Kids with food allergies face plenty of challenges in the summer. Small pleasures their friends take for granted-enjoying an ice cream bar on a hot day or a slice of birthday cake at a swimming party-are ''forbidden fruit'' for them. But when school is in session, things get even tougher. As classmates scarf down corn chips and snack cakes while laughing at your child’s ''weird'' lunches, it’s hard for him not to feel singled out and deprived. Add plain old menu boredom to the mix and it’s easy to see why he-not to mention you-dread the start of the school year.

''There are two ’Ps’ to remember: positioning and planning,'' says Traub.

''The way you talk to your child about his condition will make all the difference in how he handles it. And how organized you are will determine the quality of his food...and how crazy it makes you to shop for and prepare it!''

Traub speaks from hard-won experience. A dental hygienist and the mother of two sons with Celiac Disease (gluten intolerance) and one with lactose intolerance, she wrote her book and created her Web site, eattobeallergyfree.com, to help families and individuals who struggle with food allergies.

The first step, of course, is getting educated. Traub’s book helps parents figure out what’s causing their kids’ distressing symptoms-food allergies can take the form of runny noses, coughing, asthma, itchy throat, diarrhea, abdominal pain, excessive sweating, mucus in the chest, eczema, constipation, and⁄or vomiting-and provides a wealth of recipes, pantry lists, and meal-planning menus to combat the condition.

''Really, anyone who wants their children to eat more healthfully should check out my book or Web site,'' she says. ''Lots of kids out there are suffering from undiagnosed allergies. Follow my plan and you might be surprised to find that his perpetual sinus or stomach problems clear right up. Why not try eating allergy-free? At the very least you’ll discover some great new foods that might just become family favorites.''