advised passengers not to travel north of Preston, warning it will be 'heavily impacted' by the weather. On Monday afternoon, a number of roads were blocked by the storm, including: the A96 in Aberdeenshire, the A87 and the A82 in the western Highlands. The west of Scotland saw heavy rain early on Monday morning, with winds picking up later in the day. Western coastal areas are expected to bear the brunt of the storm. Storm Floris has also impacted Edinburgh's busy festival period, with the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo cancelling its Monday performance. A Scottish Government minister said it is 'imperative' that people follow advice as Storm Floris hits the country. Justice Secretary Angela Constance told the BBC's Good Morning Scotland news programme: 'Storm Floris is well and truly with us today and it's imperative that people follow advice because there will be significant disruption on our travel network.' She said anyone who has to travel is likely to face disruption and should plan ahead, adding: 'Consider this a winter journey as opposed to a summer journey. 'Please make sure you've got warm clothes, food, water, plenty of fuel and that your mobile phone is charged up.' Met Office chief meteorologist Matthew Lehnert said: 'Across the warning area, many inland areas are likely to see gusts of 40-50mph, with 60-70mph more likely at higher elevations and around exposed coasts in Scotland. 'There is a small chance that some locations here could even record gusts of 85mph.' The strongest winds will most likely affect Scotland on Monday afternoon and night but 'there remains some uncertainty in the depth and track of Floris', a spokesperson added. 'Winds will first ease in the west later during Monday but remaining very strong overnight until early Tuesday in the east. 'Heavy rain may also contribute to the disruption in places.' The warning zone covers Scotland, parts of Northern Ireland, north Wales and the north of England. Storm Floris is the sixth named storm of the 2024-25 naming season, which runs from early September to late August. January's Storm Eowyn was the most recent.
The Independent
37 minutes ago
- The Independent
Storm Floris live updates: Trains cancelled and 22,000 homes without power after 90mph winds hit UK
EasyJet 900-mile 'flight to nowhere' as pilots abandon landing at Inverness Our travel correspondent Simon Calder has reported that a pilot was forced to abandon a landing in Scotland. An easyJet flight from Luton to Inverness flew 900 miles on an 'flight to nowhere'. Flight 632 took off from the Bedfordshire airport just before 12 noon and flew normally at 36,000 feet to the Scottish airport. But at just 2,000 feet above the ground, the pilots of the Airbus A319 decided to abandon the landing, and flew back to Luton. After a total of 2 hours and 25 minutes in the air, the plane touched down back at its starting place. Passengers were told: 'Strong winds in Inverness are preventing aircraft from arriving and departing. The safety of you and our crew is our highest priority and we thank you for your understanding.' Under air passengers' rights rules, travellers must be flown to their destination as soon as possible on any airline. The aviation data analyst, Cirium, has confirmed research by The Independent that Belfast City and Aberdeen are the airports worst affected by Storm Floris. At Belfast City, 10 departures and 11 arrivals have been grounded. At Aberdeen, 12 departures have been cancelled – but only six arrivals are axed. Nicole Wootton-Cane4 August 2025 15:55
