Caring for Children With Food Allergies
Until there is a cure for food allergies, education, and awareness are key to providing a safe environment for children.
Our family has been navigating food allergies for almost 20 years. While there has been a great deal of progress around food allergen labeling and food allergy awareness, there are still basic safety principles that must be adhered to in order to stay safe. We’d like to share some learnings that have helped us to educate others and simplify our daily lives. We’re here with tips for providing a safe environment and helping you discover the silver linings along the way.
Food Allergy Education
Has your child or one of their friends been diagnosed with a food allergy? Do you have concerns about their safety at school, parties, or play dates? It might seem simple to avoid the foods you are allergic to, but it is not always that straightforward. Learn about cross-contamination and the many ways a safe food can come in contact with a food allergen.
Food Allergy Aids
Tips from the “must-haves” such as Epinephrine to the “nice-to-haves” like a Kitchen Aid. It’s still hard for me to believe that not only do I own a Kitchen Aid but how much I love it. After learning about the seriousness of cross-contamination I became a baker. From birthday cakes to holiday cookies, my kids were never shy on treats.
Food Allergies in the News
Food allergies continue to be on the rise and are a public health concern. While progress has been made especially in the area of packaged food labeling, there is still a lot of work to be done. We still hear of tragic deaths from food allergens. Learn what’s in the news.
A food allergy is a reaction triggered by the immune system when it mistakenly identifies a specific food as harmful. This can cause a range of symptoms from mild to severe, including hives, itching, swelling, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and in severe cases, anaphylaxis (a life-threatening allergic reaction that can cause difficulty breathing, lowered blood pressure, and loss of consciousness). Some of the most common foods that cause allergies include peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, milk, eggs, and wheat. Treatment for food allergies typically involves avoiding the offending food and carrying emergency medication (like an epinephrine auto-injector) in case of accidental exposure. To take the fear out of caring for children with food allergies and learn the basic principles to provide a save environment download Managing Food Allergies: How to provide a safe environment for children with food allergies.
ARE You Prepared
- Avoidance of the Allergen
- Recognizing a Reaction
- Emergency Plan & Epinephrine
Learn about these basic safety principles in our Managing Food Allergies guide.
Food Allergy Organizations
FARE: is the largest private funder of food allergy research advocating on behalf of more than 85 million Americans living with life-threatening food allergies. FoodAllergy.org
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology: AAAAI is the leading membership organization of more than 7,000 allergists/immunologists and patients. https://www.aaaai.org