I'd Rather You Didn't Wash Your Hands...(situation specific)

We survived another trip to the dentist.  No, its not a slam against our dentist.  She's a very nice, gentle pediatric dentist who is very patient.  Its more due to being in a different environment, hoping there's no risk of coming in contact with an allergen.  It should be low in their office, since most people don't eat at their dentists.  However, last time we were there they had handsoap with milk protein.  Red flag alert.  When they called to confirm our appointment yesterday, I reminded them she has food allergies, and please refrain from any soaps with milk protein.  As soon as we got to the office, the Babe had to go potty (of course didn't have to go when we left our house fifteen minutes prior to the visit).  In their restroom, the soap was again the one with milk protein.  Argh!  I was tempted to cancel our appointment on the spot, but thought that I should give it a chance.  I went to the receptionist and tried to tell her in a nice way again about the food allergies, and request that whoever buys there soap to stop buying that one.  She told me it was her, and she buys whatever is on sale.  She immediately apologized.  I made sure anyone who cared for the Babe knew not to use the soap which was at every sink in their office (I tried not to imagine the little milk particles on every surface in the office).

If you don't live with a food allergy, it probably wouldn't cross your mind not to buy that soap.  However, I have to be an advocate for my little one.  And she's not alone.  One in thirteen children are estimated to have food allergies.  Food allergies...not just to nuts, which is what everyone assumes when they hear food allergies.  Food allergies encompasses anything edible, from the top eight (wheat, eggs, dairy, fish, corn, soy, peanut, tree nuts), to cinnamon and chicken.  The foods are numerable, and someone can have one or more food allergies (sadly, some are allergic to more than fifty).  The number of allergic children is on the rise.  Awareness is growing (as is antagonism). 

In this particular case, they will fix the problem, and clearly felt bad about it.  It was not my goal to make her feel bad, just alert her to my concern.  For now, I have to listen to that voice in my head when put in such situations- do I speak up or be quiet?  I choose to speak up.  If I don't inform or educate others, who will?