Explaining Your Child's Food Allergy Can Be Challenging

Most likely now or sometime in the future, you may encounter people who don't believe your child has a food allergy or understands the severity of it. These people can be close friends, your child's classmates, other parents, teachers and even family members. Our job is to help educate them in this area. I think that parents of food allergic children often feel uncomfortable approaching this subject with others. Whether it is because they are made to feel uncomfortable or this is their own inner conflict, explaining the food allergy can end up coming across negatively.  Some people may think you are overacting or talking down to them.  For example, grandparents and relatives may feel that you are saying that they are not capable of caring for your child.  In these situations, it may help to be honest and say, "I feel uncomfortable when I have to do this, but I hope you understand this is not an attack on you or your parenting skills."  You can also ask the person to attend a support group meeting with you. This would be very helpful for them to hear other's experiences and stories.  If you have made mistakes yourself in regards to your child's food allergy then share this with them and let them know how scary it was for you. Try to share any articles and handouts with your friends and family. Show them stories of children who have died from anaphylaxis. These stories can be difficult to read, but these stories can be the best educational tool for other's learning about your child's food allergies.

I would like to share a quote that I got from an article. Unfortunately, this statement rings true for a lot of people. Quote: "Before she could even tell me the results of the tests, my mother-in-law chimed in and said that she thought allergies were a myth, with the exception of medication allergies. She declared that food and environmental allergies were simply made up and we all just needed to get over them."  Read More Here

Please feel free to share any articles posted on this website or on Facebook and Twitter. 
I have listed some helpful links/resources to share with others:

              

The Peanut/Nut Allergy Handout   
  
8% US Children Have Food Allergy   

Teen Died After Eating a Cookie  

Epipen Instructional Video  

Food Allergies from a Parent's View

What is a Food Allergy?

Letter of a parent of a non-allergic child

Food Allergies from a Kid's Point of View

I Wish I Was the Parent Who Was Warned

Nut and Peanut Allergy Information 

Recognizing and Treating Anaphylaxis

Food Allergy Awareness for All Parents in the School Community