Food Allergies in Kids

January 4, 2023

Overview:

Being given the news that your child has life threatening food allergies can be devastating. Navigating the allergy world can be confusing and completely overwhelming especially if this is all new to you. Food is such an integral and deeply ingrained part of the human experience – events, social gatherings, and traveling all revolve around food. Navigating the allergy world as a parent is hard and comes with a new way of approaching many aspects of our lives. Some questions that riddle our minds now are: How I am I going to keep my child safe? How will I explain to my child that they can’t eat what the others are eating? How can I help my child feel included? How I am I going to advocate for my child? How can I help others understand how serious food allergies are? These are just a few questions that go through the mind of an allergy parent. Then the big question: how do we not live in fear? 

Identifying the Allergy:

My son was diagnosed at 13 months old with life threatening allergies to peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, sesame, lentils, and dairy. This news shocked me, and without sounding dramatic, drastically changed our lives. He was originally tested for food allergies because he suffered from severe eczema and had had one reaction which caused swelling of the face. I will never forget the day we got the diagnosis. I was at the clinic alone with my son. We had a skin prick test completed and then I was nonchalantly told that a laundry list of foods could seriously harm or kill my child. We were given a prescription for epipens, handed a few printouts from the 1980s, and sent on our way.  We were given zero information on potential treatments, no additional resources, and no guidance on next steps. Leaving that office I felt so many emotions but mostly I was scared. Over the next several weeks I spent my time researching and educating myself on food alternatives, food labeling laws, cross-contamination, and trying to figuring out what the heck “may contain” actually means. I also spent a great deal of time educating family, friends, and caregivers on allergies. Especially my father in-law who suggested that we put just a tiny amount of peanut butter on my sons arm to see if he was actually allergic! There will always people in this world who believe that food allergies are not as serious as those with allergies know them to be. It really is a hard concept to grasp – how such a small amount of an allergen could be so deadly. But this is our reality as allergy parents and it’s one that we must learn to navigate without living in fear or causing our children fear.  Thankfully there are loads of great resources available to help us along – I have shared a few below in the “resources” section. If you do your research or are blessed with a great allergist, managing your families food allergies can be done with a little less stress. Below I have suggested a few next steps for you to consider. These suggestions are from my personal experience and are in no particular order. However, I do believe an allergy management plan for home and school should be a top priority. 

Considerations:

Things to consider/do after you receive your allergy diagnosis:

  1. Create an allergy management/care plan at home and at school. Ensure everyone involved in making decisions or caring for your child clearly understands the plan and how to manage an allergic reaction. It is your job to educate the people in your child’s life. You are your child’s voice and advocate – never assume that someone understands the seriousness of food allergies or knows the signs of an allergic reaction. FARE has some great school resources (you can find the link to FARE below). 
  2. Consider requesting an IgE blood test from your allergist. This is an additional tool that may provide additional information about your diagnosis. 
  3. Decide whether or not you will have an allergy-free home. Some choose to completely eliminate allergens from the home while others choose to have safe areas where the allergens are kept and food is prepared. We opted for a bit of a hybrid approach. Since peanuts are our sons worst allergy we decided to eliminate them from our home completely. For a few of our lower-risk allergens such as eggs and almonds, we opted to keep in the home but stored safely and out of reach. Our plan evolves as our son better understands his allergies. 
  4. Learn about food labeling laws in Canada. Canadian food companies add allergy cautionary statements such as “may contain” warnings at their discretion and are not legally required to do so. Cross-contamination can happen during the manufacturing process as products often share the same lines for packaging and processing. It is recommended that individuals reach out directly to companies to inquire if their products are safe from specific allergens. 
  5. Do your research! There is a lot of great research happening in the allergy community. I have included a few great resources in the “Resource” section below.  Educating yourself will help you to feel less overwhelmed and maybe even a little more in control. 
  6. Educate your child about their allergies. Educating your child will help them advocate for themselves and empower them to make the right choices. 

Resources:

A quick Google search can provide you with a number of information resources. Facebook also has a number of great allergy support groups. 

Crystal Finnigan is a contributor at The Grove Collective. She has a keen interest in learning and sharing about health, travel, mindfulness, and sustainablity. She loves traveling, yoga, and spending time with her friends and family.