After learning, making and writing about home made baby food I realized that I have been led to an important issue. The issue being food allergies. Here in North American it seems that food allergies are more prevelant every year. When I was growing up food allergies were almost unheard of. When my children were growing up food allergies were becoming known and now food allergies are up there on the top 10 list of things to be aware of. Children suffering from food allergies is becoming more and more the norm. Schools are now nut free, guests at birthday parties come with warnings.
Here are a few ways to cope with allergies in your family.
1) First things first….. make your home alergy proof! Read the label of each and every product purchased. If you purchase any food that contains ingredients that a member of your family is allergic to, clearly label it or make a separate shelf for those foods.
2) Play it safe, buy allergy free foods. There are a number of companies now that offer nut free, gluten free and dairy free as well as egg free foods and snacks. Do a little research to see which companies offer these. Send away for free samples to try them out.
3) Make sure that your childs school is aware of any allergies he or she may have. Work with them to establish an allergy free zone. Make sure there is an emergency plan and easy access to any medications if the need sure arise.
4) When your child is old enough and understands, teach them self administer their epinephrine. They should carry a self-injectable epinephrine at all times. Check with the school nurse and your doctor for approval. You should also teach your child to read all food labels and understand what ingredients are harmful to their health.
5) Whenever you eat out take a list of food allergies, this is an easy way to inform the server and chef of any ingredients that cannot be in the food ordered. Take this list along when traveling or even if your child is visiting a friend.
And finally, remember you are not alone. There are many support groups in your area offering emotional support as well as tips for having an easier time with food allergies.
Tags: children with food allergies, food allergies, living with food allergies, managing food allergies
